The United States vs Billie Day Holiday (Hulu)

 

The United States vs Billie Day Holiday (Hulu)

This is the story of Billie Day Holiday’s short and notorious life. She was popular in America and overseas for her unique jazz and blues voice. She had a tragic life. Her mother was a prostitute and she was raised in a brothel. At age ten she was raped. She was a heroin addict and spent a year in jail. She attracted the wrong men or the wrong men were attracted to her; they beat her and took her money. She was also a pioneer in civil rights activism for her rendition of the protest song “Strange Fruit”. In her defiance to sing Strange Fruit she irked the ire of Herbert Hoover and was a target of the FBI for many years.

Andrea Day  gives a phenomenal performance. She resembles Holiday, but what carries her performance is attitude. Her portrayal of Holiday' defiance of the FBI and other authorities in her life is palpable. Day emotes Holiday’s theatrical persona. Holiday was temperamental and rash which Day brings these traits to the screen. When Day sings she embodies Holiday. She sings the songs in the movie. To mimic Holiday’s timbre she started smoking, drinking alcohol and cold water.

Lee Daniels is the director. He tells a great story but the flow of the film is a bit choppy and nonsequential.  The period wardrobes authenticate the film. Day is showcased in  gowns associated with Holiday. The excellent ensemble cast includes Tyler James Williams as Lester Young . He is the person who gave Holiday the moniker Lady Day. Trevante Rhodes plays Jimmy Fletcher, an FBI agent and one of her lovers (its complicated). Billie Day Holiday died at the age of 44 of cirrhosis.

I never heard of the song Strange Fruit nor realized its significance to the civil rights movement. It is based on a poem by Abel Meeropol, a.k.a Lewis Allan:

 

 

Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees

Pastoral scene of the gallant South
The bulgin' eyes and the twisted mouth
Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burnin' flesh

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather
For the wind to suck
For the sun to rot
For the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop