Lady Sings the Blues

LADY SINGS THE BLUES (15)

D: Sidney J. Furie

Paramount/Motown (Jay Weston & James S. White)

US 1972

144 mins

Biopic/Musical/Drama

W: Terence McCloy, Chris Clark & Suzanne de Passe

DP: John Alonzo

Ed: Argyle Nelson

Mus: Michel Legrand; Gil Askey

PD: Carl Anderson

Cos: Bob Mackie, Ray Aghayan & Norma Koch

Diana Ross (Billie Holliday), Billy Dee Williams (Louis McKay), Richard Pryor (Piano Man), James Callahan (Reg Hanley), Sid Melton (Jerry)

Diana Ross shines in her film debut as Billie Holiday in this warts-and-all biopic of the jazz & blues singer, whose promising career diminished following her descent into drug abuse, alcoholism and a disastrous private life.

The film perfectly captures the era with good attention to period detail, but the real reason to watch is for the dazzling performance from Diana Ross as the incomparable songstress.

8/10