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69% Critic Match
Billie
“She sang the truth, she paid the price”
6.9 / 10• 2020• 1h 36m•NR• English
DocumentaryMusic
Storyline
‘Lady Day’ was one of the greatest jazz vocalists the world ever heard. In 1971, journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday. Before her mysterious death in 1978, Lipnack Kuehl had taped over 200 hours of interviews. The tapes have never been heard. Now they form the basis of an atmospheric, multi-layered documentary that captures the many complex facets of a proud black woman, violent drug addict, loyal friend, vindictive lover and unforgettable singer of ‘God Bless The Child’, ‘Saddest Tale’ and the haunting ‘Strange Fruit’.
Cast & Crew
Billie Holiday
self
Lead
Tony Bennett
self
Count Basie
self
Charles Mingus
self
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. James Erskine's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. Billie is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
