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IMDbPro

Lady sings the blues

Original title: Lady Sings the Blues
  • 19721972
  • K-16K-16
  • 2h 24m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.5K
YOUR RATING
Lady sings the blues (1972)
Available Now on Blu-Ray
Play trailer1:18
1 Video
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaMusic

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

IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Writers
    • Chris Clark(screenplay)
    • Suzanne De Passe(screenplay)
    • William Dufty(book)
  • Stars
    • Diana Ross
    • Billy Dee Williams
    • Richard Pryor
  • Director
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Writers
    • Chris Clark(screenplay)
    • Suzanne De Passe(screenplay)
    • William Dufty(book)
  • Stars
    • Diana Ross
    • Billy Dee Williams
    • Richard Pryor
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 5 Oscars
      • 5 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos1

    Lady Sings the Blues
    Trailer 1:18
    Watch Lady Sings the Blues

    Photos153

    Billy Dee Williams and Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Richard Pryor and Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Billy Dee Williams in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)
    14 x 22
    Due 39 x 55 inches
    Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Lady sings the blues (1972)
    Diana Ross in Lady sings the blues (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Diana Ross
    Diana Ross
    • Billie Holiday
    Billy Dee Williams
    Billy Dee Williams
    • Louis McKay
    Richard Pryor
    Richard Pryor
    • Piano Man
    James T. Callahan
    James T. Callahan
    • Reg Hanley
    • (as James Callahan)
    Paul Hampton
    Paul Hampton
    • Harry
    Sid Melton
    Sid Melton
    • Jerry
    Virginia Capers
    Virginia Capers
    • Mama Holiday
    Yvonne Fair
    • Yvonne
    Isabel Sanford
    Isabel Sanford
    • The Madame
    Tracee Lyles
    • The Prostitute
    Ned Glass
    Ned Glass
    • The Agent
    Milton Selzer
    Milton Selzer
    • The Doctor
    Norman Bartold
    Norman Bartold
    • The Detective #1
    Clay Tanner
    • The Detective #2
    Jester Hairston
    Jester Hairston
    • The Butler
    Bert Russell
    Bert Russell
    • The Policeman
    Paul Micale
    • The Maitre d'
    Mavis
    • The Singer
    • (as Michele Aller)
    • Director
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • Writers
      • Chris Clark(screenplay)
      • Suzanne De Passe(screenplay)
      • William Dufty(book)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Diana Ross, Richard Pryor instructed her on how to behave during the scenes of drug use.
    • Goofs
      Some of the African-American male characters and extras sport modern (1972) hair styles with Afros or sideburns which were not in style in the 1930s.
    • Quotes

      Billie Holiday: [after Louis discovers that Billie shoots up] Sure I've taken a few shots, but only when I needed it,

      [Louis sighs]

      Billie Holiday: but i'm not hooked, Louis. I'm not.

      Louis McKay: Only when you needed it. What do you think hooked is? All I had to do is listen to your voice on the telephone and I knew. Who the hell do you think you're talking to? One of those ofay cats you be running around with? I've been on those streets all of my life. I know what that shit is!

      Billie Holiday: It's good, ain't it?

      [Louis then gets up and takes her suitcase and starts packing her stuff]

      Billie Holiday: Wait, Wait, Baby! Oh, no.

      Louis McKay: We're going home. Now!

      Billie Holiday: [Stopping him] Wait, hey, baby, wait. See, you don't understand. Now, you don't know how it is when people are looking down at you and laughing at you and think that I'm a loser. And if I go home now, I'll think that I'm one, too. I gotta prove it to them. I gotta prove it to myself.

      Louis McKay: What're you proving with that needle? That you're not woman enough to make it without a crutch? A magic way out when the going gets a little too rough? I want you to make it, too, baby. But not this way. Not this way.

    • Connections
      Edited into Afro Promo (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Tain't Nobody's Business
      Written by Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins

      Sung by Blinky (as Blinky Williams)

    User reviews58

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    among the best of biographical films.
    diana ross gave the best performance of her career in acting out the role of lady day. i think she gave an oscar winning performance. her depiction of the various phases of billie holiday's life from her youth, to her success, and through her struggles to achieve fame, falling into love and then into a chasm of despair, radiates into belief from diana's eyes to your eyes and heart on the screen.
    helpful•4
    3
    • tripledeepmom
    • Feb 4, 2001

    FAQ1

    • Midwest Premiere Happened When & Where?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 21, 1973 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lady Sings the Blues
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Jobete Productions
      • Motown Productions
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,028,486
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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