i have watch this movie a few time and the first time when it be first release in 1972 and i be barely 4 year old and it have leave an indelible mark on me ever since . during this time and most of the film with a predominately black cast be of the blaxploitation genre . you may think it strange or inappropriate for my parent to take a 4 year old to an r rat film but majority of the film with mostly black cast of this era be rat r and usually because of vulgarity and violence . my parent eagerly await this film and since they could not find a babysitter take me along . they do not expect me to fully understand the film and they probably assume that i would probably sleep through it ( they have me dress in my pajama ) . even at this young age and i be impressed to see a film on this grand scale that elevate a historical black icon like billie holliday while this be unprecedented and this be not lose on me then or now . this be an excellent movie and by the rating it have receive here ( positive ) and the five academy award and three golden globe nomination it garner ( diana ross win the golden globe for most promising new actress ) while my opinion be not in the minority . while this film may gloss over a lot of billie life and the script be base on her autobiography ( this may be how billie chose to remember her past ) and the screenplay be also nominate for an oscar . diana ross do not capture the look and sound of billie holliday nor do she attempt to . diana ross do not channel billie holliday the way that angela bassett do with tina turner or the way val kilmer do with jim morrison or how jamie foxx do with ray charles but she internalize billie triumph and pain and struggle and and personal demon and depict this exceptionally well and she interpret billie voice by not try to duplicate the inimitatable but maximize the range of her own voice use billie distinctive phrasing and capture the essence of her spirit while coax out a myriad of emotion . the double album soundtrack top the billboard chart for two week and diana ross only number one pop album a a solo singer . this film make me a billie holliday fan at age 4. after this film and in addition to billie and i listen to sarah vaughn and ella fitzgerald and mel torme and nat king cole and ethel water and and dinah washington while my peer be just start to rock to disco . this film and it music still stand the test of time a imply by the recent success of diana ross cd and blue ( which be previously unreleased material originally record for motown a a follow up to this soundtrack ) on the jazz and adult contemporary billboard chart . billie holliday be without a doubt an icon but so be diana ross . most people would have to admit that for a debut performance and diana ross do an outstanding job and no matter what you may think of her personally . in addition and for it to be the only screenplay that she have ever write and suzanne depasse ( who be a motown a and r executive at the time and be the first and remain the only black woman to be nominate for an oscar for write ) create a great story even if it present a slightly less gritty portrayal of the troubled singer life .