The Girls of Murder City:
Fame, Lust and the Beautiful Killers Who Inspired Chicago
By: Douglas Perry
He had it coming...
The Girls of Murder City tells two real-life stories:
- The first looks at the trials of several “girl gunners” in Chicago in the 1920′s
- The second looks at the development of the play Chicago, based on these trials
The first part of the book focuses largely on the crimes, trials, and eventual acquittals of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, the “Most Beautiful Girl” and the “Most Stylish Girl” on Murders’ Row, respectively. By killing men who weren’t their husbands and being acquitted of their crimes, Beulah and Belva perfectly represented the booze-soaked, sensation-hungry 1920′s. The stories of several other female murderers are included, but Beulah and Belva are the stars of the show.
The second part of the book covers Maurine Watkin’s development of the play Chicago based on Beulah and Belva’s stories. As a Chicago Tribune reporter covering the girl-gunner beat, Maurine refused to buy into the commotion Beulah and Belva stirred up. In her articles, she used sarcasm and wit to highlight the manipulative nature of each woman and call out how they played both the media and their jurors. Her play Chicago turned the same critical eye to the sensationalism and media-madness that had gripped the country.
I knew Chicago had some basis in reality, but I didn’t realize just how much had been lifted from Beulah and Belva’s trials. If you’ve seen the play or the musical, then you’ll immediately recognize Roxie Hart in Beulah. The character of Velma Kelly is based on Belva but the comparison is less obvious. You’ll also recognize “the characters” Billy Flynn, Mary Sunshine and the other “mistresses of Murder’s Row”. There are even some nicknames and lines lifted wholesale from newspaper articles of the time and placed in the play’s dialogue (“They both reached for the gun!”).
Being the history nerd that I am, I appreciated the chance to check out the real-life characters that inspired the play and read some of the source material. It also became clear just how much Maurine nailed the prevailing mood of Chicago in the 1920′s with her play. If you’re interested in Chicago history or Chicago the play, I recommend this one.
In a nutshell: A good look at the people and crimes that inspired a great play. Three and a half stars.
