To say that Dreamgirls is a fictionalized account of Diana Ross and The Supremes is misleading. Rather, the narrative structure follows the climb to dominance of Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the Berry Gordy, Jr.-like macher who repackages black musical performers for a broader market.
Curtis's story is, like Citizen Kane (1941), a romance of temptation in which the Faustian protagonist's own ambition is his Mephistopheles. And like Kane's, Curtis's perdition comes disguised as unparalleled success. His record company, based on Gordy's Motown, and his L.A. mansion are the boundaries of his lonely hell on earth (one so emotionally parched that even his Persephone takes off for good). As in soap opera, the fact that it's a deluxe hell, with set and costume design meant to stimulate the audience's materialist salivary glands, is ignored.
When the movie starts, Curtis is a used car salesman who hangs around backstage at a local Detroit theater hoping to break in as an artists' manager. Having seen too many black composers robbed of royalties, and too many R&B scorchers turned into bland pop hits in covers by white groups, Curtis liquidates his inventory and invests the proceeds in a label run by and for African-Americans. His goal is laudable, but he achieves his dream by turning it into something achievable.
The first bad news is that success in the music business requires Curtis to engage in the corrupt practices of the era: he converts cars into payola and he's on his way. In addition, Curtis is totally focused on doing what it takes to get big money. His best shot, as he sees it, is to groom his acts so that their original versions can cross over from the R&B audience to the pop audience. He reshapes a girl group called The Dreamettes, led by Effie White (Jennifer Hudson), a raucous, ample-figured, soulful R&B singer, by moving the traditionally winsome Deena Jones (Beyoncé Knowles) into the lead spot. The more cosmetically appealing trio, rechristened The Dreams, blasts to the top of the more lucrative pop charts, i.e., the ones that track sales to white teens.
Curtis later tells Deena, then his disgruntled wife and star act, that he put her up front because she had a less characterful voice than Effie — it was all about an image he could manipulate. (Such roman-à-clef cattiness is on a par with having Citizen Kane discover an empty liquor bottle in the deserted room of Susan Alexander - i.e., Marion Davies - and is likewise easy to believe.) This also means that Curtis doesn't wait for white artists to tone "his" songs down — he does it himself and reaps the unprecedented benefits, which is also to say that he wins the war by capitulating before it starts. In addition — and this is where the story gets conventional, in its own bland, crossover way — the narrative emphasizes that Curtis does what he has to do to succeed, no matter whom he has to use, hurt, or destroy.
Curtis's temptation romance is the storyline that holds all the others together, and he is the instigator all the other characters react to, but he's not the central character. (And once again, as in Ray (2004), Foxx suggests a fine performance without being given the material to realize it.) Moreover, nobody else is the central character, either. Everybody else has his or her quest and temptation, and the movie turns into a melodrama in which all parties purify themselves by rejecting Curtis and succeeding without him, or, in one case, by dying.
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Article comments
1 - Daniel
Speaking of Judy Garland, there is a popular new group on Yahoo called THE JUDY GARLAND EXPERIENCE. They have amazing audio files, great photo's, lively discussions and more! If you are a Judy fan you need to check this site out. All of Judy's biggest fans are there.
2 - Alan Dale
Thanks for the link, Daniel. The existence of the Judy Garland web-site made think that even the bad parts of Dreamgirls are probably "fabulous" enough to gain a following.
3 - Jamal Sledge
What a great review as always, Alan! I haven't visited your page in quite some time but I HAD to read your opinion regarding "Dreamgirls" since you're always good at critiquing films with a predominately black cast.
I agree with you about Hudson and her singing when compared to Holliday's. Armond White in his scathing review noted how Hudson sounds like all the other “American Idol” singers: technically precise but inexpressive. Since she's a product of the Whitney Houston/Mariah Carey/Celine Dion generation, her type of vocal prowess is more appreciated than someone with a limited range that can make a song magic by building up it up to an ultimate climax. When I watch Holliday she makes the song believable; Hudson has a remoteness to her singing that leaves you cold after it’s all done and over. I've read all these glowing reviews about her singing"comparing her to greats like Aretha Franklin"and I couldn't for the life of me understand why when I felt there was something missing in her delivery. It reminds me of something Armond White said about Whitney Houston in the 80s that can be easily substituted for Hudson’s singing: “It could all be just noise to her, because she sings with the same tuneful indifference on each cut.”
Speaking of Armond White: I know you're not a fan (he can be extremely militant), but I think he made some good points about "Dreamgirls" that other critics seemed to ignore. You may think I’m crazy in saying this but I see many similarities between you and White"minus that you're not as abrasive and pompous when panning a movie, of course.
4 - Oliver
It's not fair to compare. Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia Barrino both have acknowledged Aretha Franklin as their inspiration. Back in the day, many female singers were able to sell records if they even mentioned in their liner notes that they had "listened to" or "were inspired by" Aretha Franklin. I know I have several lps with girls who mentioned Aretha and I was very disappointed that they didn't have "the tools."
Hudson and Fantasia both have the tools, but they are very young and experience will be more deeply implanted into their souls.
5 - Alan Dale
Thanks, Jemal. Good to hear from you again.
Armond White's line about Whitney is great. I liked his review of Dreamgirls and I agree that he and I have a number of intuitions in common. I'm not interested in more glossy soap operas, not even ones starring underrepresented segments of the population. I don't want history to be turned into melodrama or romance. I'm not offended or bored by the way things really happened but I am by the attempt to transform reality into the same old show biz hot dog meat.
At the same time, I think White's anger keeps him from doing more thorough analysis. He tells us that Dreamgirls distorts history but he doesn't tell us how in a cogent enough way, or what that history actually was. And, finally, though I dislike the history of pop music being distorted, I'm not sure it matters that much. If you're going to do it, do it right. But if it weren't done at all I don't think the world would be much impoverished. In any case, I don't invest that much emotion in the matter.
Oh yeah, and Lonette McKee is way fierce in Sparkle.
As for other critics, their good intentions soften their brains when it comes to minority subject matter and artists. As if fulsome, overstated praise could open doors or redress historical injustice. (If that's what they care about, why are they movie critics?) Their earnestness is simply patronizing and justly breeds contempt.
6 - Alan Dale
Thanks for the comment, Oliver. While it may not be fair to compare, it is inevitable, esp. since Hudson took Holliday's role in the movie version. But I wouldn't have needed a point of comparison to cringe when Hudson was singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
Your point about being influenced by Aretha Franklin escapes me. Have you heard her album The First 12 Sides? She had both raging talent and masterful control at age 18. Hudson and Fantasia need experience more deeply implanted into their vocal chords, not their souls.
7 - Oliver
Yes, Alan, I have The First 12 Sides and I was absolutely floored when I heard it. It was played over and over again, as I could NOT believe what an incredible singer Aretha was. I rushed out and bought everything on her in the stores.
If you look at the early performances by Hudson and Fantasia on American Idol, they are very awkward. It is very difficult to sing songs that have been established by stars like Aretha, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, etc. It is, unless you are Aretha Franklin.
By the end of Jennifer Hudson's run on the show, she had developed into a first-rate singer and then didn't get enough votes to stay. The night Fantasia was announed as the winner, she was able to FINALLY sing the way she knew she could.
I'm not for sure, but I suspect AI tells soul singers not to use the scream (it might turn white people off). Soul shouter, Peggi Blu, who won Star Search the year Sam Harris won as male vocalist, was told to "tone it down." She was also told the same thing when she signed with RCA Victor. She did and her first album, Blu Blowin' was a bore. Her career went nowhere and she ended up backgrounding for less talented singers.
Poor Fantasia has obvisouly been told: "you have to go hip/hop if you want to sell records." As a result, her two CDs are awful, sounding like Mary J. Blige and the rest of the hip/hop junk. Hudson has vowed that she is "not a hip/hop singer." And, she intends to sing "classic soul."
Let's hope she does. What bothers me is that she's signed with Clive Davis (as is Fantasia).
8 - Alan Dale
Thanks for the reply, Oliver. Very informative and I respect your generosity to young talent. "Toning it down" is especially relevant considering it's one of the central elements of Dreamgirls. I've always loved the description of the young Tina Turner as "screaming dirt." So much preferable to a pro like Celine Dion on the Oscars last night, pitching horseshoes with her tonsils.
9 - Buzz
Speaking of Aretha, there is a great group on Yahoo called Billie Holiday And The Disciples Of Swing. The group features audio files of classic Jazz Vocalists. This past month they have been celebrating Girl Singer's Month and this weeks playlist includes a great unreleased track of Skylark performed by Aretha at the Detroit Music Hall in 1986.. Here is the link to the group and the current playlist.
Billie Holiday And The Disciples Of Swing
01 And This Is My Beloved.mp3 Gloria Lynne at Basin Street 912 K
01 As Long As I Live.mp3 Peggy Lee (rehearsal, 1962) 989 KB
01 Darktown Strutters Ball.mp3 Alberta Hunter, 1978 2532 KB
01 I Didn't Know What Time It Was.mp3 Sarah Vaughan, 198X 1938 KB
01 Manhattan.mp3 Lee Wiley 1627 KB
01 S'Wonderful.mp3 Ella Fitzgerald and Sammy Davis Jr. 1320 KB
01 They Raided The Joint.mp3 Helen Humes at the Pasadena Auditorium, 1952 836 KB
02 Loud Talkin' Woman.mp3 Helen Humes at the Pasadena Auditorium, 1952 1385 KB
02 The More I See You.mp3 Keely Smith, studio session, 6/20/1985
2791 KB
02 Willow Weep For Me.mp3 Billie Holiday, Toronto, 8/57 1939 KB
03 Flying Home.mp3 Ella Fitzgerald, Carnegie Hall, 9/18/1949 2602 KB
03 I Only Have Eyes For You.mp3 Billie Holiday, Toronto, 8/57 955 KB
03 I'll Get Along Somehow.mp3 Nancy Wilson 2581 KB
03 Mood Indigo.mp3 Lena Horne and Tony Bennett 1217 KB
04 Billie's Blues.mp3 Billie Holiday, Toronto, 8/57 1614 KB
04 Lucky Day.mp3 Annie Ross,1959 1051 KB
04 One Night Stand.mp3 Janis Joplin, 1970 1468 KB
04 Why Don't You Do Right.mp3 Linda Hopkins, 6/18/82 1572 KB
05 After You've Gone.mp3 Kay Starr, 1975 1177 KB
05 Azure-te.mp3 Ernestine Anderson, studio session, 1958 1395 KB
05 Lover Come Back To Me.mp3 Billie Holiday, Toronto, 8/57 1088 KB
05 Miss Brown to You.mp3 Carmen McRae, studio session, 6/29/1961 1172 KB
06 Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby.mp3 Ann Richards, studio session, 1960 1272 KB
07 I'd Rather Go Blind.mp3 Etta James live at Memory Lane, 1986 3213 KB
07 Influences.mp3 Billie Holiday 432 KB
07 The Way We Were.mp3 Peggy Lee (1974 Academy Awards) 1997 KB
08 My Funny Valentine.mp3 Anita O'Day at Carnegie Hall, 1986 3213 KB
08 No Ways Tired.mp3 The Barret Sisters, 1983 2535 KB
08 You've Changed.mp3 Shelby Lynne, studio session, 2006 1706 KB
09 But Not For Me.mp3 Gladys Knight 1885 KB
09 Influences part 2.mp3 Billie Holiday, Toronto, 8/57 2278 KB
09 Porgy.mp3 Nina Simone at Westbury Music Fair, 1968 1634 KB
09 Skylark.mp3 Aretha Franklin, Detroit Music Hall 1986 1799 KB
10 Mean Way Of Loving.mp3 Helen Humes at the Pasadena Auditorium, 1952 1095 KB
13 He Brought Us.mp3 The Barret Sisters, 1983 2927 KB
13 My Funny Valentine_The Gentleman is a Dope.mp3 Peggy Lee and Lena Horne, 1978 912 KB
15 I Wish You Love 1.mp3 Barbra Streisand, JFK Stadium 1966 1408 KB
15 More.mp3 Baby Jane Dexter 1300 KB
15 Only The Lonely.mp3 Aretha Franklin, studio session, 7/16/64
2306 KB
17 I Cried For You.mp3 Helen Humes at the Pasadena Auditorium, 1952
868 KB
17 You Turned The Tables On Me.mp3 Anita O'Day on the BBC, 1964
1382 KB
18 Medley.mp3 Anita O'Day and Chris Connor at Michaels Pub, 1989
3253 KB
19 If I Were A Bell.mp3 June Christy Live At The Dunes 856 KB
20 It Don't Mean A Thing.mp3 June Christy Live At The Dunes 1045 KB
21 Jeepers Creepers.mp3 june Christy Live At The Dunes 817 KB
22 Too Marvelous.mp3 June Christy Live At The Dunes 826 KB
25 Mixed Emotions.mp3 Dinah Washington Live At Basin Street, 7/10/55
1480 KB
26 Come Rain Or Shine.mp3 Dinah Washington Live At Basin Street, 7/10/55 798 KB
10 - Alan Dale
What a treasure-trove! Thanks for the tip, Buzz.