I saw the original Bob Fosse’s Musical when it appeared on Broadway. It opened the same week as ’’A Chorus Line’’ and it was the first Fosse Musical to flop. I did not see the revival that stared Bebe Newman.
This film opened this week. Rob Marshal Directed it and the Screenwriter was Bill Condon. The Editor was Martin Walsh. The Choreographer was Amos Marshal. When I saw that the film ’’Chicago’’ was play at the Vic Theatre I talked my Husband to go see it with me.
THE STARS
Renee Zellweger plays Roxie Hart.
Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Velma Kelly.
Richard Gere plays Billy Flynn who is a Lawyer.
John Reilly plays Roxies’s Husband Amos.
Dominic West plays Fred who is Roxie’s latest lover.
Queen Latifah plays, (the Marton of the Jail), Mama Morton.
THE SONGS:
All That Jazz
Funny Honey
When You’re Good to Mama
Cell Block Tango
All I Care About
We Both Reached For The Gun
Roxie 8.
I Can’t Do It Alone
Mr. Cellophane
Razzle Dazzle Nowadays
MY REVIEW:
This film takes place during the ’’Roaring Twenties’’ in a ’’Speakeasy’’.
Roxie Hart is a young woman who wants to be a Vaudeville Star. She is married to Amos. Amos works fourteen hours a day and that doesn’t leave him much time for her.
Roxie loves jazz, liquor and finding new lovers. One night she and her latest lover, Fred, go to see a Show. One of the acts are the Kelly Sisters but Velma appears on stage alone.
As Roxie and Fred are leaving the Police arrive to arrest Velma for killing her Husband and Sister.
The film fast forwards a few Months to the time when Fred tells Roxie that, ’’It’s been fun Honey but it’s time to move on.’’
Roxie doesn’t like to be ’’dumped’’ so she shoots him. She doesn’t want to go to Jail and when her Husband comes home convinces him to help her.
The Police arrive and begin to interview Roxie and Amos. Amos tells them that a strange climbed into the window and he came home in time to save Roxie.
A problem arrises when the Detective tells Amos the name of the Man who was shot. Amos blurts out, ’’He’s no stranger he’s the Man who sold us our furniture!’’
Roxie is arrested and taken to the Cook County Jail.
Roxie’s fate lies in the hands of Matron Mama Morton. She is willing to do anything for money. Velma already the ’’queen’’ of the murders ward. She has become famous from all of the publicity her Lawyer has arranged for her.
Roxie meets Velma Kelly and they take an instant dislike to each other. The Matron suggests to Roxie that she should get the famous Lawyer to defend her, (he is the same one that is defending Velma).
Roxie convinces Amos to go see Billy Flynn because he has never lost a case. Billy agrees to take Roxie on as a client if Amos, (who he keeps calling Andy), brings him $5, 000.00.
Amos can only come up with about half of that amount but Billy agrees to represent Roxie.
He arranges for Roxie to meet the Press and they fall in love with her. Velma suddenly is forgotten.
The publicity helps Roxie and she finds that she has become ’’the toast of Chicago’’.
Both of then battle ’’for the spotlight’’ and Billy’s attention. This takes you to when Roxie’s goes to Court.
I never tell the ending of a film so I will end here.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
The Music and Dancing was outstanding. I though that Renee Zellwege and Catherine Zeta-Jones were excellent were excellent in their rolls.
Richard Gere was better than I though he would be and good and John Reilly’s song stole the show.
The three songs I like best were ’’All That Jazz’’, Razzle Dazzle’’, Mr. Cellophane and ’’Cell Block Tango’’.
If you haven’t seen this film I recommend it to you.
Comments are always welcome. Ratings don’t matter.
©LL2002