Chicago (2002 film)

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Chicago
Chicago (2002 film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Rob Marshall
Screenplay by Bill Condon
Based on
Produced by Martin Richards
Starring
Cinematography Dion Beebe
Edited by Martin Walsh
Music by
Production
companies
  • Producer Circle Co.
  • Zadan/Meron Production
Distributed by Miramax Films
Release date
  • December 27, 2002 (2002-12-27)
Running time
113 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$45 million [2]
Box office$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 1926 play of the same name. It explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz Age. [3] The film stars an ensemble cast led by Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere. Chicago centers on Roxie Hart (Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones), two murderers 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 feature 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.

Contents

Chicago received critical acclaim, with particular praise for 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. [4] 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, housewife Roxie Hart watches vaudeville star Velma Kelly perform ("Overture/All That Jazz") at The Onyx, a Chicago nightclub. 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 and sister upon catching them in bed together. A month later, Casely admits to Roxie that he lied about his connections in order to sleep with her. Enraged, she shoots him dead. She convinces her gullible husband, Amos, to take the fall by telling him she killed a burglar in self-defense. However, when evidence of Roxie's infidelity is uncovered, Amos recants and tells the police that Casely was dead when he arrived home ("Funny Honey"). Roxie is arrested, with District Attorney Martin Harrison declaring she faces execution by hanging.

At Cook County Jail, Roxie is sent to Murderess' Row, supervised by the corrupt Matron "Mama" Morton ("When You're Good to Mama"). She learns the backstories of the other women there, including her idol Velma ("Cell Block Tango"), whom she attempts to befriend but is rebuffed. 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 city's decadent nightlife; 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 her murdered sister ("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, when wealthy heiress Kitty Baxter is arrested for murdering her husband and his two mistresses, the press and Flynn instantly shift their focus to her. To Velma's surprise, Roxie quickly regains the spotlight by claiming pregnancy. Amos is ignored by the press ("Mister Cellophane"), and Flynn, to generate more sympathy for Roxie, convinces him that the child is Casely's, and that he should divorce Roxie in the midst of her predicament. Roxie decides to fire Flynn, believing she can now win on her own. However, when Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian woman on Murderess' Row (the only inmate who insists 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 Flynn turns it into a media spectacle ("Razzle Dazzle") with the help of sensationalist newspaper reporters and radio personality Mary Sunshine. Flynn 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. Flynn 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 outside the courthouse. Flynn admits to Roxie 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 she faked her pregnancy.

Roxie continues to pursue a vaudeville career, with limited success ("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 ("Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag"), receiving a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience that includes Flynn, Morton, the jurors, and other acquitted murderesses.

Cast

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, partly because of its cynical tone. [7] A film adaptation of Chicago was to have been the next project for Bob Fosse, [8] 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 10,601 performances (as of December 3rd, 2023), 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. [9]

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. [10] The musical itself was based on a 1926 Broadway play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a journalist who had found her inspiration in two real-life Chicago trials she had covered for the press, 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.

Filming

Principal photography took place in Toronto, Ontario, 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. [11] [12]

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.

  1. "Overture / All That Jazz" – Velma, Company
  2. "Funny Honey" – Roxie and Amos
  3. "When You're Good to Mama" – Mama
  4. "Cell Block Tango" – Velma, Cell Block Girls
  5. "All I Care About" – Billy, Chorus Girls
  6. "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary, Reporters
  7. "Roxie" – Roxie, Chorus Boys
  8. "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma
  9. "Chicago After Midnight" (score)
  10. "Mister Cellophane" – Amos
  11. "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy, Company
  12. "Class" (deleted scene) – Velma and Mama
  13. "A Tap Dance" – Billy
  14. "Nowadays" – Roxie
  15. "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" – Roxie, Velma
  16. "I Move On" (end credits) – Roxie, Velma
  17. "All That Jazz (reprise)" (end credits) – Velma, Company

Release

Home media

Chicago was released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment 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. The release provides 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 as $136,089,214 in other territories. [13] Combined, the film grossed $306,776,732 worldwide, [13] 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 States—where it peaked at #3). Worldwide, Chicago was the highest grossing live action musical with $306 million, a record that was then broken by Mamma Mia! . [14]

Critical response

Renee Zellweger Berlinale 2010 (cropped).jpg
Catherine Zeta-Jones VF 2012 Shankbone 2.jpg
QueenLatifah08TIFF.jpg
The performances of Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah garnered widespread critical acclaim, earning them all Academy Award nominations, with the first being nominated for Best Actress and the latter two being nominated for Best Supporting Actress, with Zeta-Jones winning her category.

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, Chicago holds an 86% approval rating, based on 262 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. 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." [15] On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [16] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. [17]

The cast received widespread acclaim for their performances. Tim Robey, reviewer for The Daily Telegraph , labeled Chicago "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 also wrote "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". [18] Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it "big, brassy fun". [19] However, other reviews claimed that there were issues with the film being too streamlined, and minor complaints were made about Marshall's directing influences. [20]

Accolades

AwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
Academy Awards [21] Best Picture Martin Richards Won
Best Director Rob Marshall Nominated
Best Actress Renée Zellweger Nominated
Best Supporting Actor John C. Reilly Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Queen Latifah Nominated
Catherine Zeta-Jones Won
Best Adapted Screenplay Bill Condon Nominated
Best Art Direction Art Direction: John Myhre;
Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Won
Best Cinematography Dion Beebe Nominated
Best Costume Design Colleen Atwood Won
Best Film Editing Martin Walsh Won
Best Original Song "I Move On"
Music by John Kander;
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Nominated
Best Sound Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David Lee Won
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards [22] Best Breakaway Performance Richard Gere Won
Amanda Awards Best Foreign Feature FilmRob MarshallNominated
American Choreography Awards Outstanding Achievement in Feature FilmRob Marshall, John DeLuca, Cynthia Onrubia, Joey Pizzi and Denise FayeWon
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical Martin WalshWon
American Film Institute Awards Top 10 FilmsWon
Art Directors Guild Awards [23] Excellence in Production Design for a Period or Fantasy Film John MyhreNominated
Awards Circuit Community AwardsBest Motion PictureMartin RichardsWon
Best DirectorRob MarshallNominated
Best Actress in a Leading RoleRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Actress in a Supporting RoleQueen LatifahNominated
Catherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best Adapted ScreenplayBill CondonNominated
Best Achievement in Art DirectionJohn Myhre and Gordon SimNominated
Best Achievement in CinematographyDion BeebeNominated
Best Achievement in Costume DesignColleen AtwoodWon [lower-alpha 1]
Best Achievement in Film EditingMartin WalshNominated
Best Achievement in SoundMichael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David LeeNominated
Best Cast EnsembleNominated
BET Awards Best ActressQueen Latifah (also for Bringing Down the House and Brown Sugar )Won
Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress Queen LatifahWon
BMI Film & TV Awards Film Music Award Danny Elfman Won
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards [24] Best Supporting Actor John C. Reilly (also for Gangs of New York , The Good Girl and The Hours )Runner-up
Best Supporting Actress Catherine Zeta-JonesRunner-up
British Academy Film Awards [25] Best Film Martin RichardsNominated
Best Direction Rob MarshallNominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role Renée ZellwegerNominated
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Queen LatifahNominated
Catherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best Cinematography Dion BeebeNominated
Best Costume Design Colleen AtwoodNominated
Best Editing Martin WalshNominated
Best Make Up and Hair Judi Cooper-SealyNominated
Best Original Music Danny Elfman Nominated
Best Production Design John MyhreNominated
Best Sound Michael Minkler, David Lee and Dominick TavellaWon
British Society of Cinematographers [26] Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature FilmDion BeebeNominated
Canadian Network of Makeup Artists AwardsBest Make-Up Artist for a Feature FilmJordan SamuelWon
Best Hairstyling for a Feature FilmJudi Cooper-SealyWon
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards [27] Best Supporting ActorJohn C. ReillyRunner-up
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards [28] Best Actress Renée ZellwegerNominated
Cinema Audio Society Awards Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Pictures Michael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David LeeNominated
Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Period/Fantasy Film Colleen AtwoodWon
Critics' Choice Movie Awards [29] Best Picture Won
Best Supporting Actress Catherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best Cast Won
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Won
Top 10 Films Won
David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Film Rob MarshallNominated
Directors Guild of America Awards [30] Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Rob MarshallWon
Edgar Allan Poe Awards [31] Best Motion Picture Bill CondonWon
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesWon
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards [32] Best Song"Cell Block Tango"Won
Gold Derby Awards (2002) [33] Best Motion PictureMartin RichardsWon
Best DirectorRob MarshallNominated
Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActorJohn C. ReillyNominated
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesNominated
Best Adapted ScreenplayBill CondonNominated
Best Art DirectionJohn Myhre and Andrew M. StearnWon
Best CinematographyDion BeebeNominated
Best Costume DesignColleen AtwoodNominated
Best Film EditingMartin WalshWon
Best Original Song"I Move On" – John Kander and Fred EbbNominated
Best Ensemble CastNominated
Gold Derby Awards (2009) Best Motion Picture of the DecadeNominated
Best Supporting Actress of the DecadeCatherine Zeta-JonesNominated
Golden Globe Awards [34] Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Richard GereWon
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Renée ZellwegerWon
Catherine Zeta-JonesNominated
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture John C. ReillyNominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Queen LatifahNominated
Best Director – Motion Picture Rob MarshallNominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Bill CondonNominated
Golden Reel Awards [35] Best Sound Editing in a Musical Feature Film – Music Annette Kudrak, E. Gedney Webb, Ellen Segal, Kenton Jakub and Missy CohenWon
Best Sound Editing in Domestic Features – Dialogue & ADR Maurice Schell, Gina Alfano, Laura Civiello, Hal Levinsohn and Louis BertiniNominated
Golden Schmoes Awards Best Actress of the YearRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting Actress of the YearCatherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best Music in a Movie Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture Nominated
Golden Trailer Awards Best MusicNominated
Grammy Awards [36] Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Won
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media "I Move On" – John Kander and Fred EbbNominated
International Online Cinema AwardsBest Motion PictureNominated
Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best Adapted ScreenplayBill CondonNominated
Best Art DirectionJohn MyhreNominated
Best Costume DesignColleen AtwoodWon
Best Film EditingMartin WalshWon
Best Makeup and HairstylingJordan Samuel and Judi Cooper-SealyNominated
Best Original Song"I Move On" – John Kander and Fred EbbNominated
Best Sound EditingMaurice SchellNominated
Best Sound MixingMichael Minkler, Dominick Tavella and David LeeNominated
Best Ensemble CastNominated
Italian Online Movie AwardsBest PictureNominated
Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best DirectorRob MarshallNominated
Best ScreenplayBill CondonNominated
Best Art DirectionJohn MyhreNominated
Best Costume DesignColleen AtwoodWon
Best EditingMartin WalshWon
Best MakeupJordan SamuelNominated
Best Original Song"I Move On" – John Kander and Fred EbbNominated
Best CastNominated
Japan Academy Film Prize Outstanding Foreign Language Film Nominated
Key Art Awards Student Competition: TrailerChicago – Sarah Broshar (for "Road to Stardom")Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards [37] Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActorJohn C. Reilly (also for Gangs of New York and The Hours )Won
Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards [38] Best Period Makeup – Feature Jordan Samuel, Patricia Keighran and Edelgard K. PflueglWon
MTV Movie Awards [39] Best Female Performance Queen LatifahNominated
National Board of Review Awards [40] Top 10 Films 2nd Place
Best Directorial Debut Rob MarshallWon
New York Film Critics Circle Awards [41] Best First Film Runner-up
New York Film Critics Online Awards [42] Best FilmWon
Online Film & Television Association Awards [43] Best Motion PictureMartin Richards and Harvey Weinstein Won [lower-alpha 2]
Best DirectorRob MarshallNominated
Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesNominated
Best Adapted ScreenplayBill CondonNominated
Best CinematographyDion BeebeNominated
Best Costume DesignColleen AtwoodNominated
Best Film EditingMartin WalshNominated
Best Original Song"I Move On"Nominated
Best Adapted Song"All That Jazz"Nominated
"Cell Block Tango"Won
"Mr. Cellophane"Nominated
"We Both Reached for the Gun"Nominated
"When You're Good to MamaNominated
Best Production DesignJohn Myhre and Gordon SimNominated
Best First FeatureRob MarshallWon
Best CastingAli Farrell and Laura RosenthalNominated
Best Cinematic Moment"Cell Block Tango"Nominated
Best EnsembleWon
Best MakeupNominated
Best SoundNominated
Online Film Critics Society Awards [44] Best Supporting Actress Catherine Zeta-JonesNominated
Best Costume Design Colleen AtwoodNominated
Best Editing Martin WalshNominated
Best Breakthrough Filmmaker Rob MarshallNominated
Best Ensemble Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardsBest PictureNominated
Best DirectorRob MarshallNominated
Best ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesWon
Best CinematographyDion BeebeNominated
Best Costume DesignColleen AtwoodWon
Best Film EditingMartin WalshWon
Best NewcomerRob MarshallNominated
Best Acting EnsembleNominated
Producers Guild of America Awards [45] Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures Martin RichardsWon
Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards Best Foreign ActorRichard GereNominated
Best Foreign ActressRenée ZellwegerNominated
Satellite Awards [46] Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Nominated
Best Screenplay – Adapted Bill CondonNominated
Best Original Song "Love Is a Crime"Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards [47] Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Christine Baranski, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, Richard Gere, Mýa, Lucy Liu,
Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Won
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Richard GereNominated
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Renée ZellwegerWon
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Queen LatifahNominated
Catherine Zeta-JonesWon
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards [48] Best Picture3rd Place
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie Actress – Drama/Action AdventureQueen LatifahNominated
Choice Movie Hissy Fit Lucy Liu Nominated
Choice Movie LiarRenée ZellwegerNominated
Choice Movie Villain Richard GereNominated
Choice Breakout Movie Star – FemaleQueen Latifah (also for Bringing Down the House )Nominated
Utah Film Critics Association Awards [49] Best Supporting ActressCatherine Zeta-JonesRunner-up
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards [50] Best Director Rob MarshallRunner-up
Writers Guild of America Awards [51] Best Adapted Screenplay Bill CondonNominated

Legacy

Along with Moulin Rouge! (2001) and 8 Mile (2002), Chicago is often credited with ushering a re-emergence of the musical film genre in the 21st century. [52] Following the success of Chicago, many musical films have been produced for theatrical release, with several adapted from stage productions of Broadway and the West End, including Phantom of the Opera , The Producers , Rent , Dreamgirls , Hairspray , Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , Mamma Mia! , Nine , Les Misérables , Rock of Ages , The Last Five Years , Into the Woods , Cats , 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. [53]

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, The Little Mermaid), writer Condon (writer-director of Dreamgirls, director of Beauty and the Beast, writer of The Greatest Showman), costume designer Atwood (Sweeney Todd, Nine, Into the Woods), and actresses Zeta-Jones (Rock of Ages), Latifah (Hairspray), and Baranski (Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods).

Notes

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Lenora Nemetz is an American stage and musical theatre actress.

Velma Kelly is one of the main characters in the successful 1975 Broadway musical Chicago. Kelly is based on the character "Velma", who first appeared in the 1926 play, also called Chicago, who was in-turn inspired by the life of Belva Gaertner.

Chicago is a play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The play, while fiction, is a satire based on two unrelated 1924 court cases involving two women, Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, who were both suspected and later acquitted of murder, whom Watkins had covered for the Chicago Tribune as a reporter.

Billy Flynn (<i>Chicago</i>) Character from the 1927 play Chicago

William Flynn is a fictional character from the 1926 play Chicago, written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, and its various derivative works and remakes.

References

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