The story is set in Prohibition-era Chicago and revolves around two women, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, who are both accused of murder. Roxie is a young aspiring singer who kills her lover in a fit of rage after he threatens to leave her. Velma is a vaudeville performer who has already gained notoriety for killing her husband and sister upon discovering their affair.
Both women become celebrities in the media due to their sensational trials, with the slick and unscrupulous lawyer Billy Flynn representing them. Flynn manipulates the media to create sympathetic public images for Roxie and Velma, turning them into antiheroines and exploiting their cases for personal gain.
As the trials unfold, the women's stories become intertwined, and they find themselves competing for the public's attention.
Chicago is a significant film in the history of cinema due to its exploration of social and media-related themes. While the film itself may not be as widely known as its 2002 musical adaptation, it laid the foundation for the story's exploration of celebrity culture, manipulation, and the justice system that would later become the cornerstone of the musical and subsequent adaptations.