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Staying Alive Movie Review Summary

Actors: John Travolta

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Staying Alive


Tony Manero leaves his disco days behind for the big city and hopes of making it on Broadway. Tony Manero has left Brooklyn for the Big Apple, trying to carve out a dance career for himself on Broadway Tony Manero has left his disco days behind in Brooklyn and is living in a run down hotel in Manhattan. Trying to make his mark on Broadway, he auditions for shows while bartending at a local club at night. While dating a fellow dancer, Jacki, he is still quite the ladies man, with a roaming eye. It doesn't take long for him to become obsessed with the lead dancer in a show that Jacki is dancing in. Laura captivates him with her long brown hair and sultry dance moves, but she won't even give him the time of day when he tries to use his charm on her in her dressing room after the show.
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Jackie turns a blind eye when she notices his attraction to the gorgeous dancer. Inviting him to audition in an another show that she is dancing lead in, Tony finds out that Jackie happens to be auditioning as well. Both of them make the cut and Tony bumps into Laura after auditions, taking a stroll through Central Park with her and ending up in bed. The ironic part comes when Tony, who is used to sleeping with woman and disappearing the next morning, is asked to leave after sex. With his ego bruised, he calls Jackie from a pay phone just to make sure she is alone and still his.

During rehearsals things heat up and Jackie finds out about Tony and Laura, but when the lead guy cannot keep up with Laura the director gives Tony a chance. When he realizes that things are going nowhere with Laura, he begs for forgiveness from Jackie and asks her to help him rehearse the part. As Laura watches a real relationship form between Jackie and Tony, she becomes jealous and tries to show him up as a dancer, thinking he couldn't possibly be good enough to dance with her.

In the climactic ending, Tony, wearing just a loin cloth, looking all cut up and muscular, puts on a great show with Laura on opening night. Caught up in the moment of their dance, he leans in and kisses her as they hold a dip. She scratches his face and storms off after the lights dim. In the final number of the show, as Laura dances with Tony, he spins her and throws her to the side of the stage, taking the number as a solo. As a staging platform begins to rise, Tony jumps on it and yells to Laura to join him. She doubts she can make it, but he yells to her to try. She makes a running leap as the director closes his eyes, and makes it. Tony holds her high above his head in victory.

In the last scene of the movie, Laura passes him in the hallway as he is kissing Jackie and then he tells Jackie, “Do you know what I wanna do? I wanna strut.” The beat to “Staying Alive,” drops, Tony flings open the door, hits the streets and does his walk from the opening of Saturday Night Fever as credits roll.
Best part of story, including ending: I loved that Tony persevered and seemed to grow up by the end of the movie, realizing that woman aren't just toys and that it can hurt when someone discards you like you don't mean anything.

Best scene in story: My favorite scene is at the end, in the opening night dance number, when Tony flings Laura to the side of the stage and does a solo, because she deserved it, but he still had enough class to have her join him for the climactic pose at the end of the dance.

Opinion about the main character: I like Tony Manero because he came from nothing and had a talent for dancing. He worked hard to change his life and make something of himself.

The review of this Movie prepared by Lisa Montalto a Level 1 Blue Jay scholar

Script Analysis of Staying Alive

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Plot & Themes

Time/era of movie:    -   1980's-1999 Job/Profession/Poverty Story?    -   Yes Job:    -   dancer

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   dancer Age:    -   20's-30's

Setting

United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Northeast

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   no torture/death Any profanity?    -   Some foul language If lots of song/dance...    -   lot of dancing

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