Ma Rainey's Black Bottom- Page 2

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 7:50am

Boseman and Davis deserves Oscars. Those performances were insanely good and I was so wrapped in the film that I forgot I was watching either of them. 

 

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The ending with Boseman’s character realising he has lost his future and any glory he knew he could achieve with his talent compared to Boseman passing away before he was able to achieve the real life glory he was likely to reach in his career was absolutely heartbreaking and actually made my cold heart tear up a little bit. 

 

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 10:07am

So powerful. We saw the 2003 revival and weren't overly impressed.  In fact, as we watched the film we realized the only specific thing we really remembered was the nephew's stuttering issue.

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 10:11am

I am somewhat dissenting here. It's a good film of an almost great play. 

I appreciate that they made Ma Rainey a bigger presence to give the character more, but the play almost is like a jazz concert: the men, playing (acting) together stopping for solos (monologues).  It's all so claustrophobic and necessarily so. In the play Ma only came and went (and sometimes sang) and never had much impact to me. I had seen two good actresses but not great.  But Viola was GREAT.  But allowing her to be great, by opening up the play somewhat, it let some of it's steam out....

I thought Boseman was very good, but I had seen Charles Dutton in the role twice, so that diminished his performance somewhat for me.  Dutton was extraordinary and should have won the Tony easily that year.  I never sensed the curled danger to Levee wtih Boseman.  Again, I thought it was a well thought out, very good performance, but he never frightened me.  Dutton had this sometimes terrifying stillness in his performance and Boseman was doing alot...

Again, however, I thought Viola was outstanding. Best Ma Rainey I have ever seen. And I always love Coleman.

Updated On: 12/21/20 at 10:11 AM

[BWAY Baby2]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 12:22pm

Best drama I have seen this year. Hope to see more August Wilson plays on film- Wilson in a genius and one of the most important authors or plays ever. Up there with Chekhov, Williams, O'Neill and a few others. We need revivals on BWAY when it begins again- dream cast would reunite Denzel and Viola in a play they have not attempted before.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 2:17pm

Denzel told the NYT that his hope for the next adaptation is THE PIANO LESSON, directed by Barry Jenkins and starring Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington. Which sounds pretty thrilling.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 2:33pm

I watched it this weekend and thought it was exceptional. It made me really regret passing on a free ticket to see the 2016 revival at the Taper in Los Angeles with friends.

Venue: Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles
Cast: Greg Bryan, Keith David, Jason Dirden, Damon Gupton, Matthew Henerson, Nija Okoro, Lamar Richardson, Ed Swidey, Glynn Turman, Lillias White
Director: Phylicia Rashad
Playwright: August Wilson
Set designer: John Iacovelli
Costume designer: Emilio Sosa
Lighting designer: Elizabeth Harper
Sound designer: Dan Moses Schreier
Music director: Steven Bargonetti
Presented by Center Theatre Group

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 3:34pm

Just watched it and I absolutely loved it. It makes you realize all over again that Chadwick Boseman was one of his generation's greatest actors who we lost far too early.

Quick question: I'd read the play in Freshman or Sophomore year of college, so I had a fleeting memory of the play. Does the play allude to Ma Rainey being in a lesbian relationship with Dussie Mae? I don't remember if that was in the original script or not. I definitely thought it worked, bringing more depth to Dussie's character, who didn't really have much to do otherwise.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 3:36pm

@Owen22

That 2003 production was before my time. Didn't even know about it until I read your post, and looked into it. I'm so curious - how was Whoopi in the role? 

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 4:31pm

JBroadway said: "@Owen22

That 2003 production was before my time. Didn't even know about it until I read your post, and looked into it. I'm so curious - how was Whoopi in the role?"

She was good, but not great, but she did bring a sense of humor to it Teresa Merritt didn't. She also looks a lot like the real Ma Rainey! 

To Alex:  Yes, Dussie Mae is clearly Ma Rainey's girl.  She and Levee flirt but I don't remember them having sex however. But this is the main reason Ma hates Levee.

 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 12/21/20 at 11:32pm

I have to say I found it a bit tough to get through! And I love Wilson on stage. Thought Viola was amazing. When she was on screen I was enthralled. Chadwick was great - as was the entire cast. I just think I’d have preferred to see it on stage. But commend Wolfe and Netflix for what they did to open the play up.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/23/20 at 9:37am

About a week after seeing it, it's grown on me with memory. Believe it will continue to do so.

Boseman, Davis and Turman's performances strike blazing hot, true instant classics.  I'm a great Wilson lover but had never seen the play and it bowled me over.  Boseman is giving one of those grand performances in the Brando/Dean/Magnanit/de Niro tradition.  If he were still living, he would be the kind of living screen god.  Damn that he's gone.

Updated On: 12/23/20 at 09:37 AM

[bear88]

Posted: 1/23/21 at 4:40am

I enjoyed the film quite a bit. I am curious about something, for those who have seen the play on stage. Chadwick Boseman played Levee as a lively character, despite the grim or harsh pair of monologues, which makes the conclusion especially jarring. My understanding is that Charles Dutton played his anger a lot closer to the surface.

If so, it's a different spin on the role, but one I thought worked effectively, both because of Wolfe's direction and Boseman's extraordinary performance. 

[NameGreg]

Posted: 1/23/21 at 1:47pm

I saw this awhile back and thought it was great. The biggest selling point was the amazing Chadwick Boseman. He’s just phenomenal here in every way. Viola Davis is also wonderful, though as far a leading roles go, here’s is quite small. The supporting players were all uniformly strong, with my favorite being Colman Domingo.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 1/25/21 at 10:35pm

Just watched this tonight. I thought Chadwick Boseman was incredible as Levee. And actually I thought that was both a blessing and curse. I thought that he was so overwhelming that the whole play/movie ended up being from his POV and every other character remained lightly penciled in, including Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. So whether they meant it or not the play SEEMED like an established singer (Ma) throwing her weight around and abusing Levee and taking away his dignity. Still not sure if that was the point. Of course the white producers were just as guilty of abusing the black musicians' talent but, as I said, Boseman was so heart-rending that storyline just overwhelmed everything else.