Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2003


Chicago (2002 film)

Buy Chicago (2002 film) now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




{{Infobox film

| image = Chicago (2002 film).png

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Rob Marshall

| screenplay = Bill Condon

| based_on =

| producer = Martin Richards

| starring =

| cinematography = Dion Beebe

| editing = Martin Walsh

| music =

| studio =

| distributor = Miramax Films

| released =

| runtime = 113 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $45 million

| gross = $306.8 million

}}

'Chicago' is a 2002 American musical black comedy crime film based on the 1975 stage musical of the same name which in turn originated in the 1927 film of the same name. It explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz Age. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Rene Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere. 'Chicago' centers on Roxie Hart (Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones), two murderesses who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Roxie, a housewife, and Velma, a vaudevillian, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film marks the directorial debut of Rob Marshall, who also choreographed the film, and was adapted by screenwriter Bill Condon, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

'Chicago' was critically acclaimed, with particular praise given to the performances of the cast. The film went on to win six Academy Awards in 2003, including Best Picture, making it the first musical to win Best Picture since 'Oliver!' in 1968. For her performance, Zeta-Jones won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the British Academy Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress. Zellweger won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and Gere won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

Plot



In 1924, chorus girl Roxie Hart watches lead Velma Kelly perform ("Overture/All That Jazz") at The Onyx, a Chicago theater. Seeking stardom, Roxie begins an affair with furniture salesman Fred Casely, who claims to know the manager. After the show, Velma is arrested for killing her husband Charlie and sister Veronica, after finding them in bed together.

A month later, Casely admits that he lied in order to sleep with her. Enraged, Roxie shoots him dead. She convinces her gullible husband, Amos, to take the blame, telling him she killed a burglar in self-defense. As Amos confesses, Roxie fantasizes a musical number devoted to her husband ("Funny Honey"). However, when the detective brings up evidence of Roxie's affair with Casely, Amos recants; Roxie furiously admits the truth and is arrested. Ambitious District Attorney Martin Harrison announces he will seek the death penalty.

At Cook County Jail, Roxie is sent to Murderess' Row, supervised by the corrupt Matron "Mama" Morton ("When You're Good to Mama"). Roxie meets her idol Velma, but her friendship is rudely rebuffed. She learns the backstories of the other women there, including Velma ("Cell Block Tango"). On Morton's advice, Roxie engages Velma's lawyer, the brilliant Billy Flynn ("All I Care About"). Flynn and Roxie manipulate the press, reinventing Roxie as an originally virtuous Southern woman corrupted by the fast life of the city; she claims that she had the affair with Casely because Amos was always working, but repented and left Casely for Amos, and Casely jealously attacked her ("We Both Reached for the Gun"). The press believe the story; praised by the public as a tragic heroine, Roxie becomes an overnight sensation ("Roxie"). Velma, unhappy at losing the public's attention, tries to convince Roxie to join her act, replacing the sister that she murdered ("I Can't Do It Alone"), but Roxie, now the more popular of the two rivals, snubs her just as Velma originally snubbed Roxie.

Meanwhile, wealthy heiress "Go-to-Hell" Kitty Baxter, is arrested for murdering her husband and his two mistresses, and the press and Flynn focus more on her. To Velma's surprise, Roxie quickly steals back the fame by claiming pregnancy. Amos is ignored by the press ("Mister Cellophane"), and Flynn, to create more sympathy for Roxie, convinces him that the child is Casely's, and that he should divorce Roxie in the middle of her predicament. Roxie over-confidently fires Flynn, believing she can now win on her own. However, when Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian woman on Murderess' Row (who happens to be the only inmate to protest and insist on her own innocence), becomes the first woman in Cook County history to be executed by hanging, Roxie realizes the gravity of the situation and rehires Flynn.

Roxie's trial begins, and Billy turns it into a media spectacle ("Razzle Dazzle") with the help of the sensationalist newspaper reporters and radio personality Mary Sunshine. Billy discredits witnesses, manipulates evidence and even stages a public reconciliation between Amos and Roxie when she claims the child is his. The trial seems to be going well for Roxie until Velma appears with Roxie's diary, reading incriminating entries in exchange for amnesty in her own case. Billy discredits the diary, implying that Harrison was the one who planted the evidence ("A Tap Dance"). Roxie is acquitted, but her fame is eclipsed moments later when another woman, who had also shot her own husband, shoots her lawyer just outside the courthouse. Flynn tells her to accept it, and admits that he tampered with her diary himself, in order to incriminate the DA and also free two clients simultaneously. Amos remains loyal and excited to be a father, but Roxie cruelly reveals that her pregnancy is false, and he finally leaves her.

Roxie does become a vaudeville performer, but is very unsuccessful ("Nowadays"). The similarly-unsuccessful Velma reapproaches Roxie to suggest performing together as a double act consisting of two murderers. Roxie initially refuses, but later accepts when Velma points out that they can perform together despite their mutual resentment. The two stage a spectacular performance that earns them praise from the audience and the press ("Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag"). The film concludes with Roxie and Velma receiving a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience (which includes Flynn, Morton, the jurors, and other acquitted murderesses), and proclaiming that, "We couldn't have done it without you".

Cast



* Rene Zellweger as Roxie Hart, a housewife who aspires to be a vaudevillian, and is arrested for the murder of her deceitful paramour Fred Casely. Jennifer Aniston was considered for the role.

* Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, a charismatic vaudevillian who is arrested for the murders of her husband Charlie and sister Veronica after finding them in bed together.

* Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, a duplicitous, greedy, smooth-talking lawyer who turns his clients into celebrities to gain public support for them. Michael Jackson was considered for the role but Harvey Weinstein heavily objected to the idea of casting Jackson as he felt more attention would be paid to him than the rest of the cast. John Travolta was offered the role but turned it down.

* Queen Latifah as Matron "Mama" Morton, the corrupt but nurturing matron of the Cook County Jail.

* John C. Reilly as Amos Hart, Roxie's nave, simple-minded but devoted husband.

* Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine, a sensationalist reporter.

* Taye Diggs as The Bandleader, a shadowy, mystical master of ceremonies who introduces each song.

* Colm Feore as Martin Harrison, the prosecutor in both Roxie and Velma's court cases.

* Lucy Liu as Kitty Baxter, a millionaire heiress who briefly outshines Roxie and Velma when she kills her husband and his two mistresses.

* Dominic West as Fred Casely, Roxie's deceitful paramour and murder victim.

* Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Borusewicz, the Harts' neighbor from across the hall.

* Chita Rivera as Nicky, a prostitute. Rivera originated the role of Velma in the Broadway musical 'Chicago' in 1975; her appearance in the film is a cameo.

* Ma as Mona, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her artist boyfriend Al Lipschitz via strangulation after discovering he had multiple affairs.

* Susan Misner as Liz, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her husband Bernie by shooting him twice in the head after he wouldn't stop popping his gum.

* Denise Faye as Annie, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her boyfriend Ezekiel Young by poisoning his drink with arsenic after discovering he was a Mormon with six different wives.

* Deidre Goodwin as June, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her husband Wilbur by stabbing him ten times with her kitchen knife after he angrily accused her out of jealousy of having an affair with the milkman.

* Ekaterina Chtchelkanova as Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian prisoner on Murderess' Row who insists she is innocent and does not speak English except for two words: "not guilty"; regardless, she is hanged.

Production



Development

The film is based on the 1975 Broadway musical of the same name, which ran for 936 performances but was not well received by audiences, primarily due to its cynical tone. A film adaptation of 'Chicago' was to have been the next project for Bob Fosse, who had directed and choreographed the original 1975 Broadway production and had won an Oscar for his direction of the film version of 'Cabaret' (1972). Although he died before realizing his version, Fosse's distinctive jazz choreography style is evident throughout the 2002 film, and he is thanked in the credits. The minimalist 1996 revival of the musical proved far more successful, having played more than 9,562 performances (as of November 17, 2019), holding records for longest-running musical revival, longest-running American musical on Broadway and second longest-running show in Broadway history. Its runaway success sparked a greater appreciation of the 1975 original production and renewed stalled interest in a long-anticipated film, which incorporates the influences of both productions.

The original production's musical numbers were staged as vaudeville acts; the film respects this but presents them as cutaway scenes in the mind of the Roxie character, while scenes in "real life" are filmed with a hard-edged grittiness. The musical itself was based on a 1926 Broadway play by Maurine Dallas Watkins about two real-life Jazz-era murderers Beulah Annan (Roxie Hart) and Belva Gaertner (Velma Kelly). The George Abbott-directed production, starring Francine Larrimore and Juliette Crosby, ran for 172 performances at the Music Box Theatre, and within a year was adapted to a film, in which Gaertner herself had a cameo. 'Chicago' was produced by American companies Miramax Films and The Producers Circle in association with the German company Kallis Productions. 'Roxie Hart', also known as 'Chicago' or 'Chicago Gal', is a 1942 American comedy film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou and George Montgomery. The film is an adaptation of the 1926 play Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a journalist who had found her inspiration in two real-life Chicago trials she had covered for the press.

Filming

Principal photography took place in Toronto, Canada. The courthouse scene was shot in Osgoode Hall. Other scenes were shot at Queen's Park, the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Casa Loma, the Elgin Theatre, Union Station, the Canada Life Building, the Danforth Music Hall, and the Old City Hall.

Music



Several songs from the musical's original score were cut from the film, primarily due to the musical numbers being figments of Roxie's imagination. "Tap Dance", "A Little Bit of Good", "I Can't Do It Alone" (reprise), "My Own Best Friend", "I Know a Girl", "Me and My Baby" and "When Velma Takes the Stand" were removed, and "Class", while filmed and recorded for the soundtrack album, is a deleted scene on the DVD, as well as present as part of an "extended version" from the film's 2005 broadcast premiere on NBC. An instrumental of "Me and My Baby" can be heard in its spot, where Roxie enjoys the renewed fame after claiming she's pregnant.

# "Overture / All That Jazz" Velma, Company

# "Funny Honey" Roxie and Amos

# "When You're Good to Mama" Mama

# "Cell Block Tango" Velma, Cell Block Girls

# "All I Care About" Billy, Chorus Girls

# "We Both Reached for the Gun" Billy, Roxie, Mary, Reporters

# "Roxie" Roxie, Chorus Boys

# "I Can't Do It Alone" Velma

# "Chicago After Midnight" ('score')

# "Mister Cellophane" Amos

# "Razzle Dazzle" Billy, Company

# "Class" ('deleted scene') Velma and Mama

# "A Tap Dance" Billy

# "Nowadays" Roxie

# "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" Roxie, Velma

# "I Move On" ('end credits') Roxie, Velma

# "All That Jazz (reprise)" ('end credits') Velma, Company

Release



Home media



'Chicago' was released on DVD in Region 1 (USA, Canada, and US territories) on August 19, 2003. It was released in Full Screen and Widescreen. In addition to this release, a two-disc "Razzle Dazzle" Edition was released over two years later on December 20, 2005, and later, on Blu-ray format, in January 2007 and, in an updated release, in May 2011. Miramax was the label responsible for the production of the DVDs and the discs themselves provide a feature-length audio commentary track with director Marshall and screenwriter Condon. There is also a deleted musical number called "Class", performed by Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah.

Reception



Box office

'Chicago' grossed $170,687,518 in the United States and Canada, as well $136,089,214 in other territories. Combined, the film grossed $306,776,732 worldwide, which was, at the time, the highest gross of any film never to reach #1 or #2 in the weekly box office charts in the North American markets (Canada and United Stateswhere it peaked at #3). This record has since been outdone by 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel'. Worldwide, 'Chicago' was the highest grossing live action musical with $306 million, a record that was then broken by 'Mamma Mia!'.

Critical response



On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, 'Chicago' holds an 86% approval rating, based on 259 reviews, with an average rating of 8.00/10. The site's critics consensus states: "A rousing and energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical, 'Chicago' succeeds on the level of pure spectacle, but provides a surprising level of depth and humor as well." On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

The cast received widespread acclaim for their performances. Tim Robey, reviewer for 'The Daily Telegraph', labeled 'Chicago' as "The best screen musical for 30 years." He also stated that it has taken a "three-step tango for us to welcome back the movie musical as a form." Robey stated "This particular 'Chicago' makes the most prolific use it possibly can out of one specific advantage the cinema has over the stage when it comes to song and dance: it's a sustained celebration of parallel montage." Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it "Big, brassy fun". However, other reviews claimed that there were issues with the film being too streamlined, and minor complaints were made toward Marshall's directing influences.

Accolades

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|-

! Award

! Category

! Nominee(s)

! Result

|-

| rowspan="13"| Academy Awards

| Best Picture

| Martin Richards

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actor

| John C. Reilly

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Best Supporting Actress

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Art Direction

| Art Direction: John Myhre;
Set Decoration: Gordon Sim

|

|-

| Best Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "I Move On"
Music by John Kander;
Lyrics by Fred Ebb

|

|-

| Best Sound

| Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee

|

|-

| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards

| Best Breakaway Performance

| Richard Gere

|

|-

| Amanda Awards

| Best Foreign Feature Film

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| American Choreography Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film

| Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Cynthia Onrubia, Joey Pizzi and Denise Faye

|

|-

| American Cinema Editors Awards

| Best Edited Feature Film Comedy or Musical

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| American Film Institute Awards

| colspan="2"| Top 10 Films

|

|-

| Art Directors Guild Awards

| Excellence in Production Design for a Period or Fantasy Film

| John Myhre

|

|-

| rowspan="12"| Awards Circuit Community Awards

| Best Motion Picture

| Martin Richards

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress in a Leading Role

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Best Actress in a Supporting Role

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Achievement in Art Direction

| John Myhre and Gordon Sim

|

|-

| Best Achievement in Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Achievement in Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Achievement in Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Achievement in Sound

| Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Cast Ensemble

|

|-

| BET Awards

| Best Actress

| Queen Latifah (also for 'Bringing Down the House' and 'Brown Sugar')

|

|-

| Black Reel Awards

| Outstanding Supporting Actress

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| BMI Film & TV Awards

| Film Music Award

| Danny Elfman

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards

| Best Supporting Actor

| John C. Reilly (also for 'Gangs of New York', 'The Good Girl' and 'The Hours')

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| rowspan="12"| British Academy Film Awards

| Best Film

| Martin Richards

|

|-

| Best Direction

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress in a Leading Role

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Best Actress in a Supporting Role

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Make Up and Hair

| Judi Cooper-Sealy

|

|-

| Best Original Music

| Danny Elfman

|

|-

| Best Production Design

| John Myhre

|

|-

| Best Sound

| Michael Minkler, David Lee and Dominick Tavella

|

|-

| British Society of Cinematographers

| Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Canadian Network of Makeup Artists Awards

| Best Make-Up Artist for a Feature Film

| Jordan Samuel

|

|-

| Best Hairstyling for a Feature Film

| Judi Cooper-Sealy

|

|-

| Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Supporting Actor

| John C. Reilly

|

|-

| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Cinema Audio Society Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Pictures

| Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee

|

|-

| Costume Designers Guild Awards

| Excellence in Period/Fantasy Film

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| rowspan="3"| Critics' Choice Movie Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Cast

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Film

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Top 10 Films

|

|-

| David di Donatello Awards

| Best Foreign Film

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Directors Guild of America Awards

| Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Edgar Allan Poe Awards

| Best Motion Picture

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Evening Standard British Film Awards

| Best Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards

| Best Song

| "Cell Block Tango"

|

|-

| rowspan="12"| Gold Derby Awards

| Best Motion Picture

| Martin Richards

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actor

| John C. Reilly

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Art Direction

| John Myhre and Andrew M. Stearn

|

|-

| Best Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "I Move On" John Kander and Fred Ebb

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Ensemble Cast

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Gold Derby Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture of the Decade

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress of the Decade

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| rowspan="8"| Golden Globe Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

|

|-

| Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

| Richard Gere

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture

| John C. Reilly

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Best Director Motion Picture

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Screenplay Motion Picture

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Golden Reel Awards

| Best Sound Editing in a Musical Feature Film Music

| Annette Kudrak, E. Gedney Webb, Ellen Segal, Kenton Jakub and Missy Cohen

|

|-

| Best Sound Editing in Domestic Features Dialogue & ADR

| Maurice Schell, Gina Alfano, Laura Civiello, Hal Levinsohn and Louis Bertini

|

|-

| rowspan="3"| Golden Schmoes Awards

| Best Actress of the Year

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress of the Year

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Music in a Movie

| rowspan="3"| 'Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture'

|

|-

| Golden Trailer Awards

| Best Music

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Grammy Awards

| Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

|

|-

| Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

| "I Move On" John Kander and Fred Ebb

|

|-

| rowspan="12"| International Online Cinema Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Art Direction

| John Myhre

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Makeup and Hairstyling

| Jordan Samuel and Judi Cooper-Sealy

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "I Move On" John Kander and Fred Ebb

|

|-

| Best Sound Editing

| Maurice Schell

|

|-

| Best Sound Mixing

| Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Ensemble Cast

|

|-

| rowspan="11"| Italian Online Movie Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Art Direction

| John Myhre

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Makeup

| Jordan Samuel

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "I Move On" John Kander and Fred Ebb

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Cast

|

|-

| Japan Academy Film Prize

| colspan="2"| Outstanding Foreign Language Film

|

|-

| Key Art Awards

| Student Competition: Trailer

| 'Chicago' Sarah Broshar (for "Road to Stardom")

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actor

| John C. Reilly (also for 'Gangs of New York' and 'The Hours')

|

|-

| Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards

| Best Period Makeup Feature

| Jordan Samuel, Patricia Keighran and Edelgard K. Pfluegl

|

|-

| MTV Movie Awards

| Best Female Performance

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| National Board of Review Awards

| colspan="2"| Top 10 Films

|

|-

| Best Directorial Debut

| rowspan="2"| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| New York Film Critics Circle Awards

| Best First Film

|

|-

| New York Film Critics Online Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Film

|

|-

| rowspan="21"| Online Film & Television Association Awards

| Best Motion Picture

| Martin Richards and Harvey Weinstein

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "I Move On"

|

|-

| rowspan="5"| Best Adapted Song

| "All That Jazz"

|

|-

| "Cell Block Tango"

|

|-

| "Mr. Cellophane"

|

|-

| "We Both Reached for the Gun"

|

|-

| "When You're Good to Mama

|

|-

| Best Production Design

| John Myhre and Gordon Sim

|

|-

| Best First Feature

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Casting

| Ali Farrell and Laura Rosenthal

|

|-

| Best Cinematic Moment

| "Cell Block Tango"

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Ensemble

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Makeup

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Sound

|

|-

| rowspan="5"| Online Film Critics Society Awards

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Breakthrough Filmmaker

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Ensemble

|

|-

| rowspan="9"| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

|

|-

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Best Actress

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Best Cinematography

| Dion Beebe

|

|-

| Best Costume Design

| Colleen Atwood

|

|-

| Best Film Editing

| Martin Walsh

|

|-

| Best Newcomer

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| colspan="2"| Best Acting Ensemble

|

|-

| Producers Guild of America Awards

| Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

| Martin Richards

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards

| Best Foreign Actor

| Richard Gere

|

|-

| Best Foreign Actress

| rowspan="2"| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| rowspan="3"| Satellite Awards

| Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

|

|-

| Best Screenplay Adapted

| Bill Condon

|

|-

| Best Original Song

| "Love Is a Crime"

|

|-

| rowspan="5"| Screen Actors Guild Awards

| Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

| Christine Baranski, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, Richard Gere, Ma, Lucy Liu,
Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Rene Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

| Richard Gere

|

|-

| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| rowspan="2"| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

|

|-

| rowspan="5"| Teen Choice Awards

| Choice Movie Actress Drama/Action Adventure

| Queen Latifah

|

|-

| Choice Movie Hissy Fit

| Lucy Liu

|

|-

| Choice Movie Liar

| Rene Zellweger

|

|-

| Choice Movie Villain

| Richard Gere

|

|-

| Choice Breakout Movie Star Female

| Queen Latifah (also for 'Bringing Down the House')

|

|-

| Utah Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Supporting Actress

| Catherine Zeta-Jones

|

|-

| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards

| Best Director

| Rob Marshall

|

|-

| Writers Guild of America Awards

| Best Adapted Screenplay

| Bill Condon

|

|}

Legacy



'Chicago', along with the 2001 musical 'Moulin Rouge!' and the hip hop centered film '8 Mile' in 2002, is widely considered to be responsible for ushering a re-emergence of the musical film genre in the 21st century. Following the success of 'Chicago', many movie musicals have been produced for theatrical release, with several adapted from stage productions for Broadway and London's West End, including 'Phantom of the Opera', 'The Producers', 'Rent', 'Dreamgirls', 'Hairspray', 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street', 'Mamma Mia!', 'Nine', 'Les Misrables', 'Rock of Ages', 'The Last Five Years', 'Into the Woods', 'Cats', 'In the Heights', 'Dear Evan Hansen', 'tick, tick... BOOM!', 'West Side Story' and more. The 2013 film 'Sunshine on Leith' was also adapted from a stage production, originating with Scotland's Dundee Repertory Theatre.

Japanese rock band Buck-Tick named their 2010 album 'Razzle Dazzle' after the film's song of the same name.

The revived interest in musicals has also brought remakes or sequels to earlier films, including 'Beauty and the Beast' in 2017 (a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated feature, itself adapted for 1994 Broadway), the 2018 films: 'Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!' (a sequel to 2008's 'Mamma Mia!'), 'A Star Is Born' (a fourth version of the film following earlier productions in 1937, 1954, and 1976) and 'Mary Poppins Returns' (a sequel to 1964's 'Mary Poppins'), and 2019 films: 'Aladdin' (a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1992 animated feature, itself adapted for Broadway in 2011) and 'The Lion King' (a photorealistic live-action adaptation of Disney's 1994 animated feature, itself adapted for Broadway in 1997). Notable original and biographical musical films have also been released to critical and commercial success since 'Chicago''s run, including 'Walk the Line' (2005), 'Once' (2006), 'Enchanted' (2007), 'La La Land' (2016), 'Rocketman' (2019), and 'Annette' (2021). Other original and biographical musical films released to commercial success with mixed critical reception, includes 'Across the Universe' (2007), 'The Greatest Showman' (2017), 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (2018), 'Yesterday' (2019), 'Aline' (2020), and more.

Many of 'Chicago''s cast and crew have gone on to work in succeeding musicals, including director Marshall ('Nine', 'Into the Woods', 'Mary Poppins Returns'), writer Condon (writer/director for 'Dreamgirls', director for 'Beauty and the Beast', writer for 'The Greatest Showman'), costume designer Atwood ('Sweeney Todd', 'Into the Woods'), and actresses Zeta-Jones ('Rock of Ages'), Latifah ('Hairspray'), and Baranski ('Mamma Mia!', 'Into the Woods').

Notes



References




Buy Chicago (2002 film) now from Amazon

<-- Return to movies from 2003



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1110870911.