Rating: 
Summary: I DID IT HER WAY!!!
Review: ... 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.
Rating:
Summary: Razzle Dazzle
Review: Based on the same play as the current hit musical "Chicago," this outstanding movie has much of the same dialogue and a surprising amount of the same pungent satire (Adophe Menjou IS Johnnie Cochran). The movie's chief asset is Ginger Rogers, who gives the greatest performance of her career. She's fearless enough to play Roxie as a vain, selfish knucklehead and skillful enough to somehow make her sympathetic. Plus she does two wonderful solo dances that demonstrate once and for all that she had absolutely no need of her ex-partner... whatshisname. And, finally, those legs... wow. The movie has slight flaws: Roxie has been made innocent of murder (maybe) and a fairly icky framing device has been added. And, of course, the Kander and Ebb songs are missed. Nonetheless, this is a great, great movie -- hard, fast, and hilarious.
Rating: 
Summary: Roxie's the Original !
Review: I bought this movies a couple years ago and liked it. Since I have seen the London production twice, a German production twice, the Broadway production once November 2002 and could not wait to see the Miramax version that just came out in Switzerland March 20. Having seen all these shows, I watched this movie version again and enjoyed it even more. Lots of the characters remained, even dialogue was used in the musical versions. It was interesting to compare all this material together, even with the current movie version, which I highly recommend, this is the return of the high quality movie musical known to be dead for decades. Roxie Hart should be brought out on DVD by Fox Video sometime soon I hope.
Rating: 
Summary: "Chicago" minus all that jazz
Review: I bought this video because I love the musical "Chicago," and I like Ginger Rogers. There are many similarities, although the character of Velma appears only for a few moments. The movie is very short, and seems to be over very quickly. It isn't long enought - that is, it didn't contain enough either good or bad qualities - for me to love OR hate it, but it is good. Rogers gives a solid performance, but her two dances, like the film, are too short. It is funny, it is entertaining, but it lacks that edge that makes "Chicago: the Musical" so great. It wasn't made to be a classic, and a classic it's not. The best word for it is "good."
Rating:
Summary: ROGERS ROCKS CHICAGO!!
Review: I got this movie for Christmas yesterday and I love it! I have seen the movie "Chicago" many times and have seen the Broadway musical many times on a tape I have. This is probably the most likeable of all of them because it's clean. They had to follow the Hays Code with motion pictures back then, so that certainly added to its cleanliness. The movie is a version of "Chicago" that all members of the family can enjoy, unlike the current movie and stage show which are only appropriate for ages 13 and up. Ginger Rogers seems perfect for Roxie because she gives off believable innocence, unlike Reinking or Zellwegar who not only killed their lovers, but also were too fake for the role. Reinking talked too fast and Zellwegar was just not the right choice. Rogers is a great Roxie, because she is just like the one in the original play, even though the musical's version is based on Rogers's incarnation. This is my favorite type of movie anyway because I'm a fan of old black&white movies.
Rating:
Summary: ROGERS ROCKS CHICAGO!!
Review: I got this movie for Christmas yesterday and I love it! I have seen the movie "Chicago" many times and have seen the Broadway musical many times on a tape I have. This is probably the most likeable of all of them because it's clean. They had to follow the Hays Code with motion pictures back then, so that certainly added to its cleanliness. The movie is a version of "Chicago" that all members of the family can enjoy, unlike the current movie and stage show which are only appropriate for ages 13 and up. Ginger Rogers seems perfect for Roxie because she gives off believable innocence, unlike Reinking or Zellwegar who not only killed their lovers, but also were too fake for the role. Reinking talked too fast and Zellwegar was just not the right choice. Rogers is a great Roxie, because she is just like the one in the original play, even though the musical's version is based on Rogers's incarnation. This is my favorite type of movie anyway because I'm a fan of old black&white movies.
Rating:
Summary: ROGERS ROCKS CHICAGO!!
Review: I got this movie for Christmas yesterday and I love it! I have seen the movie "Chicago" many times and have seen the Broadway musical many times on a tape I have. This is probably the most likeable of all of them because it's clean. They had to follow the Hays Code with motion pictures back then, so that certainly added to its cleanliness. The movie is a version of "Chicago" that all members of the family can enjoy, unlike the current movie and stage show which are only appropriate for ages 13 and up. Ginger Rogers seems perfect for Roxie because she gives off believable innocence, unlike Reinking or Zellwegar who not only killed their lovers, but also were too fake for the role. Reinking talked too fast and Zellwegar was just not the right choice. Rogers is a great Roxie, because she is just like the one in the original play, even though the musical's version is based on Rogers's incarnation. This is my favorite type of movie anyway because I'm a fan of old black&white movies.
Rating:
Summary: A riot of a film
Review: I have never seen chicago, but I cannot imagine that it can be any more fun than this film. Ginger Rogers plays Roxie Hart with great gusto shwing she was a star long before Fred came on the scene. The court climax is just unreal with total chaos unfurling throughout the film. Also good to see some excellent dancing from Rogers as she really hams it up in this tremendous film. Pure enjoyment.
Rating:
Summary: Different but lots of fun
Review: I watched this out of curiousity after becoming a fan of Chicago the movie. It's fun to compare and contrast the modern version against this Ginger Rogers vehicle. Check out familiar characters (such as the prison matron "Mrs." Morton and Mary Sunshine) new characters (the reporter who has a crucial role in the end) and even missing characters (no Velma Kelley.) This 1942 film has the title character as a woman on trial for shooting a man who is strongly implied to be her lover. Unlike the Roxie Hart in Chicago, this Roxie is innocent and only on trial for publicity to bolster her show business career. Rogers is a lot of fun and chews the scenery as the gum snapping Roxie. In retrospect, it seems a natural that this story became a musical. Aside from a brief tap dance sequence, it's too bad Rogers couldn't show off her musical talents here. Make note to watch for the totally different but funny ending.
Rating:
Summary: "That's a hanging jury out there!"
Review: If you've seen and enjoyed the recent musical adaptation of "Chicago", you might want to check out the 1942 version of the same story, "Roxie Hart". The plot is the roughly the same, although due to the censors of the time key points were changed from the original play. Ginger Rogers stars as the titular wannabe showgirl, who confesses to murder just for the publicity. Adolphe Menjou is her lawyer, the infamous Billy Flynn, and George Montgomery rounds out the cast as a journalist desperate to keep Roxie from swinging. Rogers does only a small amount of dancing in this film (managing to squeeze in a neat bit on a steel staircase) but this is mostly a comedic part. I would say "Roxie Hart" is a slightly above average comedy, with a few clever scenes and lines and a playful performance by Ginger. She and Montgomery have good chemistry and are fun to watch, but be forewarned there is some typical '40s era racism. Other than that, recommended as a decent rainy day flick.
GRADE: B
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