Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is Netflix's latest offering, featuring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in his final film role. Based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, the film takes place in the entirety of an afternoon recording session in which Ma Rainey (Davis) is supposed to perform, while her band's trumpeter Levee (Boseman) harbors artistic dreams of his own.
It plays out as a tight-knit drama, documenting the musical and socio-political climate of 1920s America, through each character's emotionally-charged dialogue. The film serves as a fitting tribute to the musical legends who birthed genres like the blues, as well as the personal and social struggles that the marginalized have faced in the course of history.
Dreamgirls (2006)
A segment in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom shows how Levee's original compositions are rejected by studios, only to be recycled by white bands. Such cases have been aplenty in the past, with white artists earning way more royalties than the Black artists they borrowed influences from.
Dreamgirls, similarly, includes such instances as a subplot in an otherwise feel-good musical story. Loosely inspired by the career of R&B trio The Supremes, the film spans the growth of the music group, their professional jealousies, and their rise to stardom. Dreamgirls benefits greatly from a talented ensemble consisting of Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, and Eddie Murphy.
Bessie (2015)
Before Viola Davis breathed life in the character of Ma Rainey, the songstress was played by Mo'Nique in Bessie. The HBO TV film by Dee Rees stars Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith, the "Empress of the Blues." Smith was once Ma Rainey's protege with whom she shared a close relationship, but a rift was created between the two with Smith's increasing popularity.
Bessie explores this chapter in the songstress's life, as well as her tumultuous romantic relationships and record deals. The film also shows the opposition from supremacists organizations like the Ku Klux Klan and the prevalent racism at the time.
Great Balls Of Fire! (1989)
This biopic on rockabilly maestro Jerry Lee Lewis covers Lewis's success, as well as his widely-covered downfall. The setting is the 1950s, and many feel Lewis might just dethrone Elvis Presley from his status as the "King of Rock n' Roll." However, when he marries his 13-year-old cousin, much to the dismay of his fans and family, a depreciation in his popularity ensues.
Great Balls of Fire needs to be watched with caution, as some feel it tends to romanticize some aspects of Lewis's life. Regardless, it's still worth a watch, thanks to Dennis Quaid's lead performance.
Get On Up (2014)
Get On Up is easily one of Chadwick Boseman's most iconic and physically-demanding roles. He gets into the skin of "The Godfather of Soul," talking, singing, yelling, and dancing like James Brown. As a biopic, the film covers many chapters in Brown's life, like his friendships, social activism, and substance abuse. However, the film overlooks a few more questionable characteristics of the star, like his domestic violence arrests.
Boseman's portrayal of James Brown can be seen as a spiritual companion to his role of Levee in Ma Rainey's. Both are passionate, lively characters with a lot of energy, who unfortunately end up being a tad bit too self-obsessed and self-destructive in their artistic process.
The Five Heartbeats (1991)
A Motown inspired soul group rises to stardom in the course of seven years. As many music-themed films go, The Five Heartbeats also covers each band members' temptations as they grow in popularity. They fall prey to vices like greed, womanizing, and envy of each other. Borrowing inspirations from the troubled life of actual artists like James Brown and The Dells, the film might not have aged that well, but still makes for a light watch.
The music montages in The Five Heartbeats feature several iconic songs, like the 90s R&B classic "A Heart is a House for Love." The soundtrack is definitely the highlight of this musical drama.
The Boys In The Band (2020)
The Boys In The Band is one of the best play adaptations set in a limited environment. Shot entirely over the course of a birthday party, the film centers on several friends meeting for a late-night rendezvous. All of these friends are gay men fighting social stigma in 1960s New York. As one unexpected guest shows up, several insecurities and secrets are revealed.
With gripping performances from actors like Jim Parsons and Zachary Quinto, the film is a highly relevant tribute to Mart Crowley's play that it's based on. There are several rapid-fire dialogue exchanges and melodramatic monologues to engage audiences.
Cadillac Records (2008)
Covering an era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, Cadillac Records is another narrative that explores the rise of Black American music and either the support or vile motives that white record executives had in promoting it. The film features a popular cast of actors playing iconic musicians, like Etta James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and so on. Adrian Brody stars as Leonard Chess, the man behind the Chicago-based Chess Records that helped in developing Chicago Blues and rock and roll.
As expected, the soundtrack is as stirring as the film. Beyoncé (who plays Etta James in the film), herself, contributes five songs to the album.
What's Love Got To Do With It? (1993)
Named after the iconic song by Tina Turner, Angela Bassett stars as the American-born Swiss singer-songwriter. What's Love Got To Do With It captures Turner's life with a few creative liberties. It channels not just her fame, but also her breaking away from an abusive marriage with fellow musician Ike Turner (Laurence Fishburne).
Both Bassett and Fishburne achieved great acclaim for their performances. In retrospect, the real-life Tina Turner wished the biopic was more truthful and portrayed her less as a victim.
Devil At The Crossroads (2019)
It's blues musician Robert Johnson who spurred the legend of selling his soul to the devil in return for greatness. Even a scene in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom finds the band discussing whether this legend is true or not. Whatever be the case, the Mississippi-bred guitarist and singer was a huge inspiration for the generations after him, especially in the Delta Blues style. Most of his archival recordings are in a low fidelity state, as he recorded songs in makeshift studios, and despite his early demise at 27, his legacy lives on.
This Netflix original documentary shows remastered footage of Johnson, in order to understand his origins, along with guest appearances by artists like Eric Clapton.
Fences (2016)
Fences is a must-watch for those who are into dialogue-driven dramas. Another adaptation of an August Wilson play, the film is masterfully directed and acted by leading man, Denzel Washington. He plays the role of Troy, a middle-aged father who always longed to be a baseball player. The racism in his time, however, drove him away from his dreams, leading to an adulthood full of regrets. He takes out his frustration at his wife and son, creating a rift in his personal relationships. It's in this context that Fences explores the complexities of human emotion.
Both Washinton and Ma Rainey's Viola Davis deliver a masterclass in acting while breathing new life into Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning lines.