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CHICAGO is the film adaptation of the musical-satire
Chicago and director Rob Marshall's first effort at directing
a major motion picture. It is the Winner of six academy awards,
including best picture 2002, and is a delight to watch. It's a
story of murder, scandal and a lust for fame set against a back
drop of vivid color and music in 1920s Chicago. After watching
this film, one will have an urgent need to go out and buy the
song track for the songs will be stuck in your head for days and
weeks later. Unlike most musicals, where the cast bursting into
song interrupts the action, the songs and dance numbers are portrayed
as the protagonist's habit of slipping into fantasy when reality
becomes too intense and are mingled about the action.
Each of the actors in CHICAGO was born to play
their roles. The cast preformed all of the singing and dancing,
no body doubles or voice dubbing was used showing that several
of these actors have hidden talents. Yes that is really Richard
Gere tap dancing and Renee Zellweger singing. Catherine Zeta Jones
won best supporting actress for her performance as the diva Velma
Kelly and Queen Latifah was nominated for the same award for her
performance as the cunning Matron 'Moma' Morton. Renee Zellweger
was nominated for best actress.
John C Reilly is excellent as Roxie's kind hearted
but naïve and gullible husband. If there is a decent character
in this movie, it is he. His rendition of 'Mr. Cellophane' is
the most touching moment of the film.
All of the courtroom scenes are hilarious and
Billy Flynn (Richard Gere) personificates the ultimate slimy lawyer
more interest in money than justice. His tap dancing (both legal
and literal) is a joy to observe. Both of his song and dance numbers
'all I need Renee Zellweger earned her nomination playing the
selfish, dimwitted but highly motivated Roxie. Even with this
sort of character, she seduces the audience into rooting for her.
Singer Mya has a small role as one of the other
murderesses in prison and performs in several songs. Lucy Liu
(Charlie's Angels, Shanghai Noon) also has a deceptively small
part small part (she is one of the top billed actors) as murdering
heiress Kitty Baxter, but she does not sing and dance. Actor Taye
Diggs (Go, House on Haunted Hill) is the smooth, svelte bandleader,
who is like the MC leading the audience through the film.
Roxie Hart is tired of being 'some dumb mechanic's
wife' and has been having an affair with furniture salesman Fred
Casely. Casely claims to have 'connections' that will lead to
making Roxie a star. When Roxie finds out that Fred has been stringing
her along, she shoots and kills him. In jail, Roxie comes into
contact with vaudeville star Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones)
who is awaiting murder charges on the shooting deaths of her husband
and sister.
Velma, with the help of her lawyer, Billy Flynn,
is a media sensation with many lucrative theater jobs waiting
for her after she is acquitted. Meanwhile Roxie is friendless
and in despair until Matron 'momma' Morton (Queen Latifah) hooks
her up with Billy Flynn, the lawyer who has never lost a case
with a female client. When Flynn gets involved and generates publicity
for Roxie's case, she realizes that not only will she get away
with murder but also her faded dreams of vaudeville may become
a reality. All this attention around Roxie leaves a vindictive
Velma out of the papers and on to the witness list for the prosecution
against Roxie.
Cast
Renee Zellweger: Roxie Hart
Catherine Zeta-Jones: Velma Kelly
Richard Gere: Billy Flynn
Queen Latifah: Matron "Moma" Morton
John C. Reilly: Amos Hart
Christine Baranski: Mary Sunshine
Taye Diggs: Bandleader
Great Quotes...
"There is one thing they can never resist, and
that is a reformed sinner." - Billy Flynn
"I'm gonna to tell you the truth, not that the
truth really matters..." - Roxie Hart
"I passed out completely, can't remember a thing…
only that I didn't do it." -Velma Kelly
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CHICAGO
... THE MUSICAL REVIEW 
