Flashback Friday: Chicago (Marshall, 2002)

Remember our discussion about the importance of the Academy Awards? How the movie that wins Best Picture is oftentimes regarded as the best film of a given year, no matter what? 2002 is another example of that.  The Pianist was frequently regarded as the best film of the year, even winning Best Director for Roman Polanski (considered to be an apology of recognition to the on-the-run director from Hollywood). The Hours, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Tours, Gangs of New York, and the un-nominated Adaptation also stood strong in the great awards season of 2002. But another movie, the first musical win in over thirty years, took home Best Picture. Whether it deserved to win or not is up to you to decide. For today on Flashback Friday, we're taking a look at the 2002 winner of Best Picture. Today, we're heading to Chicago.

Chicago takes clear influences from screen musical legend Bob Fosse, who directed the 1972 Best Picture-nominated Cabaret. He was originally attached to direct Chicago before his untimely death in 1987. Rob Marshall eventually picked up the project, bringing his own sense of direction to famous show.

Chicago, based on the musical of the same name, is the story of Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger, nominated for her performance), a small-time singer with dreams of being famous. She has an affair with a man claiming to have connections in nightclubs, but after she discovers he lied about the whole thing, kills him in vengeance. Though Roxie's husband Amos (John C. Reilly, nominated) tries to defend her, Roxie ends up going to jail for murder.

While in jail, Roxie meets Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role), a murderess vixen who killed her husband and sister after she found them in bed together; and, "Mama" Norton (Queen Latifah, nominated), a deal-making prison warden who gets drugs and supplies for prisoners in exchange for money. Roxie's life is turned upside down, however, when she encounters the lawyer named Billy Flynn (Richard Gere)- a man considered "the best in town" for saving murderers on death row. 

Amos tries to convince Billy to take Roxie's case, which he eventually yet reluctantly agrees to do. Billy turns Roxie into a celebrity, making Chicago fall in love with her and turning her into an overnight success. Velma, however, grows jealous, and plots with "Mama" to overthrow Roxie. Velma wants the spotlight to shine on her again, like it was before Roxie came along. A satire on turning lawbreakers into celebrities, much like the world is doing today, Chicago turns a serious topic into a song-and-dance spectacle with fun performances.

If Moulin Rouge! (2001) modernized the movie musical, than Chicago solidified it. It's fun, fast-paced, and full of great music. Unlike other film musicals, where the plot of the story is interrupted by singing, Chicago boasts a musical stage performance that's frequently broken up by less-fun story bits. Roxie is trying to put on a musical for the audience, yet the movie keeps interrupting her show. It's a cool twist that makes Chicago different from the rest.

Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah all give inspired performances and demonstrate their talent in musical theater. However, they're all bumped from the screen by Catherine Zeta-Jones, who gives the belt-it-out performance of a lifetime. She deservedly won the Oscar for playing Velma Kelly, as anytime she walks into the frame the audience is instantly mystified. She's easily one of the greatest Best Supporting Actress winners of all time.

The songs in particular are, for the most part, great additions to the film. Standout numbers include "All That Jazz", "When You're Good to Mama", "We Both Reached for the Gun", and, of course, the "Cell Block Tango". Choreographed by director Rob Marshall, the dancing in the movie is top-notch and awesome to watch. Overall, Chicago is a lot of fun and deserving of recognition.

People claim it shouldn't have won Best Picture, however. Even though it and Moulin Rouge! (which was nominated for Best Picture in 2001, but lost to A Beautiful Mind) completely revamped and reengaged public interest in movie musicals, people still complain that another movie should have won.

Sure, Roman Polanski released a powerful Holocaust film the same year, and Adrien Brody deservedly won Best Actor in addition to Polanski's Best Director win. Nicole Kidman was awarded with Best Actress for The Hours after her snub for Moulin Rouge! to Monster's Ball's Halle Berry (which Berry rightfully deserved). Even Adaptation was recognized for Best Supporting Actor (Chris Cooper). There's no excuse for Gangs of New York, which was robbed all 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Director for Martin Scorsese.

Chicago, despite all this strong competition, still deserved to win. Also awarded for Best Sound Mixing, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing, Chicago was the favorite at the 75th Academy Awards, but by no clear majority. The awards were properly spread around to several winners, equally distributing prizes to those who deserved it. 

The best film of 2002, to mostly everyone in the movie industry, remains Chicago. It's a non-controversial favorite, a risk-free choice that causes no real issues, except maybe that it remains "too" fun and not "artsy" enough. As for it's Oscar legacy, Zeta-Jones is one of my favorite Supporting Actress winners, and I'm glad the film won Best Picture despite worthy competition. It was the first musical to win since 1969's Oliver!, and the time for a musical win was way overdue. A film literally anyone can enjoy, Chicago remains one of those rare Academy Award-winners that's both bearable to watch and fun to enjoy on repeat viewings. If you're ever in the mood for an Oscar-winning, no thinking, catchy film, than Chicago is for you.