TheLittleSongbird With an intriguing subject and a talented cast (Don Ameche, Alice Faye, Alice Brady, Tyrone Power) and director (Henry King), 'In Old Chicago' immediately sparked my interest (regarding watching it) and had a lot going for it.Having seen it, 'In Old Chicago' is a little disappointing and more left me relatively lukewarm rather than properly ignited. However, there is more than enough to make it worth a view, even if urges for re-watching are slim. It has often been compared to 'San Fracisco', and often unfavourably, there are similarities between the two and while it is understandable (and agreed) that 'In Old Chicago' is the inferior film of the two there is still enough to make it watchable at least once.'In Old Chicago' looks great, with the cinematography being handsomely mounted but with enough grit to not make it over-glossy and also with elegant but atmospheric costume and set design. For the time and for now as well, the special effects in the final twenty minutes detailing the famous fire disaster are staggeringly good. The music score is energetic and vibrant enough, with luscious orchestration, while also with an atmosphere that stops it from sounding too melodramatic or too chirpy. The songs, while not classics as such, are pleasant enough, a few of them (such as the title song) sung beautifully by Alice Faye.King directs with a meticulous eye for detail, great urgency and tension in the final twenty minutes and good direction of the actors, even if he doesn't quite succeed as well with the script and overall momentum of the story. The final twenty minutes are utterly riveting, and by far 'In Old Chicago's' dramatic highlight, with boundless tension, urgency and with visuals that give the full impact of the disaster rather than being too small scale due to budget hindrances or something.The cast is a good one and perform well. Alice Brady shows a different side to her, and brings sincerity and authority to her mother figure role. Ameche is likable and charming, while Power shows that he was more than an actor with just good looks in a performance that has handsome suavity and reckless charisma. His fight with Ameche is well handled. Andy Devine and Brian Donlevy are strong in support. Faye sings beautifully and is lovely enough but doesn't have very much to do in a somewhat underwritten role.On the other hand, 'In Old Chicago' does drag and meander quite badly in spots, with the main plot-line having its fair share of leaden melodrama and there is a lot of overlong scene-setting that could have been shortened or completely cut. There are also subplots that either don't go anywhere much, or are wrapped up too quickly or neatly.The script has the odd heartfelt and thought-provoking moment, but much of it is laid on too thick with syrup and sugar in the melodramatic parts while the grittier subjects that it tries to tackle later on (which would have made for a more interesting film if handled a little better) were either handled too heavy-handedly or too safely, which did on each side diminish any conflict. Tonally, with trying to have more than one element, it does feel confused and unfocused at times. All in all, crackles in the final twenty minutes but apart from enough to keep one watching was somewhat of a lukewarm experience on the whole. Not a bad film, a long way from, just was expecting more. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Bill Slocum People talk about the strengths of Golden Age cinema, and I believe in them, too, but watching "In Old Chicago" is to be reminded of the weaknesses:Thin characterizations. Overtly posed close-ups. Clichéd dialogue. Strained humor. Implausible romances. Improbable coincidences.It's all there in this early disaster movie, which depending on the version you see is either 100 minutes or 70 minutes of windy exposition followed by 25 minutes of fiery, building-crushing spectacle when the Great Fire of 1871 roars through Chi-town, courtesy of Mrs. O'Leary's cow.Alice Brady won an Oscar playing the legendary Mrs. O'Leary, though her solid performance only looks stellar compared to the rest of the cast. History tells us it wasn't her cow that caused the fire, yet this cinematic retelling has Mrs. O at the heart of everything having to do with old Chicago, with one son (Don Ameche) an earnest reformer and another (Tyrone Power) the corrupt power behind the throne. Their father died foreseeing a time when the O'Learys would "put their mark" on the city, and this they do, even before they burn it to cinders.The two O'Leary boys have this habit of coming to blows often but then reuniting very earnestly, facing the camera with happy smiles and declarations of sudden unity.As they often say in this movie: "We O'Learys are a strange tribe." "Strange" doesn't cover it.Power's character, Dion O'Leary, falls hard for saloon singer Belle Fawcett, whose job gives Alice Faye plenty of excuses for dressing up and delivering a series of hokey musical numbers. Dion pleads his case with Belle by wrestling her to the floor and ignoring her pleas to let him go until she returns his kisses passionately. Being he's Tyrone Power, this might even work. But could anyone get away with lines like his "We've fought, and maybe we'll go on fighting, but we'll do it – together!"Power does get credited for shedding his pretty-boy persona later in his career with harrowing war service and some tougher parts, but here he's all dimple-cheeked smiles and goo-goo eyes. Even when the script has him backstabbing nominal villain Brian Donlevy (really not that bad a guy compared to Dion through most of the film, though presented here as someone to root against only because he's played by Donlevy), Power can't muster up enough gas to make his skullduggery convincing.There's a tonal problem with the film. Director Henry King seems split between whether to make "In Old Chicago" a drama, a comedy, or a musical, so he tries for a bit of each, sometimes in tandem. The result is odd bits of pathos like Father O'Leary's death crammed up next to a scene where a fat woman is dropped in a mud puddle. Only in the last 20 minutes, when it becomes a full-fledged disaster film, does it find focus, and then only as spectacle with powerful scenics, like people walking on rooftops dwarfed by the fires raging behind them, or buildings raining masonry on the heads of fleeing victims.The focus on the O'Learys remains, however, as tired and improbable as ever, with Brady and Power left to deliver some final lines to the camera about Chicago emerging stronger and better from this disaster. It's all such hooey you almost wish for a lingering piece of masonry to tumble down upon them. But then someone would have to make still another speech about how they didn't die in vain, and then "In Old Chicago" would never end.

Supachewy The historical drama In Old Chicago is directed by Henry King and stars Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, and Don Ameche. The film takes place in 1870s Chicago.The film starts out with a family heading to Chicago in 1854. On the way to Chicago the father decides to race a train after his children ask him to do so and he loses control of the cart and ends up badly injuring himself, so much so it leads to his death. When the remainder of the family enter Chicago two of the children accidentally dirty a woman's dress and the mother offers to clean it for her. The mother is so good as cleaning she starts a business and then it is cut to 1870. All the boys are grown up one is a lawyer, one is involved with gambling and other frowned on affairs, and the final one does not really have that much of a part so it doesn't matter. The son that is a lawyer, Jack (Ameche), is convinced to run for mayor and Dion (Power) is one of the heads of a somewhat crime organization. The two are rivals, but then the great fire starts burning...The writing for this film is decent. It is an interesting concept having the two brothers pitted against each other, I like that part a lot. But every relationship involving a woman of romance just seemed so unnatural and forced. It was just like if anyone talked to a woman in a few minutes they would be in love. I liked towards the end everything that had to do with the fire, I thought that was very interesting and kept my attention. After the film ended though not much was very memorable.Henry King's direction for this film was quite good. One shot in particular I liked was when it was in the bar and the camera dollied backwards and I saw all the bartenders serving beer to the large crowd of people. This shot was so much more efficient than just an overhead shot displaying the large amount of people because it felt like I was actually there. Also King directed everything with the fire brilliantly as well. He got solid performances from all his leads as well.The editing for this film was equally as good as the direction. One thing I liked in particular was when the mother was washing the clothes and all the years passed by over her washing. I thought that was much smarter than just going to the next shot and putting 1870 on the bottom of the screen. Again with the fire scenes everything was edited perfectly, especially involving the special effects.The acting was solid by most of the cast. I thought Tyrone Power played his part very well, he was likable even though his character was devious. I did think the parts where he was with any woman besides his mother were ridiculous, but that wasn't his fault it was the writers and director. Alice Faye did not give that great of a performance but I thought her role was somewhat useless so it was hard for her to be good. Don Ameche basically just read his lines and furrowed his brow during the whole film so nothing remarkable. Alice Brady won an Oscar for her role as the mother and she deserved it. She was basically a caring mother that did not want her sons to be running around and being with women who were not of class. She played the part perfectly and really could not have improved.Overall I give this film a very weak 7/10. My main issue is that after the film I almost immediately forgot it but during the film it was quite an experience. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys historical dramas.

Spikeopath This is the fictional story of the O'Leary family and the birth of the Great Fire of Chicago.Big budget, big stars and a completely big production, In Old Chicago may be deemed as a Zanuck cash in on the previous years MGM eye opener, San Francisco, it is however a wonderful picture that features two differing halves of worth. Casting aside historical accuracy (lets really not go down that road in cinema history), this Henry King directed piece firstly engages us as a jaunty family character piece, only to then pull the rug from underneath us to let in political intrigue, deception, down right ugliness and a near $2 million fire besieged Chicago!Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, Alice Faye, Alice Brady (Best Supporting Actress Academy Award) and Brian Donlevy all line up to entertain the viewers, all possibly aware that they are merely the starter course for the extravagant main course that will be the 20 minute final reel of panic and burning disaster. Yet to focus merely on the fire itself, and the effects that some 70 years later still impact smartly, is to do the first half a disservice, characters are formed and the story is fully fleshed to make the wait for the fire completely worth our time. It's no history lesson for sure but the devilment of some characters, and the ineptitude of some others, more than make this an essential watch for fans of 30s cinema. 7.5/10