Chicago (2002 film)
| Chicago | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Rob Marshall |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Starring |
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| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Dion Beebe |
| Editing by | Martin Walsh |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films |
| Release date(s) | December 27, 2002 |
| Running time | 113 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $45 million |
| Gross revenue | $306,776,732 |
Chicago is a 2002 American musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical Chicago, the film explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz age Chicago.
Directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, and adapted for film by screenwriter Bill Condon, Chicago won six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture. The film was the first musical film to win the Best Picture Oscar since Oliver! (1968).
Chicago centers on Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two criminals-of-passion who find themselves awaiting their trials for murder in 1920s Chicago. Velma, a vaudevillian, and Roxie, a housewife with aspirations of having the same profession, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, and Richard Gere, also featuring Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Christine Baranski, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, and Mýa Harrison.
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Plot
Chicago, circa 1927. Naive Roxie Hart visits a nightclub, where star Velma Kelly performs, with Fred Casely, a lover she hopes will get her a vaudeville gig. After the show, Velma is arrested for killing her husband and sister, Veronica, after finding them in bed together. Later, Fred reveals that he lied about his connections in order to sleep with Roxie. She shoots Fred three times. Roxie convinces her husband Amos to take the blame, telling him it was a burglar and that he needn't worry, he'll get off. When the officer points out that the victim is Fred Casely, who sold the Harts furniture, Amos abandons his lie and says Casely was dead when he got home. Roxie is sent to the Cook County Jail.
Upon her arrival, she is sent to Murderess' Row to await trial — under the care of the corrupt Matron "Mama" Morton, who takes bribes and supplies her prisoners with cigarettes and contraband. Roxie meets Velma, and learns the stories behind the other women in Murderess' Row.
Roxie decides that she wants to engage Velma's lawyer, Billy Flynn, and convinces her husband to talk to him. Flynn and Roxie manipulate the press at a press conference, reinventing Roxie's identity to make Chicago fall in love with her. Roxie becomes the new infamous celebrity of the Cook County Jail, much to Velma's disgust and Mama's delight.
Velma, desperate to get back into the limelight, tries to talk Roxie into opening a vaudeville act with her once they get out of jail. In revenge for an earlier mocking, Roxie haughtily refuses, and Roxie and Velma become locked in a rivalry to outdo each other in stardom.
Roxie manages to steal back the limelight by claiming to be pregnant, which is falsely confirmed by a doctor (whom it is implied she seduced). Roxie witnesses the execution by hanging of another inmate who has lost her last appeal, which fuels Roxie's desire to be free. Roxie and Billy plan their strategy to find her innocent using her star power and sympathy vote. Her trial becomes a media spectacle, fed on the sensationalist reports of newspaper reporter and radio personality Mary Sunshine. The trial goes Roxie's way, until Velma shows up with Roxie's diary and, in exchange for amnesty, reads incriminating entries that Roxie claims not to have written. Using some quick talking, Billy manages to get Roxie off the hook and she is proclaimed innocent. However, Roxie's publicity is short lived: as soon as the trial concludes, the public's attention turns quickly to a new murderess. Roxie leaves the courthouse after discovering that Billy wrote the false diary entries, and sent the journal to Velma to get her off death row. Roxie reveals to Amos she faked her pregnancy for the fame. It is implied, but never stated, that Amos leaves her at this point.
With nothing left, Roxie once more sets off to find a stage career, with little success. However, she is soon approached by Velma, also down on her luck, who is willing to revive a two-person act with Roxie. Roxie refuses at first, still not over the hate they shared for each other while in prison, but relents when Velma points out that "there's only one business in the world where that's not a problem"--show business. The two murderesses, no longer facing jail time, finally become the enormous successes they have been longing to be (with Billy and Mama in the audience at their debut show).
Cast
- Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart, a housewife who aspires to be a vaudevillian
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, a showgirl
- Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, a smooth-talking lawyer.
- Queen Latifah as Matron "Mama" Morton, the corrupt matron.
- John C. Reilly as Amos Hart, Roxie`s naive husband.
- Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine
- Lucy Liu as Kitty Baxter
- Ken Ard as one of the murdered husbands Wilbur
- Taye Diggs as Bandleader
- Dominic West as Fred Casely
- Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Borusewicz
- Colm Feore as Harrison
- Chita Rivera (the original Velma Kelly on Broadway in 1975) (cameo) as Nicky
- Susan Misner, Denise Faye, Deidre Goodwin, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, and Mýa Harrison as the Merry Murderees.
Production
The film is based on the hit musical Chicago, the original Broadway production of which (in 1975) was not well-received by audiences due to the show's cynical tone. The minimalist 1996 revival was much more successful, 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; the film respects this but presents them as Roxie's fantasies, while scenes that take place in "real life" have a hard-edged realism.
Chicago was produced by American companies Miramax Films and The Producers Circle in association with the German company Kallis Productions. Chicago was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The courthouse was in Osgoode Hall. Other scenes were filmed at Queen's Park, former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Casa Loma, the Elgin Theatre, Union Station, the Canada Life Building, the Danforth Music Hall, and at the Old City Hall. All vocal coaching for the film was led by Toronto-based Elaine Overholt, whom Richard Gere thanked personally during his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
History
The film is based on the Kander and Ebb Broadway musical of the same name, 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 as Roxie and Adolphe Menjou as Billy. However, the only singing or dancing were performances by Rogers.
The film was to have been the next film project for legendary stage and film choreographer and director Bob Fosse, who directed and choreographed the original Broadway production. Though 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 (1972) are numerous and distinct. He is thanked in the film's credits.
The satiric presentation of a criminal underworld that mirrors the "respectable" world of daily life goes back to The Beggar's Opera.
Musical numbers
- "Overture/All That Jazz" – Velma and Company
- "Funny Honey" – Roxie
- "When You're Good to Mama" – Mama
- "Cell Block Tango" – Velma and Cell Block Girls
- "All I Care About" – Billy Flynn
- "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary, and Reporters
- "Roxie" – Roxie and Chorus Boys
- "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma
- "Mister Cellophane" – Amos
- "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy and Company
- "Class" – Velma and Mama (This song, performed by Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was filmed, but it was cut from the film. The scene 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
- "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" – Roxie and Velma
- "I Move On" – Roxie and Velma (over the end credits)
- "All That Jazz (reprise)" - Velma and Company
- "Exit Music" - instrumental
Release and reception
Chicago was received with very positive reviews. On the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently garners an 87% "Certified Fresh" approval rating, and a 92% (also "Certified Fresh") approval rating when narrowed down to include only the reviews of top critics;[1] Roger Ebert called it "Big, brassy fun".[2] On Metacritic, the film averaged a critical score of 82 (indicating "universal acclaim").[3]
This musical-turned-film received widespread attention from overseas and was even labeled as "The best screen musical for 30 years," claims Tim Robey, writer for the Telegraph in the United Kingdom. He also states that it has taken a "three-step tango for us to welcome back the movie musical as a form." Rob Marshall's film has also been labeled as one of the most enjoyable pictures of its kind since Fosse`s Cabaret of 1972. This particular Chicago makes the most prolific use it possibly can out of one specific advantage the cinema has over the stage when it comes to song and dance: "it's a sustained celebration of parallel montage." [4]
Other reviews claimed that there were issues with the film being too streamlined, and minor complaints were made toward Marshall's directing influences. AMC Filmcritic Sean O'Connell explains in his review of the film that "All That Jazz," "Funny Honey," and "Cell Block Tango" play out much like you'd expect them to on stage, with little enhancement (or subsequent interference) from the camera. But by the time "Razzle Dazzle" comes around, all of these concerns are diminished.[5]
Box office
The film grossed $170,687,518 in the United States and Canada, as well $136,089,214 in other territories. Combined, the film grossed $306,403,013 worldwide-which was, at the time, the highest gross of any film never to reach #1 or #2 in the weekly box office charts in the North American markets (Canada and United States—where it peaked at #3). This record has since been outdone by Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel [6]
Home release
Chicago was released on DVD in Region 1 (USA, Canada, and US territories) on August 19, 2003. It was released in Full Screen and Widescreen. In addition to this release, a two-disc "Razzle Dazzle" Edition was released over two years later on December 20, 2005, and later, on Blu-ray format, in January 2007. Miramax was the label responsible for the production of the DVDs and the discs themselves provide a feature-length audio commentary track with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon. There's also a deleted musical number called "Class," performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah.
Awards and nominations
The table lists award nominees. Winners are shown in boldface.
| Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards[7] | ||
| Best Picture | Martin Richards (producer) | Won |
| Best Actress | Renee Zellwegger | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | John C. Reilly | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Best Supporting Actress | Queen Latifah | Nominated |
| Best Director | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Dion Beebe | Nominated |
| Best Art Direction | John Myhre | Won |
| Best Costume Design | Colleen Atwood | Won |
| Best Film Editing | Martin Walsh | Won |
| Best Sound Mixing | Michael Minkler, David Lee and Dominick Tavella | Won |
| Best Original Song | John Kander (for "I Move On") | Nominated |
| BAFTA Awards[8] | ||
| Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Renee Zellweger | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Best Supporting Actress | Queen Latifah | Nominated |
| David Lean Award for Direction | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Dion Beebe | Nominated |
| Best Production Design | John Myhre | Nominated |
| Best Costume Design | Colleen Atwood | Nominated |
| Best Make Up and Hair | Judi Cooper-Sealy | Nominated |
| Best Editing | Martin Walsh | Nominated |
| Best Sound | Michael Minkler, David Lee, and Dominick Tavella | Won |
| Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music | Danny Elfman | Nominated |
| Golden Globes[9] | ||
| Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy | Won | |
| Best Actor - Musical or Comedy | Richard Gere | Won |
| Best Actress - Musical or Comedy | Renee Zellweger | Won |
| Best Actress - Musical or Comedy | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | John C. Reilly | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Queen Latifah | Nominated |
| Best Director | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | Bill Condon | Nominated |
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[10] | ||
| Best Picture | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Best Acting Ensemble | Won | |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Award | ||
| Best Actress | Renee Zellweger | Nominated |
| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award | ||
| Best Picture | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | ||
| Outstanding Directing | Rob Marshall | Won |
| Evening Standard British Film Awards | ||
| Best Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | ||
| Best Song | "Cell Block Tango" | Won |
| National Board of Review of Motion Pictures | ||
| Best Directorial Debut | Rob Marshall | Won |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards[11] | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Nominated |
| Best Ensemble | Nominated | |
| Best Breakthrough Filmmaker | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Best Costume Design | Colleen Atwood | Nominated |
| Best Editing | Martin Walsh | Nominated |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society | ||
| Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Renee Zellweger | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Best Cinematography | Dion Beebe | Nominated |
| Best Costume Design | Colleen Atwood | Won |
| Best Film Editing | Martin Walsh | Won |
| Best Newcomer | Rob Marshall | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards[12] | ||
| Best Actress | Renee Zellweger | Won |
| Best Actor | Richard Gere | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones | Won |
| Best Supporting Actress | Queen Latifah | Nominated |
| Best Acting Ensemble | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Award | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Bill Condon | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Chicago Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chicago/. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
- ↑ "Chicago (2002) - Cream of the Crops". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chicago/?critic=creamcrop. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
- ↑ "Chicago reviews". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/chicago. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
- ↑ Robey, Tim (Decembery 27, 2002). "This Jailhouse Rocks". The Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4729504/This-jailhouse-rocks.html. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ↑ O'Connell, Sean (January 21, 2003). "Chicago". Filmcritic.com. http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Chicago. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
- ↑ "Top Grossing Movies That Never Hit #1 at the Box Office". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic/never1.htm. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ↑ "The 2003 Oscar Winners". Ropeofsilicon.com. http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/award_show/oscars/2003. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ↑ "Awards Database - The BAFTA site". Bafta.org. http://www.bafta.org/awards-database.html?year=2002&category=Film&award=false. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ↑ "The 2003 Golden Globe Award Winners". Ropeofsilicon.com. http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/award_show/golden_globe_awards/2003. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ↑ "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 2002". Bfca.org. http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/2002.php. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ↑ "O.F.C.S.: The Online Film Critics Society". Rotten Tomatoes. January 6, 2003. http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com/pages/awards/2002nominees. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
- ↑ "The 2003 Screen Actors Guild Award Winners". Ropeofsilicon.com. http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/award_show/screen_actors_guild_awards/2003. Retrieved August 10, 2009.
External links
- Official website
- Chicago at the Internet Movie Database
- Chicago at the TCM Movie Database
- Chicago at Allmovie
- Chicago at Box Office Mojo
- Chicago at Rotten Tomatoes
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