Bessie
20156.4movie
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The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.
The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.
The film, which is based on “Bessie: Empress of the Blues,” a 1972 biography by Chris Albertson, has been on a long road to fruition; the late Horton Foote (who shares a story credit) took an early swing at a screenplay. Latifah auditioned…
Hopping from one incident to another, with brief interludes to repetitive childhood flashbacks that ultimately do little to add to the drama, the story kicks off in 1913 as Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) dreams of singing stardom, but lacks…
Review: 'Bessie' Excels its Eccentricities, Ultimately Feels Too Familiar.In terms of Smith’s musical legacy, “Bessie” feels like a film of two halves. The first 50 minutes or so are heavy on the blues singer’s professional work, running…
