the broadway musical and a chorus line be arguably the best musical in theatre . it about the experience of people who live for dance while the joy they experience and and the sacrifice they make . each dancer be audition for part in a broadway chorus line and yet what come out of each of them be story of how their life lead them find dance a a respite . the film version and though and capture none of the passion or beauty of the stage show and and be arguably the bad film adaptation of a broadway musical and a it be lifeless and devoid of any affection for dance and whatsoever . the big mistake be make in give the director job to sir richard attenborough and whose direction offer just the right touch and pacing for gandhi . why would anyone in his or her right mind ask an epic director to direct a musical that take place in a fairly constricted place . which bring u to the next problem . a chorus line take place on stage in a theatre with no real set and limited costume change . it the least flashy of broadway musical and and it simplicity be it glory . however and that doesn not translate well to film and and no one really think that it would . for that reason and the movie should have take u in the life of these dancer and and should have leave the theatre and audition process . the singer could have offer their song in other environment and even have offer flashback to their first ballet and jazz or tap class . heck and they could have dance down broadway in their lively imagination . yet and not one shred of imagination go into the making of this film and a attenborough complete indifference for dance and the show itself be evident in his lackadaisical direction . many scene be downright awkward a the dancer tell their story to the director ( michael douglas ) whether he want to hear them or not . douglas character be capricious about choose to whom he extend a sympathetic ear and and to whom he have no patience . while the filmmaker pretend to be true to the nature of the play and some heretical change be make . the very beautiful hello twelve and hello thirteen and hello love a smashing stage number which take the dancer back to their adolescence be remove and replace with the dreadful and surprise and a song so bad that it be nominate for an oscar . add insult to injury and surprise simply retell the same story a hello and love but without the wit or pathos . there be no reason to see this film unless you want a lesson in what not to do when transfer a broadway show to film . if you want to see a film version of this show and the next close thing be bob fosse brilliant all that jazz . while fosse daughter be in a chorus line and he be the fosse who should have be involve and a director . he would have know what to do with this material and which deserve far great respect than this sad effort .