RESPECT

US, 2021, 145 minutes, Colour.

Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Tituss Burgess, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Kimberly Scott, Albert Jones, Tate Donovan, Mary J.Blige.

Directed by Liesl Tommy.

Two years ago, the documentary, Amazing Grace, which serves as the finale for this portrait of Aretha Franklin, was released after disappearing from distribution for several decades. And, in more recent times, there has been television series, Genius, starring Cynthia Erivovo as Aretha Franklin.

This film, which takes its title from one of her most well-known songs, the spelling out of respect as RE – SP – ECT, is really a portrait of the singer, the equivalent of a concert of many of her songs and performances, and some basic biography. (And it is interesting to note that this year, Singer, Billie Holliday, had her own screen treatment, The US Versus Billie Holliday, covering the period in song and social concerns/racism in the decades preceding Aretha Franklin.)

While this is something of a warts and all portrait at moments, we keep remembering that Aretha Franklin had an extraordinary number of public honours, from US presidents, to posthumous Pulitzer Prize, to singing at the inauguration of Barack Obama. So, the film asks, who was Aretha Franklin and where did she come from?

10-year-old Aretha is first seen being woken up, brought out by her father to sing for visitors, then guided back to bed. Momentarily, we glimpse a demure little girl, in are taken aback at the vocal range of the performance, the intensity of the sound of her voice, her sense of rhythm. And she continued, under the guidance of her father, under his frequent dominating control, to sing in his church. This was the 1950s.

Her ambitious father (played by Forest Whitaker) wanted her to have singing career and fame, taking her to New York, interviews with record producers, making a strong impression, cutting records, issuing albums – but not quite the success she had hoped for, not having the hits.

While she emerges as a strong personality, a powerful performance from Jennifer Hudson who was handpicked by Aretha Franklin herself to portray her, she also has a number of insecurities, some sexual abuse in her past, measuring up to her father’s expectations and wanting to break through, to have the courage, buoyed by memories of her mother encouraging her to sing and saddened by her mother’s separation from her father and then her death. Aretha also makes some bad choices, especially concerning Ted White (Marlon Wayans), moody, entrepreneur, ambitious. (Particularly striking is an early sequence when Aretha sings in a New York nightclub, paying tribute to Dinah Washington who is there (Mary J Blige) who humiliates her in public but then privately gives her advice and encouragement).

During the 1960s, Aretha Franklin was friendly with Martin Luther King, supporting him, singing at his funeral. There was great commercial success, signing up with a new producer, a band from Alabama, European tour. However, Aretha was on edge, drinking, clashing with her father…

This film ends in 1972, Aretha having gone into the depths, her alcohol dependence, her low self-esteem, but a religious experience, and experience of amazing grace, and the beginning of an assent out of the depths to an almost 50 year career of soul music, social justice and concern.

(And, for the fans, there is a still from The Blues Brothers in the final credits!)

1. Audience knowledge of Aretha Franklin? Her career, status, reputation? Public acknowledgement in the US? Awards?
2. This film as a portrait, as biography, as part of the equivalent of an Aretha Franklin concert?
3. The settings, Detroit, Alabama, New York, International tours?
4. The musical score, the range of songs, beginning with songs in church, popular songs, the move to soul music, recording, concerts, performances? Her becoming more independent of companies, her own style? The 1950s, the 1960s, by 1972? The Amazing Grace documentary?
5. Aretha Franklin’s family background, the death of her mother, separated from her father, inspiring Aretha to sing, accompanying her, Aretha and the effect of her death? The domination by her father, his role in the church, getting her out of bed to sing, sending her back to bed, controlling? The siblings, friendships, rivalries? Aretha and her children – the indication of sexual abuse, the pregnancy, the film not giving indications about her children and the origins, the relationship with Ted White, their son?
6. Aretha as a little girl, her confidence, childhood singing, the strength of her voice, congregation response? Her growing older, the 1950s, success in singing? The 1960s? Her father’s ambitions, record contracts, the flight to New York, the interviews, Johnny Hammond, acceptance, the recordings, sales, the collage of her albums? Yet her regrets that she was not top of the charts?
7. Ted White, the initial encounters, the attraction, his style and manner, Aretha’s father and our sting him from the house? Aretha taking a stance? Ted and his wanting to manage her? The relationship, ups and downs? The discussions with Jerry Wexler, the issue of going to Alabama, the white musicians, white and the chip on his shoulder? The interactions, the white players and their joking manner? The performances, the tests, improvising, Aretha and her response to them? The making of the record? They’re playing with her performances? Ted and his ups and downs, the touch of the brutal, the press reporting this, Aretha’s reaction, packing, his being ousted?
8. The meetings with Martin Luther King, the focus on his achievement, racism, attacks? The news of his death? Aretha’s grief, return to the US, singing at his memorial?
9. The continuing tensions with her father, his moving away, yet his relating? His relationship with Barbara, her continually encouraging Aretha? Her sisters? Inviting them to be the backup? The concerts, success? The bands? The response of the fans? The discussions about International tours, ego struggles, the tour, interviews? The effect on Ted White?
10. The late 1960s, Aretha’s decline, drinking, family and concern, the children, her relationship with Ken Cunningham, management? His dismay? The concert, Aretha falling from the stage?
11. The religious experience, amazing Grace, taking hold of her life? The advice about the documentary, the concert? The LA church, the preparations? Her entry, the audience, are beginning to sing?
12. The importance of the versions of Amazing Grace in this latter part of the film? The coming to grips with life and coming back? The performance in the concert?
13. From 1972 to 2018, a full life, the excerpts during the final credits, her personality, performance, songs, American and presidential honours, Barack Obama? Her achievement?