Roxie Hart

1942 "The gal who became a national pastime!"
6.9| 1h12m| NR| en
Details

A café in Chicago, 1942. On a rainy night, veteran reporter Homer Howard tells an increasing audience the story of Roxie Hart and the crime she was judged for in 1927.

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Interesteg What makes it different from others?
BoardChiri Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay
Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
kenjha This farce about women who kill is based on the play "Chicago," which was successfully filmed as a musical in 2002, It starts off busy, with attempts at broad comedy that don't work. Unlike the musical version, there aren't dazzling numbers to sustain interest when the comedy isn't working, although Rogers does do some dancing. It gets better as it goes along, thanks to the game cast. Rogers seems to be having a lot of fun in the title role. Old pro Mejou is terrific as the flamboyant lawyer who defends Rogers. Although known mainly for Westerns, Montgomery (whose voice is like Clark Gable's) displays fine comic flair as a reporter smitten by Rogers.
blanche-2 There was a real Roxie Hart, and in 1942, she was played by none other than Ginger Rogers with red hair. It's basically the same story as "Chicago" with some changes. What remains the same is that Roxie is a darling of the press, and her trial is a media circus. The difference here is that Roxie didn't shoot anyone, and she and her husband do divorce. Also, the matron doesn't have a song. Roxie's story is told in flashback by a reporter (George Montgomery) who has avid listeners in a coffee shop, particularly the man behind the counter (William Frawley) - who we see as the story continues was actually on the jury! As in "Chicago," Roxie loses the limelight when a fresh news story comes along, but she manages to get the crowd back when she announces she's pregnant.Ginger is great as Roxie and dances "The Black Bottom" and taps up a storm. She's very sassy and flirtatious, seemingly having a good time. Adolphe Menjou is just right as Billy Flynn, who knows every trick in the book to get Roxie declared not guilty. The film has a wonderful group tap number, too, which is excellent.All in all, a fun ride, with a great ending. Fans of "Chicago" will find the film interesting and entertaining.
Maciste_Brother ROXIE HART is a fun film. Its tone is correct. The dialogue is sometimes really sharp, even for today. And the cinematography is unusually gorgeous, for a comedy anyway. But the story lacks depth and it never goes beyond the "let's play the jury with Roxie's charms" bit, which became tiring one hour into the film. The film lacked interesting secondary characters which would have added much needed depth and change from the Roxie Hart storyline. In the end, the constant focus on Roxie and her assets and the wacky court case antics reminded me of the long lasting TV show NIGHT COURT. The film, which is 90 minutes long, is at the same level of a standard 30 minute NIGHT COURT episode. Not good.It's a shame really because Ginger actually gives a great comedic performance. I completely forgot she was the same actress that starred in all of those Fred & Ginger flicks. And the cast is pretty good. The whole project just seems underdeveloped. It's just a one note comedy. It's worth watching for Ginger though.
Neil Doyle The corn is definitely more than green in this uninspired farce which is broadly played by every member of the cast except GEORGE MONTGOMERY.Based on the same story that CHICAGO was based on, ROXIE HART has GINGER ROGERS, chewing gum and batting her eyes while on the witness stand when she gets caught up in a murder trial in rowdy '20s Chicago. Rogers is too cute for words, emerging as a caricature throughout.Hers is not the only overly flamboyant performance. ADOLPHE MENJOU is a bit over-the-top as her lawyer, but GEORGE MONTGOMERY gives one of his most natural, effortless performances as the man who narrates the story and takes part in the screenplay.Someone else has cited him as "that guy George Montgomery that I never heard of" and says he's the reason the film fails to succeed. Not true. Actually, it's the Ginger Rogers role of a tootsie type of hoofer who prevents the film from becoming the comedy it aspires to be. That plus heavy-handed direction from William Wellman, a man usually associated with heroic male action films and not comedy or satire.Definitely belongs among those films from Rogers that failed to reach their potential--chiefly because of a misguided performance on her part. This came shortly after her Oscar-winning role as KITTY FOYLE, so it's an example of how she vacillated between good and bad roles during this phase of her screen career. She seems to be enjoying herself enormously as the center of attention, but it's all to no avail.As for GEORGE MONTGOMERY, he was far from being a sub-standard leading man as the other commentator suggested. His star was on the rise in the early '40s and he was also well-known as the husband of the legendary singing star and TV personality, DINAH SHORE.