Survival began with a song
The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.
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Character
Earnest, grave, classical in form and resolved.
- earnestironic
- gravecomic
- classical in formformally daring
- resolvedopen-ended
- unpretentiousprestige
Who loves it, who doesn't
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Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is Queen Latifah the best thing in Bessie?”
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“Is Bessie better than Mudbound?”
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“Would a little humor have helped?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
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Cast
- Queen LatifahBessie Smith
- Mo'NiqueMa Rainey
- Mike EppsRichard
- Tika SumpterLucille
- Michael Kenneth WilliamsJack Gee
- Charles S. DuttonWilliam 'Pa' Rainey
- Bryan GreenbergJohn Hammond
- Oliver PlattCarl Van Vechten
- Khandi AlexanderViola
- Tory KittlesClarence
Crew
- Dee ReesDirector
- Dee ReesScreenplay
- Bettina GiloisScreenplay
- Christopher ClevelandScreenplay
- Jeffrey JurDirector of Photography
- Rachel PortmanOriginal Music Composer
- Brian A. KatesEditor
- Ron SchmidtProducer
Where to watch
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge 199990% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Camila 198488% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
The Captive 202587% alikeBoth classical in form, earnest, grave.
Jane Eyre 201186% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
Christopher and His Kind 201186% alikeBoth earnest, classical in form, grave.
Modigliani 200485% alikeBoth earnest, grave, classical in form.
The Great Santini 197984% alikeBoth earnest, classical in form, grave.
The Girl 201284% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
David Copperfield 199985% alikeTelevision · Both earnest, classical in form, grave.
Mildred Pierce 201183% alikeTelevision · Both earnest, grave, classical in form.
Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
