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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1972
Runtime1h 13m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresTV Movie, Drama, Comedy
Votes2
DirectorFred Coe
WritersStanley L. Gray
TypeFeature Film
Rating5.0 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsIf You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band
About If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band
Life in a black ghetto isn't easy for 14-year-old Billie Jean Sims, who has a father in jail, a blind grandmother, and a brother with a drug habit. Growing up among drug pushers, prostitutes, and pimps, Billie Jean still has some things going for her: fierce pride, a loyal friend named Fish, and, at last, enough savings to visit her father 1200 miles away in prison.
Directed by Fred Coe, If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band leans on a strong ensemble — Donna M. Bryan, James Broderick, Georgia Burke — 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 tv movie titles of 1972.
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