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Essay / Rob Marshall's Chicago Movie Review - 643
Chicago ReviewRob Marshall's Chicago is an adaptation of Maurine Watkins' 1926 musical comedy of the same name. The story was set in the Roaring Twenties and relied on the concept of the femme fatale and commercialized criminals. The film's plot revolves around ambition and the fickle nature of fame, and breaks the boundaries of formulaic musicals in its unique theatricality and direction. The success in the cinematic, theatrical and editing elements contributes to the creation of a wonderful film that is Chicago. Analyzing a film requires understanding the setting, characters and plot. The film's setting is Chicago, hence the film's name, during the era of the 1920s when flapper and burlesque were becoming increasingly popular. The story revolves around the ambitious but lovable Roxie Hart. A married woman with a husband named Amos. Amos leads a quiet life compared to Roxie who only cares about her career. Regardless, Roxie would use his body or even kill if it would allow her to climb the ladder of fame. Her supernatural desire for notoriety landed her in prison for the murder of a man who was supposed to help her get her foot in the door of show business. In prison, she meets the infamous Velma Kelly. A performer in a double act with her sister at a club that sold out every night. Velma killed her sister and her husband after catching them sleeping together and was awaiting trial for murder. His lawyer was the famous Billy Flynn, a man capable of talking himself out of anything. Roxie employs Billy for her trial and, along the way, gains 15 seconds of fame thanks to a made-up story about his crime. Ultimately, Roxie is desperate to hold on to the fleeting fame of her criminal career and attempt... middle of paper... actions in just a few seconds. For example, the action in the Cell Block Tango scene illustrates the prisoners' story while alternating between a scene of each of them explaining to Roxie why they are in prison and the dance number that actually shows the reality of their crime. . Quick cuts of extravagant and dramatic burlesque performances attract the audience and demand attention. This film held my full attention from start to finish. The actors and actresses do an incredible job portraying the history of Chicago. The film gives off the right tone and the right feeling of joy in the audience after watching. It had stunning visuals, exceptional acting and a great story, in addition to the superb choreography of the dancers. Chicago is a very good film and deserves to be considered a musical classic..