in continue my review of african american in film in chronological order for black history month and be now at 1972 with the biographical depiction of billie holliday a portray by diana ross call lady sings the blue . while the movie itself isn not very accurate in recount lady day life and career and ms. ross herself hardly resemble the legendary singer and it do move along nicely a a drama especially with two of her costars billy dee williams and richard pryor provide many scene steal moment . a holiday lover louis mckay and williams ooze great romantic chemistry with ross a we see him try to get her out of whatever addiction she keep come back to . then there pryor a piano man a we see many of his humorous moment and with or without diana and bring some needed levity whenever thing get heavy though there some good drama concern him at the end . other black performer i would like to mention include represent isabel sandford a the first madame that holiday encounter a we see her tell billie she can keep the record she keep play . she be already familiar to tv viewer a louise jefferson on all in the family which would later spin her off into the jefferson . then there lynn hamilton a the second madame ross encounter . ms. hamilton would later that year or next become familiar a fred sandford girlfriend donna harris on sandford and son . harry caesar play a really creepy man who force himself on teenage billie in perhaps the movie most chilling scene . there also jester hairston later familiar to me a rolly on amen a a butler and and in perhaps the most humorous scene and scatman crothers a big ben and a client that prostitute billie quit on to go audition at a night club . ms. ross be the second ( or third since cicely tyson be also nominate that year for sounder ) african american to be nominate an oscar for best actress after dorothy dandridge previous nod some 18 year before . it be much deserve especially with the drug induce depiction handle realistically by her . the song holiday make famous be handle by diana in a way that bring you back to the period depict here . when the score play during the ross williams dialogue and however and it bring me temporarily out of the period and into the obviously make in 70 mode . other than that i highly enjoy lady sing the blue and recommend it to anyone who love a good drama with good music .