HBO premieres Bessie, a new biopic about the "Empress of the Blues," on May 16. Bessie Smith (1894-1937) was a hard-drinking, hard-loving singer-songwriter who became a musical superstar during the 1920s. She was a sold-out concert act who played to white and black audiences alike, and was also a bestselling recording artist. Smith didn't just sing the blues, she felt them.
The blues is a musical genre that originated in the African American communities of the Deep South. A fusion of traditional African music and American folk tunes, the blues were an expression of the anguish of a people who lived hard lives in a country that despised them. The blues became a staple of African American culture at a time when discrimination was legal. Bessie Smith and her mentor Ma Rainey (1886-1939) were the undisputed standard bearers of the blues.
Queen Latifah stars as Smith in HBO's Bessie, while Oscar winner Mo'nique steals a few scenes as Ma Rainey. Latifah also serves as the film's executive producer. Largely void of special effects, Bessie is a character-driven study of a real-life human being. The script, co-authored by director Dee Rees and the late playwright Horton Foote, examines the life of Smith and allows the audience to peek inside the lives of those around her. The characters are fully fleshed out; viewers will see who they really were and will understand their motivations.
Latifah is sensational as a woman who took no prisoners. Smith fearlessly stands up to her abusive sister, to a man who tries to force himself on her, and to a KKK group that tries to interrupt one of her concerts. When she sings, she takes her audience on a journey inside her sometimes-tortured soul. It's a mesmerizing roller coaster ride that tells the story of Smith's life while also explaining the origins of the blues.
Latifah dives into the role with gusto, singing her heart out, expressing her rage, and passionately loving men and women alike. The film does not shy away from Smith's bisexuality or from her voracious sexual appetite. She was a woman who owned her sexuality.
Mo'nique nearly manages to steal the film. She's intense as the butt-kicking Ma Rainey, who mentors Smith, then flies into a fit of rage when Smith becomes the bigger star. Yet when Smith is at her lowest ebb years later, it's Rainey who takes her in.
The film's lush production design, gorgeous period costumes and hairstyles will take viewers back to a time now nearly a century behind us. It's an unforgettable journey with an African American woman who told the world to kiss her ass at a time when "colored folks knew their place."
Bessie will be available on all HBO channels through June. Visit HBO.com for schedule details. It will be available at HBO On Demand on May 17, and will also be available online.