Chicago is one of the most iconic shows on Broadway.  It is a satirical musical based on the play of the same name.  The musical shows the corruption in the administration of criminal justice and explores the concept of a celebrity criminal.  During the roaring 20s, Chicago became obsessed with reports of homicides committed by women, most who killed their lovers or husbands. It became a lore that attractive women could not be convicted of any crime. The Hearst Papers hired female reporters (sob-sisters) to create stories about the redemption and charm of the defendants. On the other hand, the Chicago Tribune did not favor the side of the defendants and presented many details of the women’s lives. Now I haven’t seen Chicago on Broadway but I have seen the 2003 film so I’ll be talking about the film.

Chicago follows Roxie Hart after she shoots the man she was having an affair with and goes to jail.  Roxie always wanted to be a performer like Velma Kelly so she starts an affair with a man, Fred Casely, who said that he would help her become famous. Velma is arrested for killing her sister and husband because they were having an affair.  About a month after meeting Fred and Velma being arrested, Roxie kills Fred when he tells her he just wanted to sleep with her.  She tries to get her husband, Amos, to confess to the crime and it almost works until he realizes who Roxie shot.  Once Roxie admits to shooting Fred she is taken to the Murderess’ Row in Cook County Jail where she is under the care of Matron Morton, or “Mama.” Velma and the other women, who also killed their lovers, in jail perform Cell Block Tango where Roxie learns all of their backgrounds. Billy Flynn, a lawyer who has never lost a case, manipulates the press into thinking that Roxie is an innocent wife who was lonely because her husband worked all the time.  Velma tries to get Roxie to join heart so she can get back into the spotlight. Roxie, in turn, gets the spotlight taken from her by Kitty Baxter who shot her husband and his two lovers.  Roxie gains the public’s attention by claiming to be pregnant.  During this time Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian woman and the only one in jail to actually be innocent, becomes the only woman in Cook County history to be hanged. Billy makes Roxie seem like the victim and the trial is going well until Velma appears to testify against Roxie. He discredits her evidence and the jury rules that Roxie is innocent.  As this is happening another woman is seen shooting a man outside the courthouse.  Roxie loses her publicity and goes on to be an unsuccessful performer in Chicago.  Velma approaches Roxie and they create their own show that the audience loves.

I really like Chicago because of its use of color, costume, and choreography.  It is structured like a Broadway show so the songs have a different tone than the rest of the movie does.  Each song uses the colors red, pink, gold, and black while the speaking parts are in grays and muted colors. I like that you can tell when Roxie is imagining herself as a performer on stage.  The costumes do the same thing, they are more elaborate and eye catching than the costumes during the speaking portions of the movie.  Each character also have their own color/costume scheme going on.  Roxie is the most innocent so she wears a lot of pinks and pastels.  Velma has been a performer for a long time and wears a lot of dark colors.  Mama Morton wears gold to show that she has more freedom than the other girls in jail. Chicago is known for its spectacular choreography and it can be seen throughout the movie. All of the steps are sharp and in sync with everybody else’s.  Even when they do not have the same steps their movements still complement each others’.