Billy Flynn: Now look, I don't like to blow my own horn. But believe me. If Jesus Christ lived in Chicago today and if he had $5,000 and he'd come to me, things would have turned out differently.
The innocent murderess, Katalin Hunyák, is supposed to be Hungarian. Nevertheless, in Cell Block Tango, she tells her story with such a heavy Russian accent that it makes the story almost unintelligible (I'm Hungarian so I know it). Thereafter, when Billy passes by, she begs for help in Russian ("Pozhaluysta" - "Please"). The actress who plays Hunyák is Russian, this explains a lot, but why couldn't they find someone Hungarian for that role? See more...
Directed by Rob Marshall, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, John C. Reilly, Lucy Liu, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Taye Diggs (add more)
For anyone who was curious: this is Hunyák's story in the cell block tango (translated from Hungarian) "What am doing here? They say my famous lover held down my husband while I chopped off his head. But it isn't true, I am innocent. I don't know why Uncle Sam says I did it. I tried to explain it at the police station but they did not understand me."
In 'Cell Block Tango', the scarves represent murder. While the other four murderesses carry only one red scarf, Velma carries two (one for her husband and one for her sister) and Catalina has one white scarf to show that she alone is innocent.
Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere all did their own dancing and singing.
Catherine Zeta Jones specifically requested to have a short haircut for this movie so that the audience could easily see her face and not doubt that she did all the dancing herself.
Roxy Hart was based on Beulah Annan who murdered her lover after he said he was leaving her. Velma Kelly was based on Belva Gaertner who murdered her younger, married boyfriend and used the exact same defense of suffering from a black out.
John Travolta was offered the part of Billy Flynn but turned it down because he couldn't see how the stage play "Chicago" could be effectively turned into a film.
In 2003, Chicago became the first film musical to have won an Oscar for "Best Picture" in 34 years, the last winner was "Oliver."
Billy Flynn was based on "Easy Eddie" O'Hare, a Chicago mob lawyer of the 1920's. O'Hare's son, Butch, was a decorated Navy flyer killed in World War II. The Chicago airport was named in his honor.
In the scene where Roxie is waiting to meet the Matron, a fellow inmate asks her if she has had Morton before. The actress is Chita Rivera, who was the original Velma Kelly years ago.
Producer Marty Richards approached Catherine Zeta-Jones about playing Velma Kelly after being amazed by her renditions of carols at a Christmas party.
You may also like: Mean Girls | Titanic | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | The Phantom of the Opera | Gods and Generals
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