Chicago (2002 film)

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This article is about the 2002 film. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation).

Chicago

Directed by	Rob Marshall
Produced by	Martin Richards
Written by	Maurine Dallas Watkins (play), Bob Fosse (musical), Fred Ebb (musical), Bill Condon
Starring	Renée Zellweger Catherine Zeta-Jones Richard Gere Queen Latifah John C. Reilly Lucy Liu Mya Harrison Taye Diggs Colm Feore Christine Baranski Dominic West
Music by	John Kander Fred Ebb Danny Elfman
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date(s)	December 27, 2002
Running time	113 min.
Language	English
Budget	$45 million [1]
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Chicago is an Academy Award-winning 2002 film adaptation of the satirical stage musical Chicago, about celebrity and scandal in Jazz age Chicago directed by Rob Marshall, and written by Bill Condon. The film was nominated for 13 Academy Awards – and won six –including Best Picture, and is the first musical film to win the Best Picture Oscar since 1968's Oliver!. The film stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah.

Chicago centers murderesses Velma Kelly, played by Zeta-Jones (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart played by Zellweger (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he had lied to her about his theater connections) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.

1 Synopsis
2 Production
3 Cast and characters
4 Awards and nominations
5 Songs
6 Sources
7 Trivia
8 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is a vaudeville star whose celebrity is only increased by her double murder of her adulterous husband and her sister. Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) is a nobody who dreams of the fame and wealth of a singing career. When she shoots her abusive lover, who lied about his ability to get her a job as a performer, she is sent to murderesses' row. There she meets Velma Kelly.

Facing death row, Roxie sends her sad-sack husband Amos to hire Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), Chicago's most famous and successful defense attorney, who promises to turn her case into a celebrity murder trial and get her acquitted. Flynn and Roxie manipulate the press and the public and Roxie becomes famous. When Billy recognizes Roxie's potential, Roxie and Velma become locked in a rivalry to outdo each other in stardom. The tables are turned on both ladies, however, when a new killer — a wealthy woman who killed her husband and both of his mistresses — named Kitty (Lucy Liu) enters the scene.

Roxie manages to steal back attention by falsely claiming to be pregnant. Using this lie as well as a 'reformed criminal' story, she enters the courthouse with Billy. Everything goes fine until Velma shows up with Roxie's diary, reading incriminating entries, that Roxie claims to never have written, in exchange for amnesty. Using some quick talking, Billy manages to get Roxie off the hook and she is proclaimed innocent.

Much to Roxie's dismay however, her publicity is short lived as the public's attention turns quickly to a new murderess. Roxie leaves the courthouse after finding out that Billy wrote the false diary entries and sent the journal to Velma to get Miss Kelly off death row. With nothing left, Roxie once more sets off to find a stage career, but has little success. She is approached by Velma who is willing to revive a two person act with Roxie. Although Roxie refuses at first saying that she hates Velma, she ends up agreeing and the act becomes a big hit.

The movie ends with the duo performing their act for a huge audience, including Billy Flynn and Mama Morton, and Roxie happily calls out to everyone "Believe us, we could not have done this without you!"

[edit] Production

Chicago was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The courthouse was in Osgoode Hall. Other scenes were filmed at Queen's Park, the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Casa Loma, the Elgin Theatre, the Canada Life Building, the Danforth Music Hall, and at the Old City Hall.

The film is based on the hit musical Chicago, the original Broadway production of which (in 1975) had not been especially well-received by audiences due to the show's cynical tone. The minimalist 1996 revival enjoyed a great deal more success, however, and the influences of both productions can be seen in the film version. The original production's musical numbers were staged as vaudeville acts, which presented some problems when transferring from stage to screen. The movie version allowed the vaudeville scenes to happen by transferring the musical numbers to an imaginary stage in Roxie's fantasies, while keeping the pared-down flavor of the revival production.

[edit] Cast and characters

Velma and Roxie

The film stars Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart, a nobody in the big city dreaming of stardom and willing to do anything to get it; Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, a Chicago staple, a singing and dancing sensation and half of the duo The Kelly Sisters and Roxie's idol; Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, a big-shot lawyer who does not care about his clients' guilt or innocence, only whether they have the money to afford his services; John C. Reilly as Amos Hart, Roxie's naïve, hard-working, albeit boring spouse; Queen Latifah as Matron "Mama" Morton, the Matron of Cook County Jail, whose philosophy is "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours"; and Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine, the personification of the sensationalist news media. Taye Diggs also appears as the omnipresent Bandleader.

All principal actors did their own singing and dancing in the film. Zeta-Jones and Latifah previously had professional music careers and Reilly, Zeta-Jones and Baranski have had musical theater experience. Gere was the most experienced actor of the leading cast, and needed only minimal rehearsal (tap dance instruction before shooting his courtroom tap dance routine). Zellweger had never danced professionally but sang in the 1994 movie Shake, Rattle and Rock! (a remake of the 1956 American International Pictures musical of the same name).

[edit] Awards and nominations

[edit] Academy Awards

Chicago won six Academy Awards:

Best Picture,
Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Zeta-Jones),
Best Editing (Martin Walsh),
Best Art Direction (John Myhre),
Best Costume Design (Colleen Atwood), and
Best Sound (Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee)

It was nominated for seven others:

Best Director (Rob Marshall),
Best Actress (Renée Zellweger),
Best Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly),
Best Supporting Actress (Queen Latifah),
Best Cinematography (Dion Beebe),
Best Song ("I Move On" by John Kander and Fred Ebb), and
Best Adapted Screenplay (Bill Condon).

[edit] Golden Globes

Chicago won three Golden Globe Awards: Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Actress in Musical or Comedy (Renée Zellweger), and Best Actor in Musical or Comedy (Richard Gere).

It was nominated for five more: Best Director (Rob Marshall), Best Actress in Musical or Comedy (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Best Supporting Actor (John C. Reilly), Best Supporting Actress (Queen Latifah), and Best Screenplay (Bill Condon).

[edit] Other

In 2006 this film ranked #12 on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.

[edit] Songs

See also: Chicago: Music From the Miramax Motion Picture

"All That Jazz" - Velma Kelly
"Funny Honey" - Roxie Hart
"When You're Good to Mama" - Matron "Mama" Morton
"Cell Block Tango" - The Six Merry Murdresses of Cook County Jail (Liz, Annie, June, Hunyack, Velma Kelly, Mona)
"All I Care About" - Billy Flynn
"We Both Reached for the Gun" - Billy Flynn
"Roxie" - Roxie Hart
"I Can't Do It Alone" - Velma Kelly
"Mister Cellophane" - Amos Hart
"Razzle Dazzle" - Billy Flynn
"Class" - Velma Kelly and Matron "Mama" Morton**
- This song performed by Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones was filmed, but it was cut from the movie. The footage was later included on the DVD release and the film's broadcast television premiere on NBC in 2005, and the song was included on the soundtrack album.
"Nowadays" - Roxie Hart
"Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" - Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly
"I Move On" - Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly

[edit] Sources

The movie is based on the Kander and Ebb Broadway musical, Chicago, which was based on the Maurine Watkins play, Chicago, which was in turn based on the stories of two Jazz-era killers, Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner. The film follows a similar plot to William Wellman's 1942 film Roxie Hart, starring Ginger Rogers. It also bears many strong resemblances to Cabaret.

Ultimately, the satiric presentation of a criminal underworld that mirrors the "respectable" world of daily life goes back to The Beggar's Opera.

[edit] Trivia

Anastacia enters in the soundtrack with the song "Love Is A Crime". The song had a video but it was never released as a single, due to the singer's recently announced breast cancer. When Anastacia was shooting the video she had 40ºC degrees of fever.
Chicago was to have been the next movie project for legendary stage and film choreographer and director Bob Fosse, who directed and choreographed the original Broadway production. Although he died before the film was made, the influence of his distinctive jazz choreography style can be detected throughout the film. In particular, the parallels to Cabaret are numerous and distinct. He is thanked in the movie's credits.
Chita Rivera, who originated the role of Velma Kelly on Broadway in 1975, makes a cameo appearance as "Nicky."
Catherine Zeta-Jones began her career in musicals, appearing in the lead role of 42nd Street in London's West End at the age of just seventeen.
Britney Spears was considered for the role of Go-To-Hell Kitty, that later went to Lucy Liu. Britney Spears was suggested by the director, but due to heavy schedules Lucy Liu was hired instead.
Four years before filming began, Madonna announced in a number of interviews she would play Roxie opposite Goldie Hawn as Velma. This version was to be directed by Nicholas Hytner. It is unknown as to why Madonna pulled out.
John Travolta was originally offered the role of Billy Flynn. Richard Gere played the role instead. It is the third time Gere has had success playing part that was first offered to Travolta, following American Gigolo and An Officer and a Gentleman.
Rosie O'Donnell was also considered for the role of Matron "Mama" Morton.
A 1942 movie called Roxie Hart starred Ginger Rogers as Roxie and Adolphe Menjou as Billy Flynn. The movie followed essentially the same story line as Chicago. The only singing or dancing was done by Rogers.
Recording artist Mya makes an appearance in the number "Cell Block Tango" as Mona, the inmate who kills her lover due to "artistic differences".