Preparing for the Miraculous

idge across the afterlife 155The 1979 movie All that Jazz, with Roy Scheider andJessica Lange, was scripted and directed by Bob Fosse, andbased on his own life-story. Fosse, “all-round movie andshow business man,” won an unprecedented eight TonyAwards for choreography, as well as one for direction. Hewas nominated for an Academy Award four times and wonfor his direction of Cabaret.All that Jazz tells the story of a choreographer andmovie director, Joe Gideon, who has led the life many wellknownshow business people lead, or are supposed to lead,with the relationships, the pills, drinks and drugs, the love,hate and indifference, and the ups and downs of success.Striking for an American movie, and therefore mentionedhere, is the fact that, in his moments with himself before themake-up mirror, this professional showman – “It’s showtime, folks!” – often finds himself in the company of a beautiful,mysterious lady-in-white with whom he can be totallyspontaneous and sincere.A loose and fast life like his leads slowly but surely toheart problems and the inevitable attack. Still Joe Gideoncannot manage the discipline to bring some order to hislife, although he knows full well that his condition is serious.Actually the problem and fear of death obsess him, forhe cannot stop viewing and editing his own movie about astand-up who parodies the successive standard reactions ofpeople when given the news of their imminent death. (Theenumeration of these reactions is part of the work of ElisabethKübler-Ross, who is mentioned by name.) The result ofGideon’s desperate carelessness is more attacks leading upto the fatal one, when in a drugged or comatose state, anda magnificently staged finale, he sees his life as one grandshow. Then, when it is all over and the body bag is zippedup, comes the surprise: waiting for him is the beautiful smilinglady-in-white again, to help him on to another world.