Legs, Limbs, Lights, Razzle Dazzle and All that Jazz...
These were my immediate impressions about this movie and of course, Bob Fosse! Yes, I know Fosse didn’t direct this film,(poor guy, isn't around any longer) but his style and clearly the fact that this was his conception was highly evident, even though director Rob Marshall made this his own movie and presented the musical numbers in his own way, with sleek production and fast paced quick editing, I still kept thinking Bob Fosse...Maybe it was because I had the pleasure years ago of watching Fosse work when I had a bit part in his movie Lenny and was so enthralled by him and his manner of direction that I may be a bit slanted in my way of thinking.. Not to take anything away from Rob Marshall, he did a fantastic job and I imagine it was difficult to take a stage show like Chicago and reintroduce it to the movie going audience in the fascinating manner with which this movie was presented.
I enjoyed Chicago immensely; all of it, the singing, dancing and the storyline. I thought the way the story was told was fascinating and a complete creative achievement.. I was so pleasantly surprised by how good the stars of the film were, though I was a little dubious at first, Catherine Zeta Jones, Richard Gere and Renee Zellweger did do a terrific job, singing and dancing their way though this story of love, lust, and murder.
As the movie opens I was riveted from the first few moments and, when Catherine Zeta Jones did her dazzling opening number, All That Jazz, I knew I was in for a 2 hour treat.
Basically the story is about 2 women, Velma Kelley, (Jones) singer/dancer, who murders her sister/dance partner and husband, meets Roxie Hart, (Zellweger) on murderers row after Roxie, “wannabee” singer/dancer, murders her abusive, lying boyfriend...The two of them battle it out for their moment in the spotlight during the famous roaring 20’s, in Chicago’s vaudevillian circus like atmosphere, at that moment in time when the newspaper press ruled the way news was presented to the public.
Velma, already in prison when Roxie arrives doesn’t know Roxie had admired her from afar before this all happened, was living the high life in jail due to paying off the warden, Matron “Mama” (Queen Latifah). Along comes Gere, as Chicago’s slickest lawyer, who says he can get anyone off for $5,000, was already representing Velma, the “Front page story”..When he is hired to defend Roxie, he recognizes her as a “made for tabloids” story , puts, Velma on the back page and puts the spot light on Roxie. The press loves her and they milk it for all it’s worth, turning her into Chicago’s favorite little sweetheart. Velma, not to be outdone, has other plans for Roxie and sets out to hurt Roxie’s case. Both of them vying for the spotlight, their "15" minutes of fame , so to speak!
All three of them do an amazing job dancing and singing and the musical numbers, the way they were presented, were completely entertaining and highly dazzling....The way the scenes were played, switching back and forth from reality to the fantasy vaudevillian world of song and dance and back again was as creative a musical treat as any I have seen. One of my favorite scenes was the prison scene, The Cell Block Tango, where all the jailed women explain in this musical number how and what they did to get to where they were....Another was Queen Latifah’s song as “Mama” where the scene again switches back and forth between the reality of her prison wardon’s drab personna and the fantasy, the busty, siren, lounge singer playing the audience for all it’s worth.
The musical numbers just sparkle with the talent of the dancers, most of whom are stage dancers and truly as professional and talented as anyone could be, but the stars, Jones, Zellweger and Gere really do an impressive job and the solo tap dance that Gere does was pleasantly surprising...I recently saw him on David Letterman and he told the story of his early years in show business along with a film clip of his early performance in Grease. Jones has been all over the TV circuit these last few days and I was surprised to learn of her beginnings in dance on the London stage, so I guess that would explain it. Zellweger I thought was the weakest of the 3 but her lightness, charm and charisma managed to create a complete and satisfying performance.
All in all, I loved Chicago...I found it completely entertaining and look forward to seeing it again, whether in the theater on video or DVD....Like Moulin Rouge which was a favorite of mine last year, it’s a movie that you can see over and over again, that is, if musicals and spectacular spectacles are your cup of tea..
This Hollywood adaptation of the classic Broadway musical sparkles with glamour and reverberates with the energy of good old-fashioned song and dance....More at Family Video
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