An old-style musical fantasy wherein people's innermost emotions blossom into song and dance, even though the plot format of a Broadway audition affords no reason why it shouldn't remain a "realistic" backstage musical. Too bad, therefore, that the songs and dances -- especially the songs -- are not very good. On the other hand, the opening-up of the play into a movie -- and a movie, at that, with a large sense of space and a lively sense of movement -- serves to de-emphasize the text, which also was never very good. What was clever and suspenseful about the original premise remains clever and suspenseful: we are a bit like the hopefuls in that we don't know what the head choreographer wants, and yet we are a bit like the choreographer in that we are in the position ourselves of fellow judges, with no authority, of course, but with our own incipient preferences: Alyson Reed for best legs, let's say, and Gregg Burge for best overall body. With Michael Douglas; directed by Richard Attenborough. (1985) — Duncan Shepherd
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