
The life of Blues and folk singer Huddie Leadbetter, nicknamed Leadbelly is recounted. Covering the good times and bad from his 20s to 40s. Much of that time was spent on chain gangs in the south. Even in prison he became well known for the songs he had composed and sung during and before the time he spent there.
Directed by Gordon Parks, Leadbelly leans on a strong ensemble — Roger E. Mosley, James Brodhead, John McDonald — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1976.
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The rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom.
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