If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Beale Street Could Talk is a romantic drama which premiered in 2018.

 

It is about a young couple who wants to get married. Tish and Fonny are African-Americans. They live in Harlem in New York City. Their story is set in the 1970s.

 

When Fonny is arrested and sent to jail for a crime he did not commit, Tish and her family must do everything they can to prove his innocence and get him out of jail.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** Writer and director: Barry Jenkins

** Based on a book by James Baldwin published in 1974

** Run time: 119 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

The first group

** Kiki Layne as Clementine Rivers – “Tish” – she is 19

** Stephan James as Alonzo Hunt – “Fonny” – he is 22

** Regina King as Sharon Rivers – mother of Tish

** Colman Domingo as Joseph Rivers – father of Tish

** Teyonah Parris as Ernestine Rivers – sister of Tish

 

The second group

** Bryan Tyree Henry as Daniel Carty – one of Fonny’s friends

** Emily Rios as Victoria Rogers – a woman from Puerto Rico

** Ed Skrein as police officer Bell

 

James Baldwin (1924-1987) is a famous African American author whose novel If Beale Street Could Talk was published in 1974.

 

The drama begins with an on-screen message from James Baldwin:

 

“Beale Street is a street in New Orleans where my father, where Louis Armstrong and the jazz was born. Every black person born in America was born on Beale Street, born in the black neighborhood of some American city.”

 

This message is helpful, but it is only a partial explanation. The title of the drama is not Beale Street. 

 

The title is If Beale Street Could Talk.

 

What does it mean? 

 

Here is the answer:

 

The title of the book and the movie is inspired by a line in a song called Beale Street Blues written in 1916 by William Christopher Handy (1873-1958).

 

The Beale Street in the song is in Memphis, Tennessee (not in New Orleans). 

 

The song was recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1954. These days it is available online.

 

Here is the relevant part of the lyrics:

 

If Beale Street could talk,

Married men would have to take their beds and walk.

Except one or two who never drink booze,

And the blind man on the corner 

Who sings the Beale Street Blues.

 

In the drama, there is a scene where Fonny places a record on a gramophone. The music begins.

 

I was hoping to hear Beale Street Blues, but unfortunately it was another tune. Why not play the song after which the book and the movie are named?

 

This is indeed a missed opportunity!

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

 

Here are the results of three review aggregators:

 

** 71 percent = IMDb

** 73 percent = Meta (the audience)

** 87 percent = Meta (the critics)

** 71 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

** 95 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

 

On Amazon there are at the moment more than 2,900 ratings of this product, more than 300 with reviews.

 

The average rating is 4.5 stars which corresponds to a rating of 90 percent.

 

As you can see, the ratings are quite good. When you look at Meta and Rotten Tomatoes, you can see that there is a gap between the general audience and the professional critics. The critics like this drama more than the audience.

 

In this case, I have to side with the audience on Meta and Rotten Tomatoes and with the negative reviews on Amazon. This movie is highly overrated.

 

What is wrong?

 

Here is my answer:

 

# 1. The drama is too long

# 2. The pace is too slow

# 3. The story is too thin

# 4. The ending is wrong

 

I do not want to mention any details, because I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone.

 

If you do not believe me, just watch the drama. When you do, you will find out that what I say is true.

 

This drama is not great; it is not even good; it is average. It cannot get more than three stars (60 percent).

 

*****

 

If Beale Street Could Talk

A novel by James Baldwin

(1974)

 

*****

 

 

The African American author

James Baldwin

(1924-1987)

*****

The African American musician and composer

William Christopher Handy

(1873-1958)

 

*****

The African American musician

Louis Armstrong

(1901-1971)

*****

 

Judy (2019)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judy is a historical and biographical drama which premiered in 2019.

 

It is about the life and career of the famous American actress, dancer, and singer Judy Garland.

 

Here is some basic information about it:

 

** Director: Rupert Goold

** Writer: Tom Edge

** Based on the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter

** Consultant: Rosalyn Wilder

** Run time: 118 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland (1922-1969)

** Rufus Sewell as Sidney Luft (1915-2005) – Judy’s third husband

** Finn Wittrock as Mickey Deans (1934-2003) – Judy’s fifth husband

** Michael Gambon as Bernard Delfont (1909-1994) – a theatrical impresario

** Jessie Buckley as Rosalyn Wilder – Judy’s personal assistant during the stay in London in 1968

** Darci Shaw as young Judy (seen during flashbacks set in the 1930s)

 

This drama is about Judy Garland, but it does not cover her whole life from the beginning in 1922 to the end in 1969. Most of the story is set in 1968 when Judy travels to London to give several performances at the famous night club The Talk of the Town.

 

In addition, there are some flashbacks to earlier times, including the 1930s, when she is a teenager.

 

Judy Garland was active in the entertainment business almost her entire life, from 1924 to 1969. She was not even 50 when she died. As a teenager, she played an important role in The Wizard of Oz which premiered in 1939.

 

This drama covers the beginning of her career (The Wizard of Oz) as well as the end of her career (The Talk of the Town).

 

What lies between the beginning and the end is not really covered in this drama, but when we see glimpses of her life as a teenager, we can understand how she could become the person we see in London in 1968.

 

What do reviewers say about this drama?

 

Here are the results of three review aggregators:

 

66 percent = Meta

68 percent = IMDb

82 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

85 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

 

On Amazon there are at the moment more than 23,000 ratings of this product, more than 1,400 with reviews.

 

The average rating is 4.3 stars which corresponds to a rating of 86 percent.

 

As you can see, the ratings are quite good. They range from 66 to 86 percent. I understand the numerous positive reviews. I also understand why the ratings do not go all the way to the top.

 

This drama is interesting and informative. But if you ask me, it is not something we can enjoy. Judy had a hard life. It is hard watching her in London in 1968. It is hard watching a person whose life is falling apart.

 

The story of her life deserves to be told and this drama does a good job. But it is a sad story; very sad.

 

In my opinion, the first two ratings (Meta and IMDb) are too low, while the ratings of Rotten Tomatoes and Amazon are more appropriate. This drama deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

 

PS # 1. Judy Garland was born in 1922 as Frances Ethel Gumm. When she became an artist, she changed her name to Judy Garland. There are different explanations about how and why she changed her name.

 

PS # 2. Judy Garland was married five times. Here are the names of the five spouses:

 

** David Rose, married 1941, divorced 1944

** Vincente Minelli, married 1945, divorced 1951

** Sidney Luft, married 1952, divorced 1965

** Mark Herron, married 1965, divorced 1969

** Mickey Deans, married 1969

 

PS # 3. Judy Garland had three children. Here are the names:

 

** Liza Minelli, born 1946

** Lorna Luft, born 1952

** Joey Luft, born 1955

 

PS # 4. Bernard Delfont was a Russian-born British theatrical impresario who converted the London Hippodrome into the night club The Talk of the Town where he presented American entertainers such as Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, and Judy Garland. The famous night club existed 1958-1982.

 

PS # 5. Rosalyn Wilder was Judy Garland’s personal assistant during the stay in London in 1968. She was contacted by the movie-makers who wanted her advice. At first, she declined, but later she accepted. When she said yes, she was hired as a consultant.

 

PS # 6. The following item is available online:

 

Emily Zemler,

“The true story behind Judy - from the woman who worked with Judy Garland,”

Los Angeles Times,

4 October 2019

 

*****

The famous American actress, dancer, and singer

Judy Garland

(1922-1969)

The picture is from 1944 (age 22)

 

*****