I got quite the education on the life of Billie Holiday by reading what some of the reviewers for this film had to say, most of which were derogatory about the story and Diana Ross's portrayal. I would not have known otherwise how far apart the picture was from reality. On the face of it, Ms. Ross did an outstanding job for a first time acting appearance, so much so that I thought the actress in the role of the teenage Eleanora Fagan was someone else altogether. The scenes in which Billie succumbs to the throes of her heroin addiction offer another view of Ms. Ross's range, leaving one quite impressed with her ability. Obviously that wasn't enough for diehard Billie Holiday fans who are much more invested in her career that spanned thirty years, only a fraction of which is dealt with in this story. My summary line was spoken by Billie upon the sudden news of her mother's death while attempting to score another line of heroin, but in hindsight, might be the most accurate reaction one has to a movie that seems to have done little justice to the life and legend of Billie Holiday.
Review of Lady Sings the Blues
