Music: “The Man I Love” , by Billie Holiday- sung by Diana Ross

Lady Sings the Blues is a 1972 film about jazz singer Billie Holiday based on her 1956 autobiography of the same name. It was produced by Motown Productions for Paramount Pictures. Diana Ross portrayed Holiday, alongside a cast including Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan and Scatman Crothers.

The movie was adapted by Chris Clark, Suzanne De Passe and Terence McCloy from the book by William Dufty and Billie Holiday. It was directed by Sidney J. Furie.

It was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning none. The nominations were for Best Actress ina Leading Role (Diana Ross), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Music, Original Song Score and Adaptation (Gil Askey) and Best Writing, Story and screenplay based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Published or Produced.

Diana Ross plays the magnificent, tragic song stylist Billie Holiday, who while writhing in a strait jacket in a prison cell, awaiting sentencing on drug charges, reflects on her turbulent life. Raped in her youth by a drunk (Adolph Caesar), then compelled to work as a domestic in a Harlem whorehouse, Holliday is encouraged to try for a singing career by the bordello’s pianist (Richard Pryor). She rises as high as it is possible to go in the white-dominated show business world of the 1930s, but can’t handle the pressure and turns to narcotics. She racks up three marriages, although the only one depicted in the film is to gambler Louis McKay (Billy Dee Williams), and eventually heads off on a tour of the South with a white band. This being the ‘40s, she finds herself the victim of terrible racism, and drink and drugs are her ticket to a sort of inner peace.

The film takes several liberties with the 44-year existence of “Lady Day.” Among the Billie Holiday standards performed by Ross are “My Man,” “I Cried for You,” “Lover Man,” “Them There Eyes,”  “The Man I Love”, “Good Morning, Heartache”, and the title song. 

I think Diana Ross was great in this film. In this, her first screen performance, she tosses all vanity aside, kicking things off by wearing a straitjacket and writhing around on the floor of an asylum (that writhing earned her an Oscar nomination).

Billy Dee Williams is equally good, transforming from smooth-talking ladies’ man into a caring if somewhat overwhelmed husband. As for Pryor, it’s a shame he didn’t take or couldn’t find other serious roles.

Good Morning Heartache
from Lady Sings The Blues

delete reply starfishred wrote on Jun 11, ’08 this was really good and I even have it on tape somewhere she was so good http://starfishred.multiply.com/journal/item/433/

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Jun 11, ’08 I thought Diana Ross sang beautifully in this movie, whether or not she was playing Billie Holiday.

delete reply philsgal7759 wrote on Jun 11, ’08 excellent movie Laurita thanks

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Jun 11, ’08 Thank you for your comment, Narice.

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Dec 21, ’08 Diana Ross was awesome in this film.

delete reply sugarpiehuny wrote on Dec 21, ’08 I loved this movie.. I agree she played an excellent role..Thanks Sugar