BESSIE

US, 2015, 112 minutes, Colour.
Queen Latifah, Mo' Nique, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mike Epps, Tory Kittles, Tika Sumpter, Bryan Greenberg, Oliver Platt, Khandi Alexander, Charles S.Dutton, Jennifer Sears.
Directed by Dee Rees.
Bessie is a television portrait of the jazz and blues singer of the early 20th century, Bessie Smith.

Queen Latifah is in her element as Bessie Smith, a big and strong character, direct and blunt, strong and her relationships, clashing with her sister, one of her brothers as her manager. It also shows her beginnings, her talent in singing, opportunities to go on stage, the interaction with Ma Rainy (an impressive performance by Mo’ Nique), an interview with her, her being accepted and becoming part of the act. The beginnings were in the second decade of the 20th century.

When she had become a significant show business person, and getting her own train to tour the country, as had Ma Rainy, she makes a very strong impression on audiences, the African- American men and women enjoying her songs, the lyrics and, especially, the rhythms. She is able to stand up for herself – an interesting experience when performing in a large marquee and a threat from the Ku Klux Klan and her routing them.

The film shows her relationships, with both men and women, the proposal from a manager, Jack Gee (Michael Kenneth Williams), whom she marries, and lets him manage her career, even to persuade her, cajole her, to make recordings. While he has a wandering eye, so did she, beginning a liaison with the bootlegger, Richard (Mike Epps) with whom she has a partnership until her death in a car accident.

Entrepreneur John Hammond encourages her and fosters her recordings, giving her popularity again after a decline at the beginning of the Depression.

The film is both a portrait and a tribute – warts and all.

1. Bessie Smith? Audience knowledge? Americans, African- Americans? World audiences?

2. The film as a television biopic? A portrait, warts and all?

3. A tribute, to Bessie Smith as an entertainment, music and singing, breakthrough with African- American audiences? Civil Rights?

4. Queen Latifah, her strong presence, impersonation of Bessie Smith, songs and music? Stage performances?

5. Her biography, her origins, the 19th century, into the early 20th century, memories of herself as a child, the locked cabinet? Viola, her brothers, memories of her mother, the boys running away, Clarence becoming a manager, the family becoming dependent on her as she became more famous and wealthy?

6. Bessie, the singing, the talent, auditions, Ma Rainy, the train, the challenge? Accepted, her ability? The tours, the management, the audiences, jazz and blues? The success, going out by herself, wanting her own train, ambitions, getting the train and enjoying it, touring America? Ma Rainy and her response?

7. Bessie and her relationships, with women, with men, open? Ma and her relationships, women?

8. Bessie as a strong woman, blunt, direct?

9. Bessie’s success, the range of songs throughout the film, the audiences and their applause? Sharing the music, the rhythms? The confrontations? The tent episode, her defying the Klan? The audience cheering?

10. Jack Gee, his personality, approaching Bessie, the proposal, acceptance, their experience, life together, work? Other relationships? His bringing in his girlfriend? Bessie ousting her?

11. Clarence, rather more timid, less forceful than Jack? The discussions about recordings?

12. The family, buying the mansion, the wealth, everybody coming to the house, Jack and his reaction? Their dependence? The sudden adoption of the boy, an orphan, bringing him home, Jack’s reaction, the bonding with Jack? His taking the boy with him when he left, S his grief, drinking, the collapse?

13. Recordings, the requests, her refusal? The various labels, Jack and his persuasion, the studio, the deals, her singing into the microphone, a tantrum, recording?

14. Further success, Columbia records? The touring, in the south, in New York City, the fashionable white crowd and her telling them off?

15. The Depression, losing bookings, less popularity? Yet her striving, John Hammond, his recognition of her talent, his promoting her? Her comeback and success?

16. Relationship with Richard, his bootlegging, the sexual companionship? His return, stopping the bootlegging, staying together?

17. The suddenness of her death? The achievement? Place in American culture, African- American culture?