Dreamgirls (2006)

A trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

Director:

Bill Condon

Writers:

Bill Condon (screenplay), Tom Eyen (book)

Stars:

Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy

Won 2 Oscars. Another 66 wins & 87 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jamie Foxx	...	Curtis Taylor Jr.
Beyoncé Knowles	...	Deena Jones
Eddie Murphy	...	James 'Thunder' Early
Danny Glover	...	Marty Madison
Jennifer Hudson	...	Effie White
Anika Noni Rose	...	Lorrell Robinson
Keith Robinson	...	C.C. White
Sharon Leal	...	Michelle Morris
Hinton Battle	...	Wayne
Mariah Iman Wilson	...	Magic (as Mariah Wilson)
Yvette Cason	...	May
Ken Page	...	Max Washington
Ralph Louis Harris	...	M.C. (as Ralph Harris)
Michael-Leon Wooley	...	Tiny Joe Dixon
Loretta Devine	...	Jazz Singer

Storyline

Detroit, the early 1960s. Curtis Taylor, Jr., a car salesman, breaks into the music business with big dreams. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. When Early flames out, Curtis makes the Dreamettes into headliners as the Dreams, but not before demoting their hefty big-voiced lead singer, Effie White, and putting the softer-voiced looker, Deena Jones, in front. Soon after, he fires Effie, sends her into a life of proud poverty, and takes Deena and the Dreams to the top. How long can Curtis stay there, and will Effie ever get her due?

---

Plot Keywords:

singer | trio | 1960s | pop chart | fire | 

---

Taglines:

One Dream Will Change Everything

---

Genres:

Drama | Music | Musical

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Dreamworks [United States] Official site [Spain]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Soñadoras

Filming Locations:

Alexandria Hotel - 501 S. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$378,950 (USA) (15 December 2006)

Gross:

$103,338,338 (USA) (13 April 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Laurence Mark Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Curtis tells the girls that they're going to be their own act, he says that he's gotten Jolly Jenkins to do their choreography. This is a reference to Cholly Atkins, the famous tap-dancer (part of the tap-dancing duo of Coles and Atkins), who did most of the choreography for The Supremes.

---

Goofs

The Dreams' success montage includes a picture of the trio standing on the Great Wall of China. While the U.S. and China had no diplomatic relations from 1949 to 1971 (Washington had ties with Taiwan instead), there were numerous cultural contacts between the two countries in the late 1960's, not least because China and the USSR were having strained relations and China wanted to improve relations with the U.S., and having a famous group like the Dreams in China would have been very possible.

---

Quotes

Lorrell Robinson: [as Early is kissing her] That feels nice... I mean it feels funny! You're married, aren't you?
James 'Thunder' Early: Everybody knows Jimmy's married, baby.
Lorrell Robinson: Well, then, you get your married hands off!

---

Crazy Credits

The original 1981 "Playbill" cover for the Broadway version of "Dreamgirls" is displayed during the end credits just before the names of the show's Broadway creators are featured.

---

Connections

Spoofed in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Josh Has No Idea Where I Am! (2016)

---

Soundtracks

Silent Night
Traditional
Performed by The Impressions
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

Belting Up The Old Story

The legendary Broadway musical hit the screen, resurrecting the thrill of the original. That, in itself, is a miracle. I suspect that the miracle worker is Bill Condon. The story is told as if it revealed something we've never seen before and his winning innocence triumphs. The casting of Eddie Murphy was a stroke of genius. He unfolds a new inedited face and I predict a new career. The predictability of the tale becomes rewarding rather than annoying and I was surprised and moved all the way through. Jammie Foxx's unsympathetic turn manages to deliver a punch of humanity. Byonce Knowles, Danny Glover and the rest of the cast are a perfect foil for Jennifer Hudson's Cinderella Story. Bravo Mr Condon!