Fosse/Verdon Proves It’s Time to Cancel the Fragile Male Ego
There's a specific moment in the first episode of FX's new limited series Fosse/Verdon where I thought, "Ugh, men are canceled." Yes, I'm a guy myself—but I was ready to burn it all down as I watched Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams) travel to New York from Munich to pick up a gorilla suit for her husband, Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell), and return after 72 hours to find him in bed with another woman. The gorilla suit, if you're curious, was for Bob's movie Cabaret, which Gwen had dropped everything to help him direct. And how did he thank her? By sleeping with someone else while she was on a seven-hour flight. Coach!
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Bob Fosse's indiscretions portrayed in the episode, which premiered last night. On the surface, though, their relationship seemed like goals: Fosse is one of the most iconic choreographers of all time, and Verdon is a four-time Tony winner who originated roles in musicals like Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity. The two married in 1960 and frequently collaborated on movies.
Fosse/Verdon,,however, digs deeper into their troubled dynamic. According to the show, these two weren't creative equals but rather Verson was the backbone to Fosse's genius. When he was artistically flustered, she'd come in with just the right note to bring a project back to life. She didn't get any of the credit, though. Bob Fosse is the one in our history books—hailed as an innovator and a legend. But Verdon was right next to him, infusing her own ideas into the movies and musicals he ultimately fronted. Fosse/Verdon is attempting to put that narrative into our history books—and it's an eye-opening one.
The show is an interesting exploration of the fragile male ego. When a producer tells Bob he can only direct Cabaret if Gwen helps, he sneaks his way into the job. Later, in a flashback, we see him have a complete meltdown after a musical director tries to cut one of his numbers. Right by his side through it all is Gwen, who remains calm and helps him craft a new piece of choreography that pleases their higher-ups.
It's a frustrating cycle to watch. Gwen is completely in love with Bob, but he mostly views her as a muse—someone whose emotions and talents he can exploit, then dispose. They do have genuine affection for each other, but Bob is always keeping his eye on what's next: the next movie, the next musical, the next woman.
After all, that's how he and Gwen met. Bob was married to actress Joan McCracken when he fell in love with Gwen on a project. History repeats itself on the Cabaret set: He's very much married to Gwen but falls for a German translator working on the movie. It's messed up—and heartbreaking, because Bob is everything to Gwen. She's so enamored with him that she makes sure her hair is in place every time she sees him, even when they're fighting.
It's tragic to watch this talented, brilliant woman lose herself in some angry, balding man. But though the show is a period piece, I think its themes continue to resonate. Think about the latest season of This Is Us, when Randall (Sterling K. Brown) fights with Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) because her career ambitions conflict with his. Or the 2017 film mother!, which is all about a woman making sacrifices for her egotistical, perpetually unsatisfied husband. Glenn Close tackles similar territory in The Wife, playing a woman who essentially wrote her husband's Nobel Prize–winning novel. Again and again we see women having to work twice as hard and do twice as much to earn the same recognition as men. Maybe the circumstances aren't always as extreme as in Fosse/Verdon…but then again, the gender pay gap still exists.
Look, I'm not trying to discredit Bob Fosse's work—he is brilliant—but it's devastating that our culture's gender imbalance made it so Gwen Verdon didn't receive the same praise as him. That's ultimately what I took away from the Fosse/Verdon premiere: Gwen deserved better—from Bob, from the entertainment industry, from everyone. Hopefully this series gives her the shine she deserves.
Christopher Rosa is the staff entertainment writer at Glamour. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisrosa92.
