The Players:
- Rob Marshall (Director; Choreographer): Previously known for his work as a choreographer both on the stage [Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993), She Loves Me (1994), Cabaret (1998)] and on TV [Victor/Victoria (1995), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997), Annie (1999)—which he also directed], Marshall would make his feature film directorial debut with Chicago, which also earned him an Academy Award nomination. He would go on to direct Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), Nine (2009), and Into the Woods (2014).
- Bill Condon (Writer): Having recently won an Academy Award for writing Gods and Monsters (1998), he would receive another nomination for writing Chicago. Afterwards, he would write and direct Kinsey (2004) and Dreamgirls (2006).
- Renée Zellweger (Roxie): Zellweger was at her heyday at this point in her career. She received Academy Award nominations for Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) and Chicago before winning an Academy Award for Cold Mountain (2003). At this time she was also in Down with Love (2003), Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), and Cinderella Man (2005).
- Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma): After her breakout performances in The Mask of Zorro (1998) and Entrapment (1999), Zeta-Jones would appear in High Fidelity (2000), Traffic (2000), America’s Sweethearts (2001), and Chicago—which would earn her an Academy Award. After that she would go on to work on such films as Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003), Intolerable Cruelty (2003), Oceans’ Twelve (2004), and The Legend of Zorro (2005).
- Also Featuring: Richard Gere (Billy Flynn); Queen Latifah (“Mama” Morton); John C. Reilly (Amos); Christine Baranski (Mary Sunshine)
- Shout-outs to: Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu, Dominic West, Colm Feore, Susan Misner, Mya
The Story:
Roxie Hart dreams of being a showgirl. She has an affair with Fred Casely, who claims to have showbiz connections. But, when he tells her it was a lie, she shoots him in a fit of rage. She tries to get her husband, Amos, to take the fall for her; but he gives her up when he learns she was two-timing him. Roxie is arrested and taken to Cook County Jail along with other famous murderesses—like the infamous Velma Kelly.
Under Mama Morton’s guidance, Roxie hires acclaimed lawyer Billy Flynn, who is famous for getting guilty women acquitted. He trains Roxie on a campaign to reinvent her image and obfuscate the truth of what happened. But other, flashier, murderesses begin to steal her spotlight. So Roxie fakes a pregnancy to keep her trial case on track.
Billy gives ‘em the old razzle dazzle for Roxie’s trial. He manipulates the jury and the media with his showmanship. Both Amos and Velma are brought to the stand for sensationalist effect. Roxie is acquitted, but at the same time another woman shoots her husband on the steps of the courthouse. Roxie’s fame flickers away just as fast. It’s not until she teams up with Velma that they finally become a celebrated vaudeville act.
Why I Love It:
From the moment Catherine Zeta-Jones appears on stage to sing “All That Jazz” I was mesmerized. Just like Billy Flynn, Rob Marshall razzled and dazzled me with his adaptation of the Kander & Ebb musical. His vision of turning the musical numbers into fantasy, vaudeville acts proved to be the best way to incorporate elements of a musical into a film without making it feel ridiculous. (Something he wouldn’t always be able to pull off in film.)
But for me, it’s Catherine Zeta-Jones who makes the movie. She really embodies the role of Velma Kelly. My absolute favorite moment in the film is when Roxie collapses on the floor and declares she’s pregnant. The camera cuts to Velma who mutters “Shit.” Zeta-Jones’ face in that moment is priceless. From that moment on I knew Zeta-Jones was my favorite actress.
Chicago is also the film that fully catapulted me into my obsession with the Oscars. Beyond my love for the ceremony itself was the joy of seeing Zeta-Jones accept her Oscar. And Chicago’s win (along with the success of 2001’s Moulin Rouge!) would fully revive the movie musical genre (Chicago was the first movie musical to win Best Picture since 1968’s Oliver!). It’s more than enough to earn my eternal love…and all that jazz.
Bonus Content:
The JK Review 