One knows "Roxie Hart" is a farce from the opening prologue and montage of newspaper headlines. The script reads, "This film is dedicated to all the beautiful women in the world who have shot their men full of holes out of pique." The first headline reads, "'Not Guilty' Verdict in trial of Blonde who Shot Friend Six Times Accidentally." The last ends with a Red-Head, and all are about gorgeous women getting off scot-free for murders in Cook County, Illinois.
William Wellman directed this Nunnally Johnson screenplay. It's more than a comedy about women achieving notoriety in Chicago in the early 20th century. It's a satire of politics and the criminal justice system in the Chicago of that time. And, it's not just satire, but scathing mockery of the city's government and culture of the time. The main targets are the courts (with judges), the politicians, and the press of the day.
In 2004, Miramax made a musical film of the story. Its "Chicago" focused mostly on two female leads. Other films and a play were made, but the original source for all of these was a 1926 play, "Chicago," by a journalist, Maurine Watkins. Her inspiration for the play came from her reporting of two 1924 trials for the Chicago Tribune. One of those was the murder trial of Beulah Annan. Many of the murder details and publicity in the play and movie are taken from the coverage of the Beulah Annan story and trial. The first film made of the play was in 1927 – a silent version called "Chicago."
This film, with the name change, also changed some of the original plot. But it kept the glaring satire of the politics, press and penal system of the time. The cast for this movie is superb. Ginger Rogers is Roxie Hart, an innocent and out-of-work actress who just needs a break. Adolphe Menjou is very funny as her attorney, Billy Flynn. George Montgomery is perfect as the narrator and cub reporter, Homer Howard. Phil Silvers is a riot as Babe, the press photographer. He interrupts court proceedings, stops legal actions, and disrupts police work – all to get quick posed shots set up for the cameramen. The judges, DA and defense attorneys all respond, as if on cue, to be sure they are in the photos. And Lynne Overman is Jake Calahan, the long-time reporter who is an icon of the sensationalist press of the day.
The courtroom scenes during the trial are a hoot. Nothing like this would be seen in a courtroom today – even in Chicago, I dare say. The trial is being broadcast live over radio, and an announcer keeps interrupting with health and beauty commercials. The proceedings stop periodically for photos and all the principals line up for the picture. Roxie isn't seated behind a table with her attorney, but out in front in a chair facing the jury where they can all ogle her legs. When Billy and Roxie enter the courtroom to start the trial, all the cameras come forward and they pose for a shot. Next, the judge enters and everyone stands and applauds. The two attorney's nearly come to fisticuffs and a brawl breaks out. The jury foreman asks questions. The defense attorney questions the jury members. Roxie puts on a crying scene and two of the male jurors wipe their eyes. Roxie gets on her knees to plead her innocence and feints. But, I think the funniest part is that of O'Malley, played by William Frawley (Fred Mertz from "I Love Lucy" of 1951-57). He is the jury foreman in Roxie's trial. He strains to see Roxie's legs and almost falls off his chair a couple of times. And, he's hilarious when he gets into a conversation, answering and asking questions as a juror. By that time, the judge has nearly lost control of the courtroom.
The ending is a bit of a surprise. It differs from the play, but it keeps in the film vein of humor. Most of the comedy comes in the situations, supported by dialog. Some of the material is dated or rooted in history, An example is this line that Jake says to Roxie, "Honey, I keep tellin' ya, this (Cook) county wouldn't hang Lucrezia Borgia." After he tells her to get Billy Flynn for her attorney, he says, "The streets of this city are congested with women that Billy has saved from their just desserts."
In the opening scene in a bar, Howard sets up the story we are about to see in flashback. He says to the bar owner, who soon will become a familiar face, and patrons, "1926, '27, '28 – the bad old days when everything went and everything was big – big money, big crooks, big murders, big stories. 'Keep cool with Coolidge!' 'Keep cockeyed with Capone!' 'Keep daffy with Daddy Browning.'" Then he launches into the story of Roxie Hart – the biggest one of them all.
That was 15 years ago, he says, for the date of this 1942 films. But when people were watching the stage play 15 years earlier, it was during the height of the crime and corruption. And that was more than a year before the St. Valentine's Day Massacres of Feb. 14, 1929. The original play was a hit and ran for 172 shows on Broadway. But after that run and the 1927 silent film, it waited a good number of years beyond the violence that shocked even Chicago in 1929. Yet, even greater legends of corruption were to rise out of the Windy City in the middle decades of the 20th century.
All audiences should get good laughs out of the courtroom shenanigans. Those who enjoy good farce and satire should enjoy it even more. And, those who have some knowledge of the history of the time should enjoy "Roxie Hart" the most.
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