Originally published in Movies Plus Magazine, 2003
Musical films, after last years surprise smash, “Moulin Rouge”, are back in fashion. A new film version of “Chicago”, directed by Rob Marshall, is due for release in January 2003.
There were rumours on the internet that the roles of Velma and Roxie would go to the unlikey duo of Goldie Hawn and Madonna, but the honours have gone to Catherine Zeta-Jones (who showed she could dance in “America’s Sweethearts”, and starred in a production of “42nd Street” as a teenager) and “Bridget Jones’ Diary”‘s Renée Zelwegger. Richard Gere who won critical acclaim for playing Danny Zucko in a stage production of “Grease” on Broadway and the West End, and John C. Reilly also star in what promises to be a larger than life adaptation of one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals.
The stage production of the musical “Chicago” is probably one of the worlds best known musicals, exluding those from the pen of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on a play by Maurine Dallas Watkins that was first produced in 1926, Chicago has become known for its jazzy, extravagant style.
The story of Chicago is, as was once said, one of Greed, Corruption, Violence, Exploitation, Adultery and Treachery, the things that we all hold “near and dear to our hearts”. Velma Kelley, a nightclub singer, superstar and vaudevillian shoots her husband and ends up with the “Merry Murderesses” on Chicago’s famous Murderess Row. She secures the city’s slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn and finds her fame increased by the fact that she is at the centre of a notorious murder case.
Enter Roxie Hart. Roxie lands on Murderess Row after her lover tried to walk out on her. Roxie usurps Valma’s fame with Billy’s promotion of her through infamy, much to Velma’s annoyance.
The two women proceed to try to out-do each other by any means possible, in their pursuit of fame and celebrity. The story shows the obsession that can develop for fame, and the lengths people will go to in order to get, and keep it.
“Chicago” was first filmed as a silent movie in 1927. In 1942, it was adapted, re-named “Roxie Hart” and released as a film with Ginger Rogers in the title role. It was made into a muscial by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with choreography by Bob Fosse in 1975 and ran for 898 performances in the 46th Street Theatre in New York. It was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, but was overshadowed by “A Chorus Line” which opened in the same year, and swept the board at the Tony’s.
The revival of “Chicago” opened in 1996 in the Richard Rodgers theatre in New York, to rapturous reviews. By the end of that year the show had won Tony Awards for Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Choreography. In 1997 the show won six Drama Desk Awards, six Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards, as well as opening in London. In 1998 Chicago won a Grammy Award, and in 2000 became the longest running revival of a show on Broadway.
Stars in the stage production have so far included Caroline O’Connor (Moulin Rouge’s Nini-legs-in-the-air) and Titanic’s Billy Zane on Broadway, with Denise Van Outen playing Roxie in London’s West End.
This latest film adaptation of Chicago promises to bring the show closer to our hearts and remind us how tantalising musical extravagnza can be.
