Many people don't realize that the hit musical, Chicago, actually first played on Broadway in 1975, but fell under the radar due to the musical sensation of the time - A Chorus Line. Fewer people realize that Chicago first hit the boards not as a musical, but as a play in 1926. And even fewer are aware that the first movie version of this popular Broadway fixture was actually a silent film. And a pretty good one at that.
Based on the real-life exploitive journalism of adulterous female murderers, Chicago is celluloid proof that sensationalism has been around for a long time. The credits list Frank Urson as the director, but there is enough evidence to show that none other than Cecil B. DeMille led the production team. However, due to the popularity of his previous film, the religious epic, King of Kings, DeMille left out his name to prevent any backlash from the movie going public who at that time may of been upset that he went from the teachings of Christ to the bed hopping murderer, Roxie Hart.
And speaking of Roxie Hart, Phyllis Haver steals the movie with her brassy portrayal of that trigger happy dame. She manages to walk the line between adorable victim to hated adulterous so well that we often aren't sure if we should root for or against her. Haver is not as well known today as other silent movie stars, but her performance in Chicago is evidence that she had the qualities of a major star.
Fans of the Oscar winning musical may be surprised that in the silent version, the hapless husband, Amos, has a much larger role and the other murderous female, Velma Kelly is reduced to only one scene. The rest is all there, though, the catfights, comradery and prison corruption, the sensational trial, unscrupulous press and fame hungry attorneys always reminding us that the truth should never get in the way of a good story.
Based on the real-life exploitive journalism of adulterous female murderers, Chicago is celluloid proof that sensationalism has been around for a long time. The credits list Frank Urson as the director, but there is enough evidence to show that none other than Cecil B. DeMille led the production team. However, due to the popularity of his previous film, the religious epic, King of Kings, DeMille left out his name to prevent any backlash from the movie going public who at that time may of been upset that he went from the teachings of Christ to the bed hopping murderer, Roxie Hart.
And speaking of Roxie Hart, Phyllis Haver steals the movie with her brassy portrayal of that trigger happy dame. She manages to walk the line between adorable victim to hated adulterous so well that we often aren't sure if we should root for or against her. Haver is not as well known today as other silent movie stars, but her performance in Chicago is evidence that she had the qualities of a major star.
Fans of the Oscar winning musical may be surprised that in the silent version, the hapless husband, Amos, has a much larger role and the other murderous female, Velma Kelly is reduced to only one scene. The rest is all there, though, the catfights, comradery and prison corruption, the sensational trial, unscrupulous press and fame hungry attorneys always reminding us that the truth should never get in the way of a good story.
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