In Old Chicago
November 2005 Reviewed by: James Saxon Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

In Old Chicago focuses on the O’Leary family whose cow allegedly kicked over the lantern that started the great fire of 1871. Mrs. O’Leary, played by Alice Brady, is a pioneer widow forced to do laundry to support her boys in the "City of the Big Shoulders." Don Ameche as the older son grows into an honest lawyer who becomes the focus of ward politics, thanks to the convoluted scheming of his dishonest bar-owning brother, played by the photogenic Tyrone Power. Blonde and round Alice Faye is the singer whose face launches a rivalry between Power and kingpin Brian Donlevy that sets the scene for the movie’s violent climax, a conflagration that levels the "Hog Butcher for the World."

Capturing the great fire on screen taxed the "special effects" (credited as such) capabilities of the day. For my money, the earthquake in San Francisco a year earlier and the burning of Atlanta two years later in Gone with the Wind were more convincing. Still, apart from the flames, which appear well under studio-lot control, the sight of buildings collapsing has an eerie verisimilitude that startles one even today. The blast of a man-drawn fire-wagon’s steam whistle etches itself into one’s memory. Despite the movie’s brave effort to capture the fire’s impact on the nation’s "Stacker of Wheat," the contrived Hollywood plot scuttles the show.

Nevertheless, In Old Chicago resounded with Depression-era audiences. Against top competition (Lost Horizons and The Good Earth), the movie was nominated for Best Picture of 1937. Alice Brady won an award for Best Supporting Actress, while assistant director Robert Webb also won an Oscar, presumably for corralling the extras during the fires scenes.

Today’s viewers like the film, as well. A poll of users of the Internet Movie Data Base gives it 7.1 points out of ten. By comparison, the Best Picture of ‘37, The Life of Emile Zola, scores 7.4. I wonder how many IMDB voters paid $14.98 for the DVD of In Old Chicago. In my estimation, no amount suffices.

The release in the Fox Studio Classics series is in black and white with a 4:3 aspect ratio and monaural sound. Extras include a "road" version of the movie, which runs 18 minutes longer, a biography of Don Ameche that is well worth seeing, and four Movietone news clips. The DVD comes with English and Spanish subtitles. From time to time the subtitles were useful for comprehending the dialogue.

Ironically, for a movie of old-fashioned sentiment, one scene holds a modern message. The Mayor of Chicago, being apprised that hell has broken loose, immediately authorizes acting fire marshal General Phil Sheridan to do everything possible to stop the fire. He then orders the police commissioner to "mobilize the whole force, swear in as many deputies as needed, clear the whole area, keep everyone moving north, and requisition all the foodstuffs you need."

To aides, he commands: "Get in touch with Milwaukee, St. Louis and the surrounding cities. Ask them to send all the fire apparatus they can. Wire Washington. Tell them we’re going to need relief, money, medicine, maybe Federal troops. Keep me advised -- I’ll be with General Sheridan."

In 1937, at least, they knew how to manage a crisis.

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