Skip to Main Content Skip to Left Navigation Skip to Product Information Tabs Site information and information for assistive technology users

Lady Sings the Blues (Special Collector's Edition) Products and Promotions

Target Bullseye

Site Navigation

Target.com Navigation

Christmas Delivered. Free shipping when you spend $50 on 100,000+ select items. 2-Day Sale. Starts Friday at 5AM. Preview the Deals.
Quick Info

Lady Sings the Blues (Special Collector's Edition)

Be the first to write a review.

$11.59 List: $14.98Save: $3.39 (23%)

The following promotions apply

    $2.99 shipping/order on Movies Music Books

Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online.

Availability:

In Stock

This item is available online, but is not available in stores.

Print this page (opens print dialogue)
Email a Friend

Email this Item

You must be signed in to share this item by email. Sign in now to continue.

Your email address:

The email address you provide in this form will only be used to send this one time email message

Separate multiple recipients with commas

Your message is on its way! Send another email?

Close Email Layer

Items purchased from the Music, Movies + Books category have a standard shipping fee of $2.99 per order. Items in your order purchased from other categories are subject to standard shipping charges.

See offer details. Opens in New Window

Details

Description

    Diana Ross plays the magnificent, tragic song stylist Billie Holiday, who while writhing in a strait jacket in a prison cell, awaiting sentencing on drug charges, reflects on her turbulent life. ****** in her youth by a drunk (Adolph Caesar), then compelled to work as a domestic in a Harlem whorehouse, Holliday is encouraged to try for a singing career by the bordello's pianist (Richard Pryor). She rises as high as it is possible to go in the white-dominated show business world of the 1930s, but can't handle the pressure and turns to narcotics. The film takes several liberties with the 44-year existence of "Lady Day." Among the Billie Holiday standards performed by Ross are "My Man," "I Cried for You," "Lover Man," "Them There Eyes," and the title song. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Features

Awards

    Awards: Golden Globe Awards (1)
    Nominations: Academy Awards (5), Golden Globe Awards (2)
    Nominee: Academy Awards Best Actress 1972, Diana Ross

Additional Information

  • DPCI: 058-12-0024
  • ASIN: B002ICEKO0
  • Catalog #: 11350223
  • Item can not be gift wrapped.

Shipping & Policies

Guest Reviews

There are no reviews for this item.
Have any thoughts you'd like to share?

Be the first to write a review

Expert Reviews

You would think that the eventful and exciting life of Billie Holiday would provide more than enough dramatic material for an engrossing, involving, and emotion-packed motion picture, but apparently the creators of Lady Sings the Blues thought otherwise. Rather than concentrate on the fascinating real life of the woman who was arguably the world's most influential jazz vocalist, the screenwriters and directors have fallen back on the same old rise-and-fall showbiz story that Hollywood has churned out for years. Yes, there are differences, such as the explicit role that drugs and ****** play in the story, but these are merely trappings that don't change the essential triteness of the story. As a result, what emerges is an entertaining but fairly routine soap opera, enlivened by the musical interludes and by some strong performances. As the lady herself, Diana Ross is a far cry from Billie Holiday, but since the script as written could be about any tortured singer, this doesn't really matter. She plays the big emotional scenes for all they are worth and creates a compelling character that holds the viewer's attention throughout. Despite some valiant attempts, she can't really capture Holiday's unique vocal presence -- and who could? -- but she does work the songs for all they're worth. Her supporting cast is solid, and there's definite chemistry between Ross and Billy Dee Williams. Sidney J. Furie's direction is pedestrian and Michel Legrand's background score is so over-the-top as to become annoying, but as long as Ross is going through her paces, there's plenty there to keep the viewer entertained. Craig Butler, All Movie Guide