Bessie (DVD + )

DVD + . Queen Latifah stars as legendary blues singer Bessie Smith in this HBO Films presentation, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Dee Rees (named one of 20 filmmakers to watch by The New York Times). The film focuses on Smith's transformation from a struggling young singer into quot;The Empress of the Blues,quot; who became one of the most successful recording artists of the 1920s and is an enduring icon today.