The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday.
Almost 50 years later, “Lady Sings the Blues” makes its way onto the small screen – in a special Blu-ray edition – as Diana Ross captures the essence of Billie Holiday in a stellar dramatic performance. Ross may not carry the same tunes that Billie Holiday does, but that doesn’t matter when it comes to the method of acting in which Ross delivers the bittersweet tragedies that permeated Billie Holiday’s career. Within 5 minutes of the film, Ross is seen thrown into a mental ward, tied, and anguished. Her shrill screams are deafening and the image of her wild head convulsing against the dehumanizing pavement of the room is no pretty sight for the eyes of innocents. Yet, it is in this moment where Ross’s performance is instantaneously captivating, setting up a tone filled with mournful nostalgia for the legend that is Billie Holiday.
Filmed in the ’70s, the film is as much of a classic as some of the plot tropes that are typically adopted in a biographical film. There is a tragic origin story, followed by a chance encounter that boosts the momentum of a rise to fame, and a riveting downhill battle against addiction including a grand finale showcasing a climactic performance. Despite such clichéd narratives scattered throughout the film, it is no less a film characterized by the captivating competency of its performers.
Diana Ross looks every bit the part for Billie Holiday. When Holiday spends her days working as a degraded maid, Ross looks every bit like the tragedy that she is performing. However, as Holiday finds herself an opportunity to sing for a crowd without losing her sense of dignity and transformed into a beautiful stage presence, Ross also embodies her essence. Ross may have been known as a singer during her time, but she is as capable as an actor for honoring Billie Holiday in this biography without coming off as a cheap impersonator. Ross is vulnerable – at times, she is hurt and lost and at other times, she is vibrant and mesmerizing – and her talent is what carries the film as a beautiful and memorable tribute.
The film does not sugarcoat any of the hardships that Holiday had to experience before her rise to stardom. The scenes are heavy as they allude to Holiday’s experience with child rape, working in a brothel, being catcalled, and disrespected by all but one man in one of her first performances. It is very much the reality that black women had to experience, trying to establish a name of success for themselves while navigating spaces filled with misogyny and contempt for the black female body. It is the embodiment of these circumstances that exemplify the persevering strength of Billie Holiday during her era of performances, painting an inspiring visual to compliment the haunting qualities of her voice which remain on record today. It is through this context of a tainted past that Ross is able to shine so vibrantly because the contrasting darkness of realism parallels the darkness found in Holiday’s days of success.
“Lady Sings the Blues” is a film that carries much heaviness. It is long and often slow at times, but every minute is worth the watch to gather a visual representation of the moments that culminated into the timbre of Billie Holiday’s voice. “Lady Sings the Blues” is a soft but persevering echo that will leave you reminiscing for the days when you could escape the realities of systematic oppression by sitting down and watching a heart-shattering performance by Diana Ross as Billie Holiday.
Now available on Blu-ray for the first time ever from Paramount Home Entertainment
