Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday.

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

Chris Clark (screenplay), Suzanne De Passe (screenplay),

Stars:

Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diana Ross	...	Billie Holiday
Billy Dee Williams	...	Louis McKay
Richard Pryor	...	Piano Man
James T. Callahan	...	Reg Hanley (as James Callahan)
Paul Hampton	...	Harry
Sid Melton	...	Jerry
Virginia Capers	...	Mama Holiday
Yvonne Fair	...	Yvonne
Isabel Sanford	...	The Madame
Tracee Lyles	...	The Prostitute
Ned Glass	...	The Agent
Milton Selzer	...	The Doctor
Norman Bartold	...	The Detective #1
Clay Tanner	...	The Detective #2
Jester Hairston	...	The Butler

Storyline

Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday. Her late childhood, stint as a prostitute, early tours, marriages and drug addiction are featured.

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Plot Keywords:

singer | singing | heroin | jazz | drug addiction | 

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Taglines:

Diana Ross is Billie Holiday. Diana Ross sings Billie Holiday and a superstar is born.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

El ocaso de una estrella

Filming Locations:

Brownstone Street, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$9,600,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jobete Productions, Motown Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ketty Lester was considered for the role of Mama Holiday.

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Quotes

Jerry: I'll be a bum if you don't pull in fifteen bucks in tips tonight. Fifteen bucks. Now that's my definition of a good singer.

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Connections

Featured in Behind the Blues: Lady Sings the Blues (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Happy"
Sung by Michael Jackson

User Reviews

Ross Fantastic but "Lady" coulda, shoulda...

There is no question that no matter how extreme in the past or future Miss. Ross has been or will be (tantrums, bad albums, phoniness, bad publicity, touch me, don't touch me), she will always have this performance to look back on as a moment where everything worked perfectly.

The film is imperfect. Flawed. It could have been more realistic, more harrowing, and less hollywood-fied. Had it been, and had Motown not been so intent on proving itself as a major film force, she would have won the Oscar without question. The rumor had always been that in terms of voting it was "this close" as they say.

Even though she did not win, we are still left with a performance of depth, passion and layers that could only be described as magnificent in an experienced actress. In a neophyte, as Miss. Ross was at the time, it is stunning.

As a singer, She never before or since has sounded as good. The voice, while not really like Billie Holiday, just glows. Her musicality, intonation and idiomatic phrasing indicated a whole type of music she could have sung had she chosen too.

Watch it for her. It will make you think more kindly towards her the next time she, well, acts like Miss. Ross!