Using charm and guile, Curtis assembles an assortment of musical acts to form Detroit’s Rainbow Records. Determined to succeed, Curtis creates hip tunes, polished images and distribution schemes that advance his musicians’ careers. A cold and calculating capitalist, Curtis dashes thoughts of stardom as strategically as he makes them come true. At the center of his star search is the Dreams, a musical trio that rises to the top of the charts leaving betrayed friends and family along the way.

At times petulant, playful, naive and brazen, Hudson’s Effie is nevertheless irresistible. A self-absorbed songbird, Effie is so wrapped up in the melodious sound of her distinctive voice that she is unprepared to defend herself when predators attack. But Effie goes down winging. She belts out the defiant “And I am Telling You” to a disinterested and resolute Curtis. 

Made famous in the Broadway production of Dreamgirls by Jennifer Holliday, “And I am Telling You” is magnificently revived by Jennifer Hudson.  Without fail, Holliday left an indelible mark on its lyrics and still owns the song, but Jennifer Hudson takes a long-term lease on the song’s lyrics as she splendidly performs the tune for posterity on film.  Hudson’s powerful voice harmoniously rolls through the peaks and valleys of the song that tells of a woman irrationally committed to loving a man who doesn’t care if she lives or dies because her visage and voice are too overpowering to water down and market to the plain vanilla set. “And I am Telling You” is a song of such extreme obsession that a therapist might consider a 72-hour psych watch for its balladeer.

While performance of  “And I am Telling You” is an emotionally draining conclusion to the second act, director Bill Condon smartly frames a quickly paced third act to regenerate interest in the conclusion of the narrative. 

The world of the musical is a contrived reality where dialogue is occasionally delivered in three-part harmony. But when a musical is done well, its contrived reality is a timeless – even magical – experience. And in Dreamgirls, Condon crafts a tour de force.

Adapted from Michael Bennett’s 1981 award-winning Broadway production, Condon’s musical, with certain exceptions, does not linger on stage performances. Instead the film smoothly navigates among scenes of backstage drama, stylized music numbers and narrative sequences that develop the plot. Condon also cleverly uses archival film footage, still photography, voices from the past and reenactments to firmly root the film in the 1960’s.

Combined with electrifying choreography, fabulous costumes, richly-hued cinematography and a talented ensemble, Dreamgirls is an immensely entertaining tale of triumph, heartbreak, strife and betrayal. M

May 2007 

MoQuotable(s)

Theatrically Enhanced Performance?

[My theater training] allowed me to be comfortable in the genre because it’s where I live anyway. It allows me to take the film end for what it is, but stay in my comfort zone and use the skills that I honed on Broadway.

 

We all knew that song would translate better live and it did. Because there was so much passion , you really needed to get it from the first source as opposed to lip-synching to a track done 10 weeks ago – completely removed from the actual performance of [the song]. You needed that part to be immediate and absolutely connected to that sound and that feeling.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Getting the Casting Call?

I felt all along that [the role] was for me. It was just one of those auditions. When I read the script, I could hear Lorrell’s voice. I could hear it in my mind. It was just written really well. I connected to it immediately. So when I had my audition, it was one of those times when I actually did the best that I could and when those things come together and mesh like that and justification comes at the end and you get the gift of getting the role, it’s just phenomenal.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

 

Personal Statement?

I really love what I do. I love my craft. It’s nice to get a free t-shirt now and then, but that’s not why I do it. I do it because it gives me joy to figure out who someone is and why they do the things they do. 

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Reviving Lorrell on Broadway?

I wouldn’t do it. It’s been done beautifully by the incomparable Miss Loretta Devine. It’s had umpteen revivals in ten thousand places all over the United States and Europe and then we just did it on film where it will last forever. So, I don’t really feel the need to revisit it. I feel very complete with what we did.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Chatting With Loretta Devine about Lorrell?

I spoke with her, but we didn’t speak about Lorrell at all. You want to respect what that other person did and it goes both ways. She was very respectful of what I was creating and certainly I was respectful of what she originally did. I never saw the original Dreamgirls, but I heard the soundtrack. I hear from the soundtrack that she was amazing. But this was a new thing. So, you can’t step back into [the past] to create something new because in some ways it’s just not relevant and in other ways you as an actor want to create some brand new and that is yours. So we spoke, but we just spoke about life, life after Dreamgirls and being actresses. She’s extraordinarily funny, really sweet, very welcoming and kind. 

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Returning to the Great White Way?

I absolutely plan to go back to Broadway. I don’t know what it’s going to be but it has to be something that really excites me and challenges me. I don’t like to do the same thing over and over. When I choose a role, I try to choose a role that’s totally different from the last person I was. So, I’m waiting for a project to come along.

 

But I also want to continue to do film. I like doing film. I don’t treat it any different in the way I approach my craft and what I’m doing, but it is a different type of challenge for me in the way you have to manage your energy. It’s a different type of stamina. I really enjoyed that. I’d like to do both. I’d like to do enough film to allow me to do whatever little project that I want to do for however much money it is and be able to produce my own things at some point.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Dreamgirls’ Timeless Story and Music?

Everyone can relate to wanting to be something. Everybody has had a dream and been told that they can’t do it. Everybody can relate to heartbreak and then triumph whether it’s a small triumph or huge triumph. Dreamgirls touches on all those themes. People talk about it being a “Black” musical. It is a “Black” musical in that it has Black people in it and it does take place during the Civil Rights era (Bill Condon was brilliant in making the era visual). But, it is beyond that because these stories are stories that anybody can understand. That’s what makes it relevant and keeps it fresh.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Dreamgirls’ Life Changing Experience?

Now, a lot more people know my name. I’ve been able to touch people across the world…affect them and be a part of their lives. I’ve gotten messages from South Africa to Japan and in languages other than English. God Bless them. I don’t know what they said, but the feeling is lovely. It’s an amazing thing that people are moved across the world by a piece of work that you’ve been a part of.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Dreamgirls’ Casting Chemistry?

Personally, it was due to the fact that Bill Condon cast really good people…meaning he cast good folks. Everybody was coming from a different walk of life. Everybody had something that wasn’t necessarily their forte, something to feel nervous about and something to feel strong about. In that, you find common ground because I’m sure everybody at some moment thought they were going to be fired. To be able to look at the person standing next to you and see that thought going through their face, laugh about it, help each other, enjoy each other and enjoy the work that the person is bringing.

 

The blend between the Dreams – all of us – Sharon Leal, Beyonce and I – the blend was phenomenal immediately. Jen, Beyonce and I, when we first started to sing, we were surprised by it because often you get good singers but the blend sometimes doesn’t work out and we had that. That was just natural and we were all just really happy doing what we were doing.

 

Bill Condon is a beautiful man. He makes for a beautiful set. When the mood is right from the top, there’s really no room for angst at the bottom. Everybody came with some certificate, trophy or something. So ultimately, it doesn’t matter because you’re all on common ground.

  Anika Noni Rose (April 24, 2007)

Genre(s)

Musical, Drama

Bill Condon

Writer(s)

Distributor

DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures

Filming Location(s)

• Los Angeles, California, USA

DVD Extras

• DVD Exclusive Jennifer Hudson Performance

• 12 Extended and Alternate Scenes

• Music Video "Listen" by Beyoncé Knowles

• "Building The Dream" Feature-length documentary

• Image Gallery with over 1,100 images

• Dream Logic: Film Editing

• Dressing The Dreams: Costume Design

• Center Stage: Theatrical Lighting

• Dreamgirls – Beyoncé Knowles screen test

• Ain’t No Party – Anika Noni Rose audition

• Steppin’ To The Bad Side – Fatima Robinson choreography audition

• Previsualization Sequences

Official Site

Dreamgirls