Pretty girls will be the death of Joe Gideon.
"It's showtime, folks."
In Bob Fosse’s masterwork ALL THAT JAZZ,
they are his dancers, actresses, mistresses, girlfriends, ex-wives, and even his daughter.
They all compete for, even demand his attention.
The myriad female characters come and go in ALL THAT JAZZ,
and never quite take Joe to task for his self-destructiveness,
his ego, or any of the bullshit.
"You can go out with any girl..."
"Any girl in town."
"That's right. I go out with any girl in town."
In the dream world at the heart of the film, only Angelique seems to empathize with Joe.
She is a reassuring presence to Joe, listening to his every word as a friend.
Joe has always been fascinated by death, and in Fosse’s film she seems to have known
him since he was a little boy.
"I'm Joey's mother."
"Ever since he so high he's had such a crush on you."
"I've always been fond of Joe, too."
In this case, the drugs, stress and too much work have taken a toll on Joe’s heart.
In ALL THAT JAZZ, death comes for Joe in the form of what he loves the most:
a gorgeous,
adoring woman.
Unlike certain Scandinavian archetypes, Death in Fosse’s film is a seductive, appealing presence.
But Joe is fully aware of what giving in to her means…
there’s a telling moment late in the film
where Angelique is right on the verge of finally enticing Joe to submit to her...
and he pulls back.
He is not ready. But he will be.
First, he has a show to do,
and not another beautiful woman can tear him from it.
The most significant cinematic influence on ALL THAT JAZZ is Fellini’s 8½,
both for its dream-like structure
but also for the myriad female characters that pursue the main character;
a film director in both films.
At the heart of both films is an over-extended
filmmaker who contends with the many different people in his life who demand his time and input.
The character that most mirrors Angelique in Fellini’s film is Rosella
whom values for her wisdom.
Both of these women stand apart from the lovers, actresses and sycophants
who compete for the man’s attention.
And like Lady Death, Rossella has a connection
to the spirits, a power that Guido does not have, but deeply wants.
Guido reveals himself to Rossella on location of his film.
He admits, “I really have nothing to say"
"but I want to say it all the same.”
Rossella and Angelique are the confidantes of the overwhelmed auteur of each respective film.
Both women are apart from showbiz – they are not dazzled or fooled by the illusions of the male character.
They are the ones the men turn to for guidance.
It has been written that Angelique is also based on Fosse’s former wife Joan McCracken,
who died young shortly after their divorce.
Since many other characters are blatantly based on actual people in Fosse’s life
(with Ann Reinking basically playing herself)
Angelique may not necessarily be the Grim Reaper,
but rather the embodiment of McCracken...
a former lover gone first to the afterlife who returns to escort Joe when his time comes.
She is death’s talent scout, and Joe is auditioning for the role of a corpse.
In Fosse’s vision, Death is like a poison he’s been drinking his whole life.
He grew up around gorgeous women as a vaudeville-performing child
and his career presents him with hundreds of adoring women at every turn.
He found what he loves and he will let it kill him.
"Please leave. Please."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm sure."
Jessica Lange dresses as if at a funeral, with a veil and elegant wide hat,
which only further cements her appeal as an angel of death.
Her colors are white instead of black –
and she delights in hearing about how Joe is overworking
his heart and running himself to death.
The stage looks like a cluttered Broadway dressing room,
with light-studded vanity mirror and theatrical mementos scattered around.
Is this how Fosse envisions the limbo between life and death?
As a disheveled set in an empty theater?
For theater to exist there must be an audience.
And for life to exist there must also be death.
Or then again, maybe it all takes place in the same abstract consciousness:
the fleeting thoughts of a man about to die.
8½ is also very famous for the mixture of dream and reality
until it is difficult to differentiate between the two.
Jessica Lange’s Angelique is the embodiment Joe chooses as who will take him for what he is,
with all his faults.
In Fosse’s vision, Lady Death does not terrify or snatch your life from you.
She is simply, patiently there when you are ready to take her by the hand.
Death is something you embrace.
Where will Angelique take Joe?
There is never a mention of heaven or hell in Fosse’s film.
It is simply, just The End.