Chicago director Rob Marshall last week told us he expected that his musical extravaganza could do as well at the Oscars as any weighty drama. The director's faith was justified today when his first film was shortlisted for 13 Academy awards.
"I don't think of the Academy as high-minded," he said. "I think they embrace a lovely variety of movies; the Lord of the Rings was nominated last year along with A Beautiful Mind. I don't think they're an elitist group; they have a huge membership.
"Who knows how we'll do. It would be lovely if we do well, but it's just the icing on the cake," he added.
He believed that the musical film's time had come again, especially after the success of Moulin Rouge last year and a succession of stage musicals based on popular films, including The Producers and The Full Monty.
"I think it's really the right time for it. When we started production Moulin Rouge hadn't even opened - so were considered a very risky risk. I do think that the climate of the time is such that it's good to go to a cinema and escape to another world."
The last musical to win a best picture Oscar was Oliver! in 1968.
