The 3-Act Paradigm at Work:
Chicago
written by Bill Condon
(based on a single theater viewing)
Chicago
is the film based on the Broadway musical. Full of song & dance -- and classic 3-act structure.
Structural Analysis
Hook
Velma, half of a vaudeville sister act, arrives late to the theater with a gun and blood on her hands. In her audience is Roxie, a wannabe actress.
Complication
Roxie shoots the boyfriend who got into her pants by promising her fame and fortune.
Call to Action
Roxie pays the "matron of keys" to get her the best lawyer in Chicago.
Act One Plot Point
The lawyer takes the case.
Midpoint Plot Point
Roxie claims she is pregnant.
Act Two Plot Point
The jury finds Roxie innocent -- but no longer is she the center of media attention, another woman has shot another boyfriend.
Climax and Resolution
Roxie teams up with Velma in a new act that takes Chicago by storm.
Notes
A melodrama, sure, but the songs and dances are great, and everything holds together (as sometimes musicals do not) with solid dramatic structure.
MODULE 4:
SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting
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