Sex, murder, and celebrity in Roaring Twenties Chicago
The Film
Seventy-five years before the Broadway musical, the true story of jazz-loving murderess Roxie Hart was brought to the silent screen by legendary Hollywood producer Cecil B. DeMille.
After slaying her lover, Roxie Hart teams up with an unscrupulous lawyer, Billy Flynn, and fellow murderess Velma Kelly, to milk her trial for publicity and become famous. A cracking satire on fame and the media, Cecil B. DeMille’s film is as sensational as the real-life scandal on which it’s based.
The Music
This performance brings Cecil B. DeMille’s Chicago (1929) vividly to life with a duo of outstanding musicians. At the piano, Jonny Best leads the live musical score with his trademark flair for silent cinema. He’s joined by percussionist Jeff Davenport, whose silent film playing has been acclaimed around the UK. Together, they improvise as they watch alongside the audience - this is spontaneous film scoring, a one‑off, unrepeatable performance.
Music: Jonny Best (piano), Jeff Davenport (percussion).
Director: Frank Urson
Year: 1927
Country: USA
Length: 105 mins
Thanks to FPA Classics
