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Chicago (1927) movie poster

Timeline

Chicago (1927) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1927 · 103 mins
Directed by
Frank Urson
Starring
May Robson, Victor Varconi, Eugene Pallette, Robert Edeson, Clarence Burton, Julia Faye

Based on a true story, Roxie Hart, a two‑timing, drinking wife, murders her lover after he leaves her, then uses her charm and clever legal maneuvers to evade conviction. The tale served as the foundation for Kander and Ebb’s 1975 Broadway musical and the Oscar‑winning 2002 film adaptation.

Crime Comedy Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Chicago
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Chicago (1927)

Where can you watch Chicago? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on fuboTV, Darkroom and Fawesome: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Chicago Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Chicago (1927) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Roxie watches Velma perform at The Onyx

    Roxie Hart, a Chicago housewife, attends The Onyx nightclub to watch vaudeville star Velma Kelly perform. The opening number 'Overture/All That Jazz' dazzles her and hints at a life beyond domestic routine. The performance plants the seed of Roxie's dream of stardom.

    When
    1924
    Where
    The Onyx, Chicago

  2. Roxie begins an affair with Fred Casely

    Seeking a shortcut to fame, Roxie begins an affair with furniture salesman Fred Casely after the show. Casely claims he knows a manager and could help her get into the right circles, using secrets to curry favor. The liaison sets in motion a dangerous web of lies that will frame Roxie's future actions.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago

  3. Velma Kelly is arrested

    Velma Kelly is arrested for the murder of her husband and sister after being caught in bed with a lover. The case catapults Velma into the public eye and marks the start of a brutal media circus around the two rival stars. The arrest foreshadows the competition Roxie will face inside and outside the courtroom.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago

  4. Casely's lie is revealed and Roxie kills him

    A month after the show, Casely admits to Roxie that he lied about his connections to sleep with her. Enraged by the deception, Roxie shoots Casely dead, sealing her fate in a system built on sensational headlines. The murder triggers a spiraling chain of scandal.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago

  5. Amos is persuaded to take the fall; infidelity evidence surfaces

    Roxie convinces her gullible husband Amos to take the fall by claiming self-defense against a burglar. As evidence of her infidelity surfaces, Amos recants his story, telling the police that Casely was already dead when he returned home. The truth deepens Roxie's entanglement with the legal system.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Cook County, Chicago

  6. Roxie is arrested and faces execution

    Roxie is arrested and sent to Cook County Jail as rumors swirl that she faces execution by hanging. The weight of public opinion and prosecutor's rhetoric sets the stage for her courtroom showdown. The jail becomes the understudy stage for the big trial to come.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Cook County Jail, Chicago

  7. Roxie enters Murderess' Row and learns Velma's backstory

    At Murderess' Row, Roxie is supervised by the corrupt Matron Mama Morton and meets other inmates, including Velma Kelly, whose story casts a long shadow. She hears how Velma navigates the system and media, foreshadowing the strategy Roxie will adopt. The jail becomes a stage before any courtroom drama.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Cook County Jail

  8. Roxie hires Billy Flynn to handle her case

    Morton advises Roxie to hire Billy Flynn, a brilliant and unscrupulous lawyer. Flynn crafts a media-forward defense that paints Roxie as a virtuous Southern woman corrupted by a decadent city, a narrative designed to turn public opinion in her favor.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Cook County Jail, Chicago

  9. Roxie rises to fame; Kitty Baxter case shifts focus; pregnancy ploy

    With the press on her side, Roxie becomes an overnight sensation as a tragic heroine. When wealthy Kitty Baxter is arrested for similar crimes, the tabloid cycle shifts to her, prompting Roxie to claim pregnancy to sustain interest; Flynn pushes the idea that the child is Casley's, urging Amos to divorce her.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago

  10. Diary discovery and its impact on the trial

    Mama Morton and Velma discover Roxie's diary and trade it for amnesty, then Flynn asserts the diary was planted by Harrison and discredits it with legalistic maneuvers. The diary becomes a pivotal piece of leverage in the courtroom, threatening Roxie's defense.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Cook County Courthouse, Chicago

  11. Roxie is acquitted; diary manipulation revealed

    Roxie is acquitted, but the victory is dampened when a rival woman shoots her own lawyer outside the courthouse. Behind the scenes, Flynn admits to Roxie that he tampered with the diary to incriminate the DA and free two clients, a betrayal that unsettles Roxie and tests her loyalty to him.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago

  12. Final duet: Roxie and Velma perform Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag

    Roxie continues to pursue a vaudeville career with mixed results until Velma proposes a joint act for two murderesses. The two stage a spectacular performance of Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag, receiving a standing ovation from a crowd that includes Flynn, Morton, jurors, and fellow acquitted murderesses. The finale cements Roxie's enduring fame in Chicago's showbiz world.

    When
    1924
    Where
    Chicago stage

Last updated: October 05, 2025 at 11:53

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Timeline questions answered

Chicago Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Chicago (1927): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Roxie kill Fred Casely?

Roxie kills Fred Casely after he confesses that his claims about having connections in show business were a lie, he only invented them to seduce her. Feeling deceived and furious that she was used, Roxie shoots him dead in a moment of rage.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Roxie entered into the affair precisely because she believed Casely could help her achieve fame, making his confession a devastating betrayal of her ambitions.

  • fred casely
  • roxie murder
  • motive
  • affair
  • deception
Q2

Why does Amos recant his story and tell the police the truth?

Amos initially agrees to claim he killed the burglar in self-defense to protect Roxie. However, when evidence of Roxie's affair with Casely surfaces, Amos recants and tells police that Casely was already dead when he arrived home, revealing he knows his wife was unfaithful and that her story was a lie.

  • amos hart
  • recant
  • infidelity
  • police
  • marriage
Q3

Why does Roxie fake a pregnancy?

When media attention shifts to the wealthier and more scandalous Kitty Baxter case, Roxie fears being forgotten. She claims pregnancy to regain public sympathy and keep the spotlight on herself, with Billy Flynn encouraging the idea that the child belongs to Casely to pressure Amos into divorcing her.

Foreshadowing: This ploy directly follows Flynn's earlier advice to use the press to control public perception, showing Roxie has absorbed the media manipulation tactics she witnessed with Velma.

  • fake pregnancy
  • media
  • kitty baxtor
  • publicity
  • sympathy
Q4

How does Billy Flynn manipulate the trial?

Flynn transforms the trial into a media circus by discrediting witnesses, staging a reconciliation between Roxie and Amos, and arguing that Roxie's diary, threatening to incriminate her, was planted by prosecutor Harrison to taint the case. His showmanship and legal maneuvering convince the jury to acquit Roxie.

  • billy flynn
  • trial manipulation
  • diary
  • media circus
  • courtroom
Q5

What happens to the diary evidence in the trial?

Mama Morton and Velma discover Roxie's diary and trade it for amnesty. When the diary is presented in court, Flynn argues its formal legal language suggests it was planted by the prosecutor to frame Roxie. The judge dismisses the diary as inadmissible, removing a key piece of evidence that could have convicted her.

  • diary evidence
  • harrison
  • admissible
  • mama morton
  • velma kelly
Q6

Why does Roxie rehire Billy Flynn after considering firing him?

After contemplating firing Flynn because she resents his control over her case, Roxie rehires him when she witnesses Katalin Helinszki become the first woman executed in Cook County. The realization that she could face execution forces her to prioritize survival over pride, recognizing she needs his showmanship to escape the gallows.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Roxie naively believes she can win the case alone, underestimating the danger she faces, her hubris is corrected by the harsh reality of the execution.

  • execution
  • helinszki
  • billy flynn
  • fear
  • rehire
Q7

Why does Roxie team up with Velma at the end?

After her acquittal, Roxie's solo vaudeville career yields mixed results. When Velma proposes a joint act featuring both infamous murderesses, Roxie initially refuses but eventually accepts, recognizing that their combined notoriety could reclaim the spotlight neither could achieve alone. Their duet 'Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag' becomes a sensation.

  • velma kelly
  • duet
  • vaudeville
  • notoriety
  • partnership
Q8

Why is Amos called Mister Cellophane?

Amos is ignored by the press entirely despite being Roxie's husband. The song 'Mister Cellophane' highlights his invisibility, he stands next to his famous wife but the media sees right through him, focusing only on the sensational criminal elements of the case.

  • amos
  • mister cellophane
  • invisibility
  • press
  • media
Q9

Why does Billy Flynn admit to tampering with the diary?

After the trial, Flynn confesses to Roxie that he deliberately sabotaged the diary not to save her, but to incriminate the district attorney and secure releases for two other clients. His confession reveals he views his manipulation as a game rather than a pursuit of justice.

  • flynn confession
  • tampering
  • motive
  • betrayal
  • clients
Q10

What does Roxie reveal about the pregnancy to Amos after the trial?

After her acquittal, Roxie coldly informs Amos that she never was pregnant, she faked it entirely. Despite this betrayal, Amos remains devoted and expresses excitement about becoming a father, showing his continued gullibility and unconditional devotion.

  • amos
  • pregnancy reveal
  • betrayal
  • fatherhood
Q11

Why does Roxie initially reject Velma's partnership offer?

When Velma first proposes a joint act, Roxie rejects her because she sees Velma as a rival she must surpass, not collaborate with. Roxie believes her own infamy should stand alone and views partnering with the original 'queen of crime' asdiminishing her own status.

  • velma rival
  • partnership rejection
  • rivalry
  • infamy
Q12

What triggers Roxie to hire Billy Flynn after arriving at Cook County Jail?

After entering Murderess' Row and hearing the stories of other inmates, including Velma's, Roxie realizes she cannot match Velma's notoriety alone. On Mama Morton's advice, she hires Flynn, understanding she needs his reputation as a brilliant, unscrupulous lawyer to craft a sensational defense and control the media narrative.

  • mama morton
  • hire flynn
  • murderess row
  • velma kelly
  • defense

Movie threads

More Movies Like Chicago, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Chicago tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Frenetic Fame Satires like Chicago

Movies where the ruthless pursuit of fame exposes a corrupt and cynical world. Movies like Chicago that explore the dark side of celebrity and media with a cynical, fast-paced energy. If you enjoyed the satirical take on fame and corruption in the 1920s courtroom drama, you'll find similar themes in these stories of ambition and public spectacle.

  • satirical
  • frenetic
  • cynical
  • celebrity-obsessed
  • media-frenzy
  • ambitious
  • Tone: dark, cynical, satirical
  • Pacing: fast, frenetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow ambitious, often morally flexible characters as they manipulate media and public opinion to turn scandal into fame. The narrative is propelled by a rapid-fire sequence of strategic moves and public spectacles, leading to an ending that questions the true cost of success in a corrupt system.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped for their shared darkly comedic and satirical tone, fast pacing driven by ambition and media frenzy, and their focus on the corrosive nature of fame. They deliver a cynical, high-energy viewing experience that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Cecil B. DeMented movie poster

Cecil B. DeMented

2000
L.A. Slasher movie poster

L.A. Slasher

2015
Hollywood Boulevard movie poster

Hollywood Boulevard

1976
The Bling Ring movie poster

The Bling Ring

2013
Satan’s Brew movie poster

Satan’s Brew

1976
Female Trouble movie poster

Female Trouble

1974
Chicago movie poster

Chicago

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Girl You Know It's True movie poster

Girl You Know It's True

2024

Cynical Courtroom Dramas similar to Chicago

Courtroom stories where the law is a stage and truth is secondary to spectacle. Courtroom dramas like Chicago, where the legal system is portrayed as a corrupt game of performance and manipulation. If you liked the clever legal maneuvers and media circus surrounding Roxie Hart's trial, you'll appreciate these stories where the pursuit of justice is a dark, cynical spectacle.

  • calculating
  • corrupt
  • tense
  • psychological
  • manipulative
  • high-stakes
  • Tone: dark, tense, cynical
  • Pacing: fast, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern centers on a high-profile legal battle where strategy, charm, and media influence are the primary tools for victory. The protagonist often navigates a corrupt system, using it to their advantage, resulting in a bittersweet or morally ambiguous conclusion that underscores the emptiness of a win based on deception.

Why they belong together: These films share a heavy emotional weight, high intensity from life-or-death stakes, and a dark tone that questions the integrity of the legal system. They are united by themes of legal corruption, media manipulation, and the performative nature of justice.

The Verdict movie poster

The Verdict

2025
The Verdict movie poster

The Verdict

2013
Trial by Jury movie poster

Trial by Jury

1994
Illegal movie poster

Illegal

1955
The Trials of Cate McCall movie poster

The Trials of Cate McCall

2013
The Verdict movie poster

The Verdict

1982
The Tattered Dress movie poster

The Tattered Dress

1957
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt movie poster

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

2009

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Every angle

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