Roxie Hart
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Movie Reviews of Roxie Hart
Movie Review: "Would you please tell the audience... err... the jury what happened?"
Summary: 5 Stars
Roxie Hart has enough action, comedy, suspense and acting that I thoroughly enjoyed it! The casting was wonderful; look for Ginger Rogers as Roxie Hart and Adolph Menjou gives a terrific performance as Billy Flynn's Roxie's not so honest lawyer who has quite a reputation for getting people, especially ladies, off the hook in the courtroom. The script was very well written and William Wellman's direction leaves nothing to be desired.
When the action begins, we quickly meet Amos Hart (George Chandler), who is signing a confession that he murdered a burglar in his home. However, when a newspaper reporter and the cops find out it was really Roxie (Ginger Rogers) who killed the man--and that Roxie and the burglar were actually having an affair, things go into full swing. The reporter, Jake Callahan (Lynne Overman) and the burglar's now former business partner convince Roxie that instead of paying for her crime, if she can get Billy Flynn (Adolph Menjou) to be her lawyer she'll turn the whole thing around to make a profitable career for herself in show business.
Of course, the entire trial and the preparations for it become a circus in and of itself anyway. Star reporters like Mary Sunshine (Spring Byington) are itching to get Roxie's story for their papers and magazines; murder sells big time in Chicago! At the same time, a young reporter, Homer Howard (George Montgomery) becomes infatuated with Roxie and he wants to make her his own--but will Roxie be acquitted or found guilty and forced to pay the death penalty? Moreover, how does Amos, Roxie's husband, take all this? No plot spoilers here--watch and find out! You won't be sorry--there are plenty of witty lines and more along the way.
Look also for fine performances by Phil Silvers as "Babe," a big shot photographer for the press; and Sarah Allgood plays the prison matron, Mrs. Morton, very well. Morris Ankrum is very convincing as district attorney Martin S. Harrison and William Frawley plays O'Malley, a rich guy on the jury who becomes a bartender years later who remembers all this while Homer tells the flashback story to his bar patrons.
The DVD comes with two theatrical trailers that could use a little restoration and that's about it for the bonus features. I would have liked something more but the film is so good that this becomes a minor quibble.
Roxie Hart is a well done film and there are even some wonderful scenes with Ginger Rogers dancing! The acting is uniformly superb, too. I recommend this film for fans of the actors in it; and people who enjoy classic movies will want this for their collections.
Movie Review: Ginger Rogers is simply great!
Summary: 5 Stars
We all know about the 2002 Academy Award Winning Musical "Chicago", starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Renée Zellweger, but not too many people knew that this story had been filmed before as plain comedy in 1942.
Ginger Rogers does an excellent job portraying the rather vulgar & low-brow, but very appealing Roxie Hart, who is being judged for shooting a man, something she, in fact, didn't do...but, which oddly enough, she must pretend she did, in order to gain public notoriety & "stardom", in the late `20s Chicago!
She has to convince a Jury (integrated by men-only) to acquit her not-guilty, the poor young thing! (Rogers), helpless, shy, "demure", ...she just had to fight for "her honor"....and in the process she (hilariously) displays (in front of the Jury) many-a-smile and lots of "legs" (and batting eyelashes too!), to obtain it!!
Adolphe Menjou is excellent as her attorney, the "best in town", guiding her through all kind of schemes to gain both the acquittal and the press-coverage she so desperately needs to show "her talents" and become a "public name"...BTW, you have to watch Rogers dance the blackbottom!
George Montgomery is good as a young reporter who falls for Roxie, and the rest of the cast is filled with great character actors like Lynne Overman, Nigel Bruce, Spring Byington, William Frawley, Sara Allgood, Phil Silvers,...all of whom give expert and flawless performances.
The story was filmed before as a silent in 1927, as "Chicago", with Phyllis Haver as Roxie Hart.
Fox's DVD edition is great, giving us a great, sharp, crisp (in glorious Black & white) copy of the film.
Movie Review: GINGER HAS A GREAT PAIR OF LEGS AND MORE!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ginger Rogers ability as a comedienne has NEVER been more apparent than in the cynical Willaim Welliam directed comedy "Roxie Hart"!Based on real events in 1920's Chicago. Roxie (Ginger) is accused by the Cook County D.A. as having shot and killed a "talent agent" who was getting a little too friendly with Ginger.Naturally the Chicago press builds up the case due to the fact that Ginger is quite a "dish" who doesn't mind showing off her(GREAT)legs to the photo-happy press and the ALL MALE JURY,with William Frawley serving as foremen. Not only does Ginger thinks that these diversion will get her off,but that the publicity will help her budding show biz career!The story is told in flashbacks,from cica 1941, by newspaper reporter,George Montomgery(good-surprisingly!)who during the trail has fallen in love with Roxie!"Those were the good old days",Montgomery tells bartender Frawley,as a crowd gathers in the saloon to drink, and think of those days and the beautiful Roxie.Other than Ginger the comedic anchor of the film is Adolphe Menjou,as not so honest attorney Billy Flynn.Menjou gives the comedic performance of his life,somewhat hammily,but right in character!Menjou and Ginger are ably assisted by Lynn Overmen,as an extremely cynical Chicago newspaper reporter (A GREAT COMEDY PERFORMANCE) Frawley,Spring Byington,Sara Allgood, Iris Adrian, Phil Silvers,Nigel Bruce,Pierre Watkins(as the D.A.),and as Ginger's sappy husband George Chandler.Oh,yes Ginger does a couple of dance numbers that are of immense,toe tapping, pleasure,with the added attraction that Ginger again puts her beautiful legs on display! FIVE STARS!!!Movie Review: I DID IT HER WAY!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
... and BOY she sure dun 'em wrong!A BRILLIANT gem of a black comedy from the past - superbly restored to DVD - Great in Black & White - with the "Chicago" tune most of us grew up with has the backdrop....
Well, we've seen Mr. Fosse's "Chicago" [brilliant homage to this one] ~ but Ginger's version naturally focuses more on the wronged babe! Great Costumes and Art direction - even a dance number or two - "The Black Bottom" sequence - everyone's doing it! and Gingers homage to the 'other' tapmasters' as she pounds out a little number on the prison stairs.
HUNKY George Montgomery is the perfect 'big lug' of a reporter smitten by Miss Rogers "She Couldn't possibly have done this!"
A touch a Gable there!
Even Velma cameos briefly at the beginning in prison - literally cat-fighting with Roxie. They're basicallty all here - and if you wish another slant on the tangled tale - view this one - you won't be disappointed.
[Especially when the Judge tries to hone in on the background action - mugging for the camera in court - SO indelible in recent times considering it all .... after all it's all "Razzle Dazzle"].
A 'don't miss' experience.
Movie Review: roxie steals one more heart today!
Summary: 5 Stars
william wellman's 'roxie hart' deserves mention because he was able to keep a breathless pace and stinging cynicism in this 1943 adaptation of mauirne watkins' 'chicago'. this is no easy feat, considering 20th century fox felt the need to portray roxie as 100% innocent! and, the studio also had a character added in to the story to give contract player george montgomery a major break as rogers' romantic foil.
no matter--ginger rogers is a dizzy delight as roxie. she dances up a storm in two great sequences, manages to wear the slightly meretricious costumes with style and tosses off her lines in a daffy, shrill voice that makes you love her. she is matched scene for scene by adolphe menjou as slimy lawyer billy flynn, sara algood as tough matron momma morton and iris adrian as a scuzzy, unglamourous two gun gertie.
it's not 'chicago' okay? but watch, enjoy and appreciate what it is because it's so much fun!