Director Bob Fosse's musical, which largely mirrors his own real-life experiences, is memorable for a blistering performance by Roy Scheider in the lead role. The star was nominated for an Oscar in this tale of a choreographer who drives his dancers and himself to the limit in preparation for a new musical. Scheider's character suffers a heart attack, leading him to hallucinate some wild musical numbers, which are superbly shot and choreographed. Some may argue that Fosse's film is flashily self-indulgent, but it was deservedly a critical (it won Oscars for editing, score, art direction and costume design) and box-office success.

Joe Gideon is at the top of the heap, one of the most successful directors and choreographers in musical theater. But he can feel his world slowly collapsing around him - his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of pills keep him going.