Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid portrait of a tenacious spirit who, despite her own demons, went on to become one of the most successful and. Did bessie accurately reflect bessie smiths sexuality. This movie was a bit milk toast but did have a few vignettes from true stories but really played down. Watch bessie smith in her only movie appearance, the 1929 short film st. Bessie smith biography life, children, death, mother. Besides latifah, monique as ma rainey is the other standout performance in the film. Queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie smith in hbos movie bessie, airing saturday at 8 p.
Its a pleasure to watch and hear them wail in a film that otherwise. Bessie smith april 15, 1894 september 26, 1937 was an american blues singer. The film focuses on legendary blues singer bessie smiths transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues, who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and is an enduring icon today. Queen latifah stars as smith, and supporting roles are played by michael kenneth williams as smith s first husband jack gee. May 16, 2015 bessie, hbos new biopic from writerdirector dee rees, tracks bessie smiths rise to fame as the empress of bluesand delivers stunning performances from starring actresses queen latifah. Did bessie accurately reflect bessie smiths sexuality and relationships. Bessie is about a blues singer, but what the movie could really use is. This is a great story of a relatively unheralded talent. It is the only movie ever made about bessie so at least it is a step in the right direction. Bessie smith was born into poverty in chattanooga, tennessee, one of seven children of william and laura smith. Bessie smith was born on april 15, 1894 in chattanooga, tennessee, usa as elizabeth smith. The legend of bessie smith, who was born on 15 april 1984, and died, aged just 43, on 26 september 1937, has created an extra layer to what was a fascinating and monumental career. With a story by dee rees and horton foote, the film focuses on smiths transformation from a struggling young singer into the empress of the blues, who.
A sweet scene in the movie shows recording engineers. A mississippi car accident in 1937 cut short the life of bessie smith. Smith was born on 15 april 1894 and passed away on 26 september 1937. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid portrait of a tenacious spirit who, despite her own demons, went on to become one of the most successful and influential musical artists of the 20th century. Reportedly in the making for 22 years from a script by horton foote, its easy to see why bessie was a film inevitability. Her father died soon after her birth and her mother and two of her brothers died by the time she was eight or. Bessie smith, american singer, one of the greatest blues vocalists. Bessies story is sometimes violent bessie was never one to back away from a physical fight that might victimize her.
Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Apr 14, 2017 queen latifah takes on nudity, sexuality, and the indomitable bessie smith like a boss queen latifah gives the performance of her career in hbos biopic of singer bessie smith. Bessie smith songs downhearted blues by the early 1920s, smith had settled down and was living in philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man named jack gee. Louis blues 1958, nat king cole, eartha kitt, ruby dee duration. With queen latifah, kamryn johnson, rikki mckinney, alan t. Bessie achieving a level of popularity previously unknown to blues musicians, bessie smith was not only an imposing performer, she was a major influence on generations of artists to come.
Her father died soon after her birth and her mother and two of her brothers died by the time she was eight or nine. A star vehicle and then some, bessie casts queen latifah as blues singer bessie smith, in a big, bold movie thats as vibrant, raw and musical as it is unfocused and messy. Bessie smith had a hit on the song in 1925 and handy himself asked bessie smith to appear in the movie. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes bessie smith study guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays. Rodney dangerfield at his best on the tonight show starring johnny carson 1983 duration. Bessie smith was born in chattanooga, tennessee in 1894. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with louis armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists. In one of the first talkies ever made, bessie catches her twotiming boyfriend, jimmy, fooling around with a younger woman. Hbo released a movie about smith, bessie, starring queen latifah, on may 16, 2015. The av club says the movie paints smith as someone who could never quite be satiated. Known as the empress of the blues, she was a bold, supremely confident artist who sang with breathtaking emotional intensity on such songs as down hearted blues, empty bed blues, and nobody knows you when youre down and out.
Its available to watch on tv, online, tablets, phone. Whatever she did loved, laughed, sang she did it full force. Mar 16, 2017 bessie smith had a hit on the song in 1925 and handy himself asked bessie smith to appear in the movie. Watch bessie starring queen latifah in this drama on directv. Bessie, on hbo, stars queen latifah as blues singer. In latifahs hands, her desires serve as surrogates for quelling her early childhood trauma, but simultaneously fill her with joy, because theyre. Well, gpi the developers of a long overdue movie on the life of colorful and pioneering blues singer bessie smith known and respected worldwide as the empress of blues are seeing to it that such disappointments do not happen. The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and 30s. Browse the full bessie cast and crew credits for actors by character names from the hbo original program. When i heard this movie was coming out i just chuckled to myself thinking about all the.
As bessie smith s mentor, ma rainey is every bit as fiery as bessie, demanding respect as an artist and as a woman and breaking gender and sexual norms. In 1920s and 1930s, she became the most popular blues singer in. Each june, the bessie smith cultural center in chattanooga sponsors the bessie smith strut as part of the citys riverbend festival. In one of the first talkies ever made, bessie catches her twotiming. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing bessie smith near you. Queen latifah plays blues singer bessie smith in the hbo movie bessie. May 15, 2015 bessie hides none of smiths demons or resilience. Parents need to know that bessie, with its tourdeforce performance by queen latifah, is for mature audiences only. May 16, 2015 dont expect hbos bessie smith movie to air the details of the freak car accident and tragic death of the blues singer tonight, unless a last minute change has been added. Hbo films presents bessie, focusing on legendary blues singer bessie smith, saturday, may 16 at 8pm.
In hbos bessie, queen latifah stars as empress of the blues. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees from a screenplay by. With a story by dee rees and horton foote, the film focuses on smiths transformation from a. Louis blues is a 1929 american tworeel short film starring bessie smith. The early sound film features smith in an africanamerican.
The story of legendary blues performer bessie smith, who rose. Bessie smith hbo movie leaves out car accident, tragic death. Bessie, hbos new biopic from writerdirector dee rees, tracks bessie smiths rise to fame as the empress of bluesand delivers stunning performances from starring actresses queen latifah. Bessie is an hbo tv film about the american blues singer bessie smith, and focuses on her transformation as a struggling young singer into the empress of. Oliver platt, bryan greenberg join hbos bessie biopic true detectives tory kittles has also been added to the cast of the tv movie based on blues icon bessie smith. I didnt know much about bessie smith except that she was a famous blues singer, but playwright angelo parra candidly and vividly exposes every demon smith dealt with during her life. Dont expect hbos bessie smith movie to air the details of the freak car accident and tragic death of the blues singer tonight, unless a last minute change has been added.
Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this hbo films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker dee rees from a. Her first recording, downhearted blues, established her as the most successful black vocalist of her time. Queen latifah stars as bessie smith in this vivid portrait of the legendary 20th century blues singer. Nicknamed the empress of the blues, smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Bringing the empress of blues bessie smith to the big. Latifah was best known as a rap artist in the 1990s when producers richard d. Aug 18, 2011 i didnt know much about bessie smith except that she was a famous blues singer, but playwright angelo parra candidly and vividly exposes every demon smith dealt with during her life.
Dee rees has been clear that she left out that part in the movie because she. Dee rees has been clear that she left out that part in the movie because she wanted to focus on bessie smiths heroic life instead. Bessie is an hbo tv film about the american blues singer bessie smith, and focuses on her. Louis blues 1929 watch bessie smith in her only movie appearance, the 1929 short film st. This firstrate biopic charts her evolution from singer to star. No one can sing like bessie smith, but queen latifah does have a great voice and comes pretty close to smith s. Her career began in 1912 when she sang in a show with ma rainey. Queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie. Bessie smith gender and sexuality student services.
Blues singer bessie smith, killed in mississippi car wreck. May 10, 2015 queen latifah did her homework to play blues singer bessie smith in hbos movie bessie, airing saturday at 8 p. Queen latifah stars as legendary blues singer bessie smith in this vivid. As bessie smiths mentor, ma rainey is every bit as fiery as bessie. Reportedly in the making for 22 years from a script by horton foote, its easy to see why.
Bessie smith st louis blues full movie 1929 youtube. Bessie is a story weve seen before, complete with feathers, spangles, and bootleg liquor as the action meanders through the 1920s, but a script about a queer black woman smith was bisexual by. Queen latifah stars in this biopic of pioneering singer bessie smith, depicting her tempestuous relationships. Bessie queen latifah as the blues singer bessie smith in this film. If you are interested to know more about the well known american blues singer, check facts about bessie smith. The movie soundtrack of bessie will be released on may 12, 2015 by legacy recordings. As bessie smiths mentor, ma rainey is every bit as fiery as bessie, demanding respect as an artist and as a woman and breaking gender and sexual norms. Bessie smith hbo movie leaves out car accident, tragic. Did bessie accurately reflect bessie smiths sexuality and. Department of afroamerican research arts culture 48,261 views. See photos of the real bessie smith, jack gee, ma rainey and richard morgan. Legendary blues singer bessie smith is buried near philadelphia, pennsylvania, on october 4, 1937. Bessie smith was among the great legends of 20s and 30s blues. As of 2016, bessie remained the most watched hbo original movie of all time with 1.
She died on september 26, 1937 in clarksdale, mississippi, usa. Bessie s story is sometimes violent bessie was never one to back away from a physical fight that might victimize her. Queen latifah takes on nudity, sexuality, and the indomitable. May, 2015 a star vehicle and then some, bessie casts queen latifah as blues singer bessie smith, in a big, bold movie thats as vibrant, raw and musical as it is unfocused and messy. Feb 26, 2020 bessie smith songs downhearted blues by the early 1920s, smith had settled down and was living in philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man named jack gee. Queen latifahs new movie, hbos bessie, actually has been on her radar for more than 20 years. Handy coauthored the film and was the musical director. Bessie was tough, crude and lived life to the fullest. Though shes been the subject of documentaries such as the ladies sing the blues 1989, she has only one actual film credit, a performance in the 17minute film the st. The film is directed by dee rees, with a screenplay by rees, christopher cleveland and bettina gilois.