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(1942) A 20th Century Fox
Picture.
ROXIE
HART (1942) A 20th Century Fox Picture. Produced by
Nunnally Johnson. Directed by William Wellman. Screenplay
by Nunnally Johnson. Based on the play
"Chicago" by Maurine Watkins. Photography by
Leon Shamroy. Art Direction by Richard Day and Wiard B.
Ihnen. Set Decorations by Thomas Little. Edited by James
B. Clark. Sound by Alfred Bruzlin and Roger Heman. Music
by Alfred Newman. Costumes by Gwen Wakeling. Dances by
Hermes Pan. Make-up by Guy Pearce. Assistant Director: Ad
Schaumer. 75 min. |
| Director William Wellman's
career spanned over three decades, producing some of
Hollywood's best remembered classic movies. Usually
turning out action films like James Cagney's first
starring role in "The Public Enemy" (1931),
Jack London's "Call of the Wild" (1935), the
second screen version of "Beau Geste" (1939),
or the social western drama "The Ox-Bow
Incident" (1943), he was known as a man's director.
However, he did dabble in other genres and turned out two
excellent screwball comedies, albeit delving into the
blacker aspects of the catagory. One of these,
"Nothing Sacred" (1937) which starred Carole
Lombard and Fredric March has achieved classic status.
The other, a little known comedic gem, which, like
"Nothing Sacred" is a satire on yellow
journalism, (a subject which was touched on in many a
film in the 1930's like "Five Star Final",
"Blessed Event", and "Hi Nellie!")
was ROXIE HART. |
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| Based on the 1926
Broadway play "Chicago", which starred Francine
Larrimore as Roxie, Ginger Rogers turns in one of her
best performances as the low-class showgirl, who, after
being persuaded by reporters from a scandal sheet that
the notoriety might enhance her career, confesses to a
murder. Sounds sensational, doesn't it? But isn't that
what the American public has always eaten up? Take the
O.J. Simpson case, for example. How many people chalked
up big money through the misfortunes of others? This sort
of thing was as prevalent in the 1920's (i.e. the Fatty
Arbuckle trial) as it is today. If Ginger's acting seems
rather loud and abrasive, her Roxie is still rather
likeable, especially when compared to some of her
variable performances which preceded this. Consider for
instance her acting in "Tom, Dick and Harry"
(1941). In it she portrays a finger-chewing, baby-talking
imbecile who can't decide on which of her three suitors
to select for a husband. If it wasn't for fine portrayals
by Burgess Meredith and Alan Marshall, "Tom, Dick
and Harry" would have been somewhat of a misfire.
Fortunately, in ROXIE HART, there was a first-rate
director in command who would not put up with the
tempermental Rogers who had a tendency toward excessive
mugging and over-acting! |
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If one feels that I am being
unkind to Miss Rogers, I must emphasize the fact that I
truly enjoy almost all of her films from the 1930's,
however, by the middle of 1942, I start to grow weary of
her tiresome bag of tricks. Still and all, we should be grateful for jewels like ROXIE HART, which show Ginger at her glorious best. It's a role so atypical from her previous efforts that one wishes she had tackled more character roles such as this one. Unfortunately, box-office receipts were so-so. Audiences thought that the picture was pleasant but nothing more. Critics, however were unanimously elated with the New York Morning Telegraph citing "Miss Rogers herself, one of the most accomplished young players on the screen, gives the whole business just the right touch of burlesque. . .Take it from me, you're going to love this dame, Roxie Hart." Luckily audiences of today have matured and have taken Roxie to their "Harts". |
