Lady Sings the Blues [Blu-ray]

Director: Sidney J. Furie Sidney J. Furie

Overview

Diana Ross plays the magnificent, tragic song stylist Billie Holiday, who while writhing in a strait jacket in a prison cell, awaiting sentencing on drug charges, reflects on her turbulent life. Raped in her youth by a drunk (Adolph Caesar), then compelled to work as a domestic in a Harlem whorehouse, Holliday is encouraged to try for a singing career by the bordello's pianist (Richard Pryor). She rises as high as it is possible to go in the white-dominated show business world of the 1930s, but can't handle the pressure and turns to narcotics. The film takes several liberties with the 44-year existence of "Lady Day." Among the Billie Holiday standards performed by Ross are "My Man," "I Cried for You," "Lover Man," "Them There Eyes," and the title song.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/23/2021
UPC:	0032429352644
Original Release:	1972
Source:	Paramount
Language:	English
Time:	2:24:00
Sales rank:	17,038

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Diana Ross	Billie Holiday
Billy Dee Williams	Louis McKay
Richard Pryor	Piano Man
James Callahan	Reg Hanley
Paul Hampton	Harry
Sid Melton	Jerry
Virginia Capers	Mama Holiday
Yvonne Fair	Yvonne
Scatman Crothers	Big Ben
Robert L. Gordy	Hawk
Milton Selzer	The Doctor
Ned Glass	The Agent
Paulene Myers	Mrs. Edson
Isabel Sanford	First Madame
Tracee Lyles	Whore
Norman Bartold	Detective
Clay Tanner	The Detective #2
Jester Hairston	The Butler
Bert Kramer	The Policeman
Paul Micale	The Maitre d'
Michelle Aller	The Singer
Byron Kane	The Announcer
Barbara Minkus	Radio Actress
Kay Lewis	Angela DeMarco,Debbie McGee
George Wyner	The M.C.
Shirley Melline	The Policewoman
Harry Caesar	Rapist
Toby Russ	The Jail Guard
Larry Duran	Hood #1
Ernie Robinson	Hood #2
Don McGovern	Reporter #1
Dick Poston	Reporter #2
Charles Woolf	Reporter #3
Denise Denise	Denise
Lynn Hamilton	Aunt Ida
Victor Morosco	Vic
Michel Legrand	Composer
Gil Askey	Composer

Technical Credits

Chris Clark

Terence McCloy

Suzanne De Passe

Sidney J. Furie	Director
Berry Gordy	Executive Producer
Jay Weston	Producer
James S. White	Producer
Chris Clark	Screenwriter
Terence McCloy	Screenwriter
Suzanne De Passe	Screenwriter
David Dockendorf	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

You would think that the eventful and exciting life of Billie Holiday would provide more than enough dramatic material for an engrossing, involving, and emotion-packed motion picture, but apparently the creators of Lady Sings the Blues thought otherwise. Rather than concentrate on the fascinating real life of the woman who was arguably the world's most influential jazz vocalist, the screenwriters and directors have fallen back on the same old rise-and-fall showbiz story that Hollywood has churned out for years. Yes, there are differences, such as the explicit role that drugs and sex play in the story, but these are merely trappings that don't change the essential triteness of the story. As a result, what emerges is an entertaining but fairly routine soap opera, enlivened by the musical interludes and by some strong performances. As the lady herself, Diana Ross is a far cry from Billie Holiday, but since the script as written could be about any tortured singer, this doesn't really matter. She plays the big emotional scenes for all they are worth and creates a compelling character that holds the viewer's attention throughout. Despite some valiant attempts, she can't really capture Holiday's unique vocal presence -- and who could? -- but she does work the songs for all they're worth. Her supporting cast is solid, and there's definite chemistry between Ross and Billy Dee Williams. Sidney J. Furie's direction is pedestrian and Michel Legrand's background score is so over-the-top as to become annoying, but as long as Ross is going through her paces, there's plenty there to keep the viewer entertained.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler