Tuchergson Truly the worst movie I've ever seen in a theater

Micransix Crappy film

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

CJBx7 CHICAGO (1927) is the story of Roxie Hart (Phyllis Haver), a bored young housewife who kills her lover during an argument. She convinces her doting husband Amos (Victor Varconi) that she killed the man in self- defense. Amos goes to great lengths to save her from the noose, hiring oily lawyer William Flynn (Robert Edeson). Meanwhile, a slick reporter (T Roy Barnes) plays up her beauty and "innocence", making her into a nationwide celebrity. Direction is credited to Frank Urson, but in actuality Cecil B DeMille directed the majority of the film.CHICAGO is an adaptation of a play by author Maurine Watkins, which was inspired by Watkins' own articles about the trial of real-life murderess Beulah Annan. The film is tight and well crafted. In particular, it's a sharp and merciless satire on unearned celebrity, societal double standards, and the hedonistic 1920s lifestyle. There are many laugh-out- loud hilarious scenes, including a scene where Flynn coaches Roxie on how to appear during his closing statement to the jury, and a scene of the photographer posing Roxie shortly after the murder takes place. Many scenes use exaggeration to make points about media sensationalism and lawyers' appeals to emotion, rather than truth, in order to exonerate their guilty clients. The humor is balanced by the dramatic portrayal of Amos' efforts to save his undeserving wife from the noose. Amos is the moral center of the movie, a decent man who is so in love with his wife that he is willing to break the law to save her, yet struggles with her murderous deed and self-centered, callous attitude.The acting in CHICAGO is nothing less than excellent. Phyllis Haver makes a great lead, portraying the many facets of Roxie Hart's character skillfully. She shows equal comedic and dramatic ability. One could argue that Roxie is a sociopath, able to turn on the charm and the waterworks at will in order to get her way, but fundamentally lacking a conscience. Haver's portrayal of Roxie is perfect. I had never heard of Victor Varconi before, but he played Amos with great skill, sensitivity and restraint, turning in a very believable performance. The rest of the cast does fine work as well.Visually, CHICAGO is top-notch, with skillful editing, fluid camera work, and meaningful use of visual cues. One instance of this is a shot of a crowd walking heedlessly on a newspaper with Roxie on the front page once her 15 minutes of fame are up. The visual style of the film points the way forward to the classic Hollywood style of the 1930s and 40s. This film came out the same year as landmark movies like SUNRISE, WINGS, and METROPOLIS, and even though it is not as celebrated as those visual marvels, in its way it's just as accomplished.SUMMARY: CHICAGO is a skillful blend of satire and drama that boasts a razor-sharp script, excellent performances, and highly accomplished direction. The message of the movie has just as much resonance now as it did in its time. A classic! SCORE: 10/10.

kidboots In 1924 all America was gripped by the Chicago trial of Beulah Anann for a "crime of passion' - murdering her lover, Harry Kalstedt, then apparently playing "Hula Lou" on the phonograph for about 4 hours before she decided to tell anyone about it. A couple of years later it was turned into a movie and gave Phyllis Haver, formally known as a supporting comedienne, the role of her life. The film was based on the hit play "Chicago" of the year before, Beulah became Roxie Hart and it opened out the play considerably, with some additions based on the original murder and some concocted by Hollywood screenwriters. Completely remastered and with a hummable musical score this may have been Pathe's most prestigious film - all about "a little girl who was all wrong in the big city"!! Amos Hart (Victor Varconi) is just besotted with his flapper wife Roxie who yearns only for wealth, only maid of all work, Katie, appreciates Amos's kindness. Roxie has a "sugar daddy" (Eugene Palette) who desperately wants to give Roxie the air but she cuts him off first - shooting him through the door. Disillusioned Amos sizes up the situation but still takes the blame for the murder - however the D.A. is convinced Roxie is guilty as hell!! With the help of a publicity chasing news hound (T. Roy Barnes) who builds her up as "Chicago's Most Beautiful Murderess" and convinces her that in a few days women will be naming their babies after her - the celebrity of Roxie Hart kicks in!!There is a hilarious fight in the woman's prison between Roxie and "Black Narcissus" with cries of "Peroxide" and "false hair!!" and they all get entangled in the prison gym equipment with May Robson acting as referee. Kind hearted Amos has to find the money to pay for the top lawyer he wants to hire and in desperation robs the lawyer but soon realises that the money is the proceeds from a recent bank robbery. The lawyer earns his money but it is an uphill battle - "when I say virtuous look as though you know what virtuous means"!!! Roxie is found not guilty in a very funny performance in which she has the all male jury eating out of her hand and looks set to bask in her notoriety for a long time to come but when "Two Gun Rosie" slays her lover in court Roxie realises that celebrity is fickle and as disposable as yesterday's newspaper. (I thought I saw pretty Sally Eilers as one of the goggle eyed flappers in the courtroom scene). The movie finishes on a depressing note for Roxie who, even though cleared of murder, by Hollywood standards was not allowed to get off scot free for her crimes. Even Amos is left pondering what might have been at the movie's ambiguous ending.Reviewers praised Haver to the skies for her performance - "astoundingly fine" and "makes this comedy most entertaining". She then appeared in D.W. Griffith's "The Battle of the Sexes" and a minor Lon Chaney movie "Thunder" but then it was all over for her. In 1929 she married a millionaire, William Seeman, and cited "an Act of God" clause to get out of her contract. "A millionaire wants to marry me and if that ain't an "Act of God" I don't know what is"!!!

didi-5 I really liked this film, viewed from the UCLA print. Phyllis Haver, now all but forgotten, shines as Roxie Hart, a good time girl who despises her husband and seeks sugar daddies for fun. As soon as you see her pretending to sleep, having discarded her garter with bells attached, you know she's trouble.So Roxie kills, and goes to jail, and because she's blonde and pretty, she's taken up by the media in this wild world of flappers and jazz. Those familiar with the musical film with Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones will be wondering 'where's Velma?' but that character isn't in the forefront at all. This film is all about Roxie, and, more than the musical version, to some extent about her cuckolded husband Amos. Here we see his point of view on several occasions, and even follow him in scenes where Roxie doesn't appear. Victor Varconi puts in a lovely performance as Amos in this film.Haver might dominate the proceedings, and lights up what is already a fast-moving and effective bit of jazz fluff, but there's a good, if brief performance from Eugene Palette as well. As Casely he is very watchable indeed.As this was a late silent, the acting styles are mainly naturalistic, and the fact that it does not have sound, only titles, doesn't matter a bit when it comes to following the story. Miss Haver acts her heart out anyway and you can feel her contempt, her fear, her desperation, just as you would if you could hear it.A superior film, and one which occasionally makes it out for public showings. A great pity it isn't on DVD as it is extremely enjoyable and deserves a wider potential audience.

movingpicturegal Really terrific silent film about Roxie Hart (played by Phyllis Haver), blonde bombshell married to a handsome, devoted, sensitive husband who does stuff like serve her breakfast in bed - he loves "every curl on her head". Wishing she had more "gold" she is busy having an affair with Eugene Palette, but when he comes around and accuses her of running after him for his money (which is true, of course, as she says something like "what else have you got I'd want?"), he dumps her and, well, she shoots him dead. But soon Roxie is arrested and loving it as she laps up the publicity she receives as a public figure dubbed the "Jazz Slayer"; she's soon put on trial for murder under the tutelage of a high-priced defense lawyer who teaches her all the tricks to help steer the jury her way!An excellent film with intriguing plot line and funny too, there are quite a few laughs in this. There is a very amusing scene in women's prison featuring an ensemble of lady prisoners apparently allowed to wear their "street" attire in jail, not limited to sequins, garters, and black lace teddies - Roxie gets into a big cat fight with one of these ladies, featuring lots of hair pulling and both of them rolling around on the floor all tangled up in an exercise belt. The film features a truly great and memorable performance by Phyllis Haver, absolutely perfect in this part. And I must say, the actor who plays her husband, Victor Varconi, is truly a very handsome man! The screening I saw of this featured an absolutely gorgeous black and white print - I long to see this film released on DVD. Really great.