At the close of WWII, a young nurse tends to a badly-burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair.
Director:
Anthony Minghella
Stars:
Ralph Fiennes,
Juliette Binoche,
Willem Dafoe
Lieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military.
Director:
Kevin Costner
Stars:
Kevin Costner,
Mary McDonnell,
Graham Greene
The story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.
Director:
Tom Hooper
Stars:
Colin Firth,
Geoffrey Rush,
Helena Bonham Carter
Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.Written by
Debpp322
Rob Marshall had previously been hired by the producers to direct The Wonderful World of Disney: Annie (1999); he had not wanted to direct that earlier film, preferring only to do choreography, but was persuaded to do both. That film's success resulted in his getting the job to direct Chicago (2002). See more »
Goofs
In their final dance, Velma and Roxie are presented by someone who speaks on a microphone next to them. However, when the second part of their act is introduced, you can hear the same voice, but the man who was talking on the microphone has turned around looking at the musicians and the microphone is far away from his mouth. See more »
Dedicated to Bob Fosse, Gwen Verdon, and Robert Fryer See more »
Alternate Versions
The musical number "Class," featuring Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones, was deleted from the final version of the film. However, it was recut into the movie for a brief, extremely limited theatrical re-release in the summer of 2003. It then appeared on DVD as a bonus feature, but was NOT intercut there. See more »
Having just seen "Chicago", I must say I was very impress. Kudos to all involved. Rob Marshall has done a fine job in adapting this beloved musical to the big screen (not an easy task), and considering the fact that this is his first big-budget feature, his accomplishment is even more resounding.
The movie follows the lives of two women, living in the tough city of "Chicago" in the 1920's. Velma Kelly (played by Catherine Zeta Jones) is a sexy stage performer, who finds herself thrown into prison after a fit of rage results in the death of both her husband and her sister who have been carry on an illict affair with each other. The other lady in question is wannabe starlet Roxie Hart (played by Renee Zellweger), a married woman, who after being seduced and duped by her devious lover, get revenge on him by shooting him dead. This act of vengeance also see's her taking a trip to prison, and it's here that a battle of one-up-man-ship commences between the two ladies, as both use whatever means at their disposal to get (a) out of jail and (b) gain the most publicity doing it. The connecting factor between Velma & Roxie comes in the form of an unscrupulous high profile defense attorney Billy Flynn (played by Richard Gere), who also knowing when to take advantage of an opportunity, becomes counsel for both women and their respective cases.
"Chicago" is fortunate enough to have several things going for it. Aside from strong direction from Rob Marshall, the film is blessed with memorable performances from it's three leads. Catherine Zeta Jones oozes a vampish nature to her portrayal of Velma Kelly. Looking every inch the star, she commands a strong presence in the film, and appears right at home handling both the singing and dancing aspects of the role with ease and class, not to mention a high degree of sexiness. Richard Gere also plays his part in the movie with aplomb. Despite his questionable tactics and somewhat dubious nature, Gere lends a roguish charm to his character which has you walking away if not liking then at the very least admiring his character's quick skill and cunning guile. Gere is also a strong performer in the areas of singing and dancing (much to my surprise!!). However, it's Renee Zellweger who takes centre-stage in "Chicago" - and boy, does she relish every moment of it. She is without doubt, the "star performer" of this film. With sly nods to past "blonde bombshells" such as Jean Harlow & Marilyn Munroe, Zellweger runs the gauntlet of high and lows that require of her character. From demure & sweet, to sly & munipulative, you never know what she gonna do next. And as with Zeta-Jones & Gere, Zellweger also does justice when it comes to belting out a tune, or doing the hot step.
Our three principals are lucky to have an equally talented supporting cast to back them up. From John C Reilly as the down-trodden husband of Roxie Hart, to Queen Latifah as the "larger-than-life" matron of a women's prison, everyone in this film is right on the mark with their performances. Yet at the heart of any good musical, is of course the musical numbers, and in this respect "Chicago" does not disappoint.
From the opening heat of "All That Jazz", to the saltry "When You're Good To Mama", through to the electric "Cellblock Tango", onto the wistful "Roxie", then to the playful kitsch of "Razzle Dazzle" to the all-out "Finale" featuring Velma & Roxie, "Chicago" scores big-time. The choreography, costume & set designs are all terrific, giving the film the look and feel it's rightly deserves.
With the high-profile success of "Moulin Rogue" in 2001, "Chicago" is likely to follow in the same footsteps, and hopefully this will continue a trend in Hollywood to bring back "the musical" - with the same love & attention that has obviously gone into making "Chicago". I highly recommend this film. You're guaranteed a enjoyable & entertaining night at the movies..... with a smile on your dial, a tune in your head, and a spring in your step ....... go and treat yourself ..... you know you want to.......
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Having just seen "Chicago", I must say I was very impress. Kudos to all involved. Rob Marshall has done a fine job in adapting this beloved musical to the big screen (not an easy task), and considering the fact that this is his first big-budget feature, his accomplishment is even more resounding.
The movie follows the lives of two women, living in the tough city of "Chicago" in the 1920's. Velma Kelly (played by Catherine Zeta Jones) is a sexy stage performer, who finds herself thrown into prison after a fit of rage results in the death of both her husband and her sister who have been carry on an illict affair with each other. The other lady in question is wannabe starlet Roxie Hart (played by Renee Zellweger), a married woman, who after being seduced and duped by her devious lover, get revenge on him by shooting him dead. This act of vengeance also see's her taking a trip to prison, and it's here that a battle of one-up-man-ship commences between the two ladies, as both use whatever means at their disposal to get (a) out of jail and (b) gain the most publicity doing it. The connecting factor between Velma & Roxie comes in the form of an unscrupulous high profile defense attorney Billy Flynn (played by Richard Gere), who also knowing when to take advantage of an opportunity, becomes counsel for both women and their respective cases.
"Chicago" is fortunate enough to have several things going for it. Aside from strong direction from Rob Marshall, the film is blessed with memorable performances from it's three leads. Catherine Zeta Jones oozes a vampish nature to her portrayal of Velma Kelly. Looking every inch the star, she commands a strong presence in the film, and appears right at home handling both the singing and dancing aspects of the role with ease and class, not to mention a high degree of sexiness. Richard Gere also plays his part in the movie with aplomb. Despite his questionable tactics and somewhat dubious nature, Gere lends a roguish charm to his character which has you walking away if not liking then at the very least admiring his character's quick skill and cunning guile. Gere is also a strong performer in the areas of singing and dancing (much to my surprise!!). However, it's Renee Zellweger who takes centre-stage in "Chicago" - and boy, does she relish every moment of it. She is without doubt, the "star performer" of this film. With sly nods to past "blonde bombshells" such as Jean Harlow & Marilyn Munroe, Zellweger runs the gauntlet of high and lows that require of her character. From demure & sweet, to sly & munipulative, you never know what she gonna do next. And as with Zeta-Jones & Gere, Zellweger also does justice when it comes to belting out a tune, or doing the hot step.
Our three principals are lucky to have an equally talented supporting cast to back them up. From John C Reilly as the down-trodden husband of Roxie Hart, to Queen Latifah as the "larger-than-life" matron of a women's prison, everyone in this film is right on the mark with their performances. Yet at the heart of any good musical, is of course the musical numbers, and in this respect "Chicago" does not disappoint.
From the opening heat of "All That Jazz", to the saltry "When You're Good To Mama", through to the electric "Cellblock Tango", onto the wistful "Roxie", then to the playful kitsch of "Razzle Dazzle" to the all-out "Finale" featuring Velma & Roxie, "Chicago" scores big-time. The choreography, costume & set designs are all terrific, giving the film the look and feel it's rightly deserves.
With the high-profile success of "Moulin Rogue" in 2001, "Chicago" is likely to follow in the same footsteps, and hopefully this will continue a trend in Hollywood to bring back "the musical" - with the same love & attention that has obviously gone into making "Chicago". I highly recommend this film. You're guaranteed a enjoyable & entertaining night at the movies..... with a smile on your dial, a tune in your head, and a spring in your step ....... go and treat yourself ..... you know you want to.......