Comments | glass_cats: Myth-making: Chicago 1924

ex_truepenn in glass_cats

Myth-making: Chicago 1924

Apr 20, 2006 10:58

I've been listening to the soundtrack for Chicago a lot recently.

Because it's how my brain works, I looked up the real-life trials the musical is based on, and I discovered something interesting. The trials of Beulah Annan (Roxie Hart) and Belva Gaertner (Velma Kelly) overlapped with the Leopold and Loeb case. A woman named Maurine Dallas ( Read more... )

Comments 3

lizziebelle April 20 2006, 19:14:29 UTC

I had forgotten that Chicago was based on real events. I just rewatched it the other night. I'm a sucker for old-fashioned musicals. ;)

praderwilli April 21 2006, 17:44:08 UTC

I've always been fascinated by true life murder cases. So, I've read a great deal about Leopold and Loeb, and I've seen all of the films based on that case, too. I love Dean Stockwell's performance in Compulsion, btw.

On the other hand, I've only read a little about the real-life Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. Of course, I've seen the musical Chicago both on stage and the movie. I'd never made the connection between the cases. Interesting stuff.

It makes me want to read up on Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner.

fidelioscabinet April 25 2006, 14:40:48 UTC

Since I read this the first time, I've tried to express the thoughts you prompted with this post. I haven't had much luck, though. Belva and Beulah were just living their lives, without thought of much else; Leopold and Loeb were trying, consciously, to live out the Idea of the Uebermensch; to be legendary figures. They're a detail in the history of criminal psychology; they were monsters, but sad, self-deluded, foolish monsters. Belva and Beulah are now part of the American mythos, and in Technicolor, too. Somehow they stick ever so much better.

Maybe it's because they weren't poseurs as well as murdered, while L&L were. Maybe it's because making your own myth doesn't really work all that well, especially once you're dead and the world is no longer distracted from analyzing your life by the perfume of your presence (see Hemingway and others). Achilles needs Homer as much as Homer needs Achilles. I could drivel on, but I get no closer to turning this into a firm custard rather than a panful of sloshing thoughts.