A Chorus Line (1985)

40% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(9,896 ratings)

Broadway's celebratory musical about rejection makes it to the screen in a fizzless adaptation by Richard Attenborough that misses the whole point of the Broadway show -- i.e. the dancing and the dancers. Instead, the dancers become a limp Greek chorus for the dead love affair between a… More Broadway's celebratory musical about rejection makes it to the screen in a fizzless adaptation by Richard Attenborough that misses the whole point of the Broadway show -- i.e. the dancing and the dancers. Instead, the dancers become a limp Greek chorus for the dead love affair between a choreographer, Zach (a pre-Gordon Gekko Michael Douglas) and his old flame, Cassie (Alyson Reed) the star dancer. Zach is holding try-outs for a new Broadway musical and, as armies of dancers are brought on stage to audition for Zach, he sits in the darkened recesses of the theater, puffing on a cigarette, as he winnows out hopeful dancers who want to become part of the chorus line for Zach's new show. Finally, Zach has reduced the dancers to 16 men and women, and he asks each of them to step to the footlights and tell him about their lives and their dreams. But backstage, while the dancers are confessing their pasts to Zach, Zach's past walks through the stage door. Cassie, Zach's ex-lover, whom Zach met, courted and broke up with in the theatrical environs, has returned. Once a big star, Cassie has returned to the theater -- not to see Zach but to audition for Zach's musical. She needs the work. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Richard Attenborough
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 10, 1985 Wide
On DVD: Apr 15, 2003
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Sexy Broadway classic gets disappointing 1980s remake.
Sarah Chauncey, Reel.com
They should've just left it on Broadway
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A Chorus Line vividly conveys the anxiety and hopefulness of dancers trying out for a Broadway musical
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central
You'll be crying "uncle" long before those gams are flashed.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
"astonishingly, it throws out just about everything that made the show a classic"
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
They did the best they could ... which (unfortunately) isn't all that great.
Audrey Rock-Richardson, Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)
Something about this high-kickin,' ways-of-the-world broadway musical just doesn't translate well to the screen. And unless you're a Broadway actor or a wannabe Broadway actor, don't expect to enjoy it...or even understand it.

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Byron B

I recently saw a 30 minute excerpt of the play at a community theater conference. This got my wife and I interested in watching the DVD. Unfortunately, some songs were added in the movie that were not in the stage musical and some songs were excluded from the movie that were in the… More
I recently saw a 30 minute excerpt of the play at a community theater conference. This got my wife and I interested in watching the DVD. Unfortunately, some songs were added in the movie that were not in the stage musical and some songs were excluded from the movie that were in the stage musical. This all came together to mean that the audience doesn't get a chance to know all of the core group of auditioning dancers as well here as in the stage version and that the emotional impact seemed diminished. I ended up thinking that the 30 minute excerpt with some of the highlights of the show was a better piece of entertainment than this two hour movie. That being said, I did like Michael Douglas's performance. The drama happening between the director, the choreographer, and the returning star is something I missed in the excerpt I saw. I missed the song from the stage production though where the director asks the performers what they would do if they couldn't dance. The way the camera captures the dance numbers, the often used mirrors, the backstage areas, and the dark shadows of the house where the director sits made the movie visually interesting especially since I love theater. I only really fell in love with three of the musical numbers here in the movie, so that's not a very large percentage. Overall a disappointment.
meril l

Good fun, lovable characters, fantastic dance. Cop out of a story, but hey it's Broadway. Worth the watch. P. S. The DVD box looks like shit.
Sunil J

Wow. This needs to be remade badly. Such high potential that doesn't deliver on film.
Krystle C

Really, really, REALLY cheesy. I also wasn't a fan of how they switched some of the songs to fit in their bad '80s versions with disgusting synthesizers. The dancing is great though, and Michael Douglas fits right in despite not having a song to sing. I have to point out… More
Really, really, REALLY cheesy. I also wasn't a fan of how they switched some of the songs to fit in their bad '80s versions with disgusting synthesizers. The dancing is great though, and Michael Douglas fits right in despite not having a song to sing. I have to point out though, doesn't the Larry character look like Tim Curry?? A Chorus Line has its moments, but it's really ruined by the 80s. Pity.

Cast

            Michael Douglas as Zach

            Terrence Mann as Larry

            Alyson Reed as Cassie

            Cameron English as Paul

            Vicki Frederick as Shiela

            Audrey Landers as Val

            Michael Blevins as Mark

            Yamil Borges as Morales

            Sharon Brown as Kim

            Gregg Burge as Richie

            Tony Dean Fields as Al

            Nicole Fosse as Kristine

            Jan Gan Boyd as Connie

            Michelle Johnston as Bebe

            Janet Jones as Judy

            Pam Klinger as Maggie

            Charles McGowan as Mike

            Justin Ross as Greg

            Blane Savage as Don

            Matt West as Bobby

            John Hammil as Advertising Executive

            J. Patrick McNamara as Robbie

            Barry Moss
            
            Mansoor Najeeullah as Cab Driver

            Brooke Smith
            
            Sammy Smith as Doorman

            Jeffrey Cornell as Reject Dancer

            Richard de Fabees as Reject Dancer

            Gregg Huffman as Misfit Boy Dancer

            Bambi Jordan as Girl in Yellow Trunks

            Jennifer Kent as Reject Dancer

            Jack Lehnert as Posterman

            Gloria Lynch as Taxi Passenger

            Karen Prunczik as Reject Dancer

            Melissa Randel as Reject Dancer

            Julie Hughes
            
            Timothy Scott as Boy with Headband

            Peter Fitzgerald as Dancer with Gum
See full cast