by Conan Simmons – December 31, 2020 – 7:33 pm
Inspired by the real life blues singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey and based on the 1984 Pulitzer Prize winning stage play by August Wilson, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ is an actor’s showcase. Produced by Denzel Washington, who found success with another August Wilson adaptation ‘Fences’ in 2016, this latest film from Netflix stars Viola Davis as the bitter and domineering “Ma” Rainey as she and her band gather at a run down recording studio in 1927 Chicago.
The film opens with most of the band (Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman and Michael Potts) arriving at the studio and meeting their manager (Jeremy Shamos). As long time members of “Ma” Rainey’s band they proceed into the rehearsal room located in the basement. Soon they are joined by the young upstart trumpet player, Levee (Chadwick Boseman) who smooth talks the owner of the recording studio (Mel Sturdyvant) into having the band rehearse Levee’s arrangement of “Ma” Rainey’s hit song. Trombonist and band leader (Domingo) knows it is folly to rehearse any arrangement other than what “Ma” Rainey herself commands.
Sure enough, when “Ma” Rainey (Viola Davis) does arrive with her nephew (Dusan Brown) and backup singer (Taylour Paige), Rainey immediately shuts down any chance of Levee getting his way with the music. Tensions rise more when Rainey insists her nephew is going to introduce the song. It also quickly becomes apparent that Rainey is having a fling with her backup singer whom Levee quickly sets his sights on.
This film adaptation is very well written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson though it falls into that familiar trapping of stage-to-film productions that still retains a feeling of watching a stage play. This may be because both the screenwriter Santiago-Hudson and the films director George C. Wolfe both come from the legitimate stage. Even as the film never fully sheds its stage roots it is the stellar performances by both Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman that make ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ the film to see.
After the unfortunate passing of Chadwick Boseman earlier this year from colon cancer it may seem there is a considerable amount of hype surrounding his performances both here and in Spike Lee’s ‘Da Five Bloods’. The hype is warranted as Boseman’s performance as Levee is filled with charismatic bluster disguising a history of hurt. His standout moment comes as he rails against God for not stopping the suffering he has gone through over the years. Given that this was his last film role before passing away the scene feels all the more real as though Boseman is using the character of Levee as a proxy for his own frustrations.
Then there’s Viola Davis who chews up the screen as the battered yet regal “Ma” Rainey. The anger and resentment of the character makes “Ma” Rainey an intimidating force as she is able to reign it in to be professional enough to get the job of recording her songs done, knowing full well that if she wasn’t a capable singer the world would seemingly have no use for her. Her knowledge and acceptance of her place in the world informs how she is able to force others to her will. The way Viola Davis inhabits the character makes “Ma” Rainey the most iconic character of the screen this year.
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ will undoubtedly be nominated for several Oscars, likely for Best Picture, Director and Editing. It’s strongest chances will be for Best Adapted Screenplay, Lead Actor for Chadwick Boseman and Lead Actress for Viola Davis. The chances for winning will be hard as there is considerable competition this year. Viola Davis is most likely to get her second Academy Award, previously winning Supporting Actress for ‘Fences’.