Search - Chicago [Widescreen]

A starry-eyed would-be star discovers just how far the notion that "there's no such thing as bad publicity" can go in this screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Chicago, originally directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse. In the mid-'20s, Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is a small-time chorus dancer married to a well-meaning dunderhead named Amos (John C. Reilly). Roxie is having an affair on the side with Fred Casley (Dominic West), a smooth talker who insists he can make her a star. However, Fred strings Roxie along a bit too far for his own good, and when she realizes that his promises are empty, she becomes enraged and murders Fred in cold blood. Roxie soon finds herself behind bars alongside Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a sexy vaudeville star who used to perform with her sister until Velma discovered that her sister had been sleeping with her husband. Velma shot them both dead, and, after scheming prison matron "Mama" Morton hooks Velma up with hotshot lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), Velma becomes the new Queen of the scandal sheets. Roxie is just shrewd enough to realize that her poor fortune could also bring her fame, so she convinces Amos to also hire Flynn. Soon Flynn is splashing Roxie's story -- or, more accurately, a highly melodramatic revision of Roxie's story -- all over the gutter press, and Roxy and Velma are soon battling neck-to-neck over who can win greater fame through the headlines. A project that had been moving from studio to studio since the musical opened on Broadway in 1973, Chicago also features guest appearances by Lucy Liu and Christine Baranski. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Velma Kelly
Renée Zellweger - Roxie Hart
Richard Gere - Billy Flynn
Queen Latifah - Matron Mama Morton
John C. Reilly - Amos Hart

2002	Best Supporting Actress (nominee)	Broadcast Film Critics Association	Catherine Zeta-Jones
2002	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or C (winner)	Golden Globe	Renée Zellweger
2002	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or C (nominee)	Golden Globe	Catherine Zeta-Jones
2002	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Com (winner)	Golden Globe	Richard Gere
2002	Best Supporting Actress (nominee)	Golden Globe	Queen Latifah
2002	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Golden Globe	John C. Reilly
2002	Best Director (nominee)	Golden Globe	Rob Marshall
2002	Best Screenplay (nominee)	Golden Globe	Bill Condon
2002	Best Director (winner)	Directors Guild of America	Rob Marshall
2002	Best Actor (nominee)	Screen Actors Guild	Richard Gere
2002	Best Actress (winner)	Screen Actors Guild	Renée Zellweger
2002	Best Supporting Actress (nominee)	Screen Actors Guild	Queen Latifah
2002	Best Supporting Actress (winner)	Screen Actors Guild	Catherine Zeta-Jones
2002	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Writers Guild of America	Bill Condon
2002	Best Actress (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Renée Zellweger
2002	Best Adapted Screenplay (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Bill Condon
2002	Best Art Direction (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	John Myhre
2002	Best Cinematography (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Dion Beebe
2002	Best Costume Design (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Colleen Atwood
2002	Best Director (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Rob Marshall
2002	Best Editing (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Martin Walsh
2002	Best Song (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	John Kander
2002	Best Picture (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Martin Richards
2002	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Michael Minkler
2002	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	John C. Reilly
2002	Best Supporting Actress (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Queen Latifah
2002	Best Supporting Actress (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Catherine Zeta-Jones
2002	Best Directorial Debut (winner)	National Board of Review	Rob Marshall
2003	Best Supporting Actress (winner)	Broadcast Film Critics Association	Catherine Zeta-Jones
2002	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Dominick Tavella
2002	Best Sound (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	David Lee
2002	Best Song (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Fred Ebb
2002	Best Art Direction (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Gordon Sim

Rob Marshall's Chicago gets the treatment one might expect for a Best Picture Oscar winner in the age of DVD on this release. The film is presented in a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Closed-captioned English soundtracks are rendered in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. Spanish subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include a commentary track recorded by Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon. They do offer insights into the making of the film, but mostly they heap praise onto the actors, the people who worked on the film, and each other. A deleted duet between Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones, titled "Class," is a treat. Commentary is available for that sequence as well. A making-of documentary offers lots of rehearsal footage and interviews with the cast. This is a strong release from Disney/Buena Vista. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

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