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Ray (2004)

PG-13 | | Biography, Drama, Music | 29 October 2004 (USA)
Ray Poster
The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles, from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s.

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Won 2 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 54 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... Ray Charles
... Della Bea Robinson
... Margie Hendricks
... Jeff Brown
... Joe Adams
... Fathead Newman
... Mary Ann Fisher
... Aretha Robinson
... Young Ray Robinson
... Ahmet Ertegun
... Jerry Wexler
... Quincy Jones
... Gossie McGee (as Terrence Dashon Howard)
... Milt Shaw
... Wilbur Brassfield
See full cast »
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Storyline

The story of Ray Charles, music legend. Told in his adult live with flashbacks to his youth we see his humble origins in Florida, his turbulent childhood which included losing his brother and then his sight, his rise as pianist in a touring band, his writing his own songs and running his own band and then stardom. Also includes his addiction to drugs and its affect on his working life and family life. Written by grantss

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

rhythm and blues | band | drugs | singer | 1960s | See All (275) »

Taglines:

The extraordinary life story of Ray Charles. A man who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought possible. See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

UIP [France] | Universal [United States]

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

29 October 2004 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,039,730, 31 October 2004, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$75,331,600

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$124,731,534
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

, ,  »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (extended)

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Della Bea was Ray Charles' second wife. He married Eileen Williams in 1951. They had one child, and divorced in 1952. See more »

Goofs

When Ray is recording "Georgia on My Mind," the conductor is conducting the wrong beats in one take. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Aretha Robinson: Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The final shot of the movie contains a freeze frame of the real Ray Charles and underneath it reads the caption: "Ray Charles Robinson = 1930 - 2004" See more »

Connections

Referenced in Cult Legends and Rising Stars: Cult Legends: Bokeem Woodbine (2016) See more »

Soundtracks

Yesterdays
Music by Jerome Kern
Lyrics by Otto A. Harbach
Performed by Johnny O'Neill
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did Ray Charles go blind?
See more »

User Reviews

 
By the Book, But It's a Good Book
15 April 2005 | by – See all my reviews

RAY is pretty much Hollywood Formula; The story of one man's struggle and ultimate success... There are the cursory scenes showing the struggles, temptations, successes, and heartbreaks. What makes this film stand out above it all are the performances, and the fact that Ray Charles Robinson's story, no matter how formulaic, is pretty dog-gone interesting...

Jamie Foxx turns in one of the great performances of this or any year - His Ray is real in the sense that we just accept the fact that yes, we are watching Ray Charles. This is acting at its best. Those in supporting roles are equally strong - conveying all the emotion, support, and deceit that surrounded a man like Ray. The key components of Ray's childhood, which affect his choices, both good and bad as a man, are told hauntingly through flashback; the Florida landscape looks beautiful through the eye of the lens (Great cinematography!)...The screenplay is faithful to RAY's life; there is no sugarcoating - RAY looks unflinchingly in the mirror and makes no apologies.

My wife was not eager to see Ray...When I pulled the DVD and fired it up in our room, her first reaction was "Ahh Gee...do we have to?" She got up and did a few things while the opening sequence rolled with credits. When she came back in, I put the film to the beginning and told her, "If you're not interested by the time the opening credits end, we'll turn it off." Needless to say, we both sat through the whole thing riveted, with my wife saying Ray is now one of her favorites... Strongly Recommended!
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