"Thrilling! Heart lifting! The Silver Belles are bold, brash and gorgeous."- The Village Voice
"I'm going to dance, dance,
dance 'til I can't dance no more, and I'm going to live,
live, live 'til I die!"- Bertye Lou Wood,
age 96
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BEEN RICH ALL MY LIFE follows the unlikliest troupe of
tap dancing divas. They are the "Silver Belles," five
former showgirls now aged 84-96, performing to standing
ovations, as sassy as they ever were. They met during
Harlem's 1930's heyday, dancing in the chorus lines at
the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club, Small's Paradise
and Connie's Inn, performing with legendary band leaders
like Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. When the big band
era ended, they all went into other work -- but in 1985
they put their shoes back on, and have been dancing together
again ever since. They may not kick as high, but they
are hip-swaying and show-biz savvy.
Each of the Silver Belles has a distinctive, idiosyncratic
personality, but they share a love of dance and the ability
to flirt with an audience. "We mug more now than we used
to," explains Marion Coles. "I light up like a Christmas
tree when I go out there, the right music will just push
you," adds Fay Ray. "I may be old, but I'm not cold!"
exclaims Bertye Lou Wood, the eldest at 96.
They also have rich stories to tell about the history
they made during the Harlem Renaissance, illuminated by
a treasure trove of archival film and photos. The music
score ranges over eight decades of jazz styles, from the
honky tonk sounds of the 20's, the big bands of the 30's
and 40's, the bebop of the 50's-to the rhythms of contemporary
jazz as the ladies travel the streets of their neighborhoods
today.
The film sparkles with the candor of these inspiring women,
from their rehearsals at the Cotton Club, to their shows
at concert halls around the city -- and over the considerable
bumps in between. At the core of the film, amidst the
music, the laughter and arguments, is the friendship that
has continued over 70 years. The Silver Belles may get
pacemakers and break their bones, but they heal and keep
on dancing together.
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