A joyous satire on political and judicial corruption, lovingly directed by "Wild Bill" Wellman from producer Nunnally Johnson's incisively re-worked, cleverly adapted script. The original 1927 play is not so much a comedy as an exaggerated melodrama. Johnson has added all the laughs and most of the satire. Wellman whips it along at a cracking pace.
Despite the film's comparatively short running time, it's loaded to the limit with foolery and fun and such wonderfully inventive touches as the riddle of gun-fire over the montage of newspaper headlines; Menjou dis-arranging his hair before addressing the jury; the judge never missing a jump to have his photograph in the papers; Menjou spoiling for a fake fight, urgently asiding to the attendant, "Come on, Jake!"; Chandler rehearsing his lines and gestures - and that's naming but a paltry few of the highlights which are capped by the whole jail breaking into the "Black Bottom".
It's often said that comedy was not Wellman's forte. What nonsense! Wellman is a superb farceur, whipping the plot and dialogue along frenziedly, getting terrifically off-beat performances from players normally stiff or stolid or nauseatingly sweet, tearing mileage from Ihnen's crowded sets and Shamroy's appealingly sharp camerawork. The dazzling choreography is the snappiest work Hermes Pan has ever done.
All in all, Roxie Hart is one of the forties' fastest comedies. I'd rate it even funnier than His Girl Friday, which shares the same wide-open Chicago setting.
Despite the film's comparatively short running time, it's loaded to the limit with foolery and fun and such wonderfully inventive touches as the riddle of gun-fire over the montage of newspaper headlines; Menjou dis-arranging his hair before addressing the jury; the judge never missing a jump to have his photograph in the papers; Menjou spoiling for a fake fight, urgently asiding to the attendant, "Come on, Jake!"; Chandler rehearsing his lines and gestures - and that's naming but a paltry few of the highlights which are capped by the whole jail breaking into the "Black Bottom".
It's often said that comedy was not Wellman's forte. What nonsense! Wellman is a superb farceur, whipping the plot and dialogue along frenziedly, getting terrifically off-beat performances from players normally stiff or stolid or nauseatingly sweet, tearing mileage from Ihnen's crowded sets and Shamroy's appealingly sharp camerawork. The dazzling choreography is the snappiest work Hermes Pan has ever done.
All in all, Roxie Hart is one of the forties' fastest comedies. I'd rate it even funnier than His Girl Friday, which shares the same wide-open Chicago setting.