What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)

Director:

Brian Gibson

Writers (WGA):

Tina Turner (book) and
Kurt Loder (book) ...

Release Date:

9 June 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Not just the story of a life - The movie of a lifetime.

Plot:

A film about the singer Tina Turner and how she rose to stardom with her abusive husband Ike Turner and how she gained the courage to break free.

Plot Keywords:

Marital Problem | Audience | Husband Wife Relationship | Love | Question In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Angela Bassett	...	Anna Mae Bullock / Tina Turner
Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly	...	Young Anna Mae Bullock (as Rae'ven Kelly)
Virginia Capers	...	Choir Mistress
Laurence Fishburne	...	Ike Turner, Sr.
Khandi Alexander	...	Darlene
Dororthy Thorton	...	Choir Member
Demetrice Cheathon	...	Choir Member
Nita Woods Allen	...	Choir Member
Helen Marie Lovelace	...	Choir Member
Natalie Wilson	...	Choir Member
Seymour Daniel Jr.	...	Choir Member
David McKinney	...	Choir Member
Jayd Stanfield	...	Choir Member
Maurice O'Neal	...	Choir Member
Frank Rasberry	...	Choir Member

Also Known As:

Tina: What's Love Got to Do with It (Australia) (UK)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:MA | Philippines:R-18 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Jenifer Lewis, who plays Tina's mother in this film, originally auditioned to play Tina Turner. Lewis is only two years older than Angela Bassett, who plays Tina.

Goofs:

Continuity: After her last fight with Ike, Tina leaves the hotel with pumps on, but runs across the highway in sneakers.

Quotes:

Zelma Bullock: Now, Anna Mae, I know I wasn't around. But believe me, you were too young to know what was going on with your daddy and me.
Tina Turner: Did Alline understand? She ain't that much older then me.
Zelma Bullock: Now, don't think you're going to come live in my house and make me feel bad.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Why Must We Wait Until Tonight

Much better than I expected

As a young girl, Anna Mae Bullock is left behind when her mother flees an abusive husband. As a young woman she comes to the city to rejoin her mother and sister. Going with her sister to a local club, Anna Mae is drawn onto the stage by band leader Ike Turner and reveals a powerful voice. He takes her into his band and the two go onto success, marriage and children with Anna Mae taking the stage name Tina Turner. However beneath the surface, Ike is a violent man and Tina is forced to either defend him or escape.

I have seen this twice already, although I'm not a Tina Turner fan and don't find her music to be that good (aside from a few of the bigger hits) but I do know a powerful film when I see it. The plot is based on the biography of Tina Turner and, because it is official, the end result is that it lacks an eye that approaches with fair judgement. The film therefore builds up the strength of Ike and the resolve of Tina and is a little too reverent at points like Tina finding strength in Buddhist chanting. However it is difficult to miss the cynical eye when you accept that having a violent husband and being trapped is a difficult situation that anyone does well to come out of.

The film is moving but never lets itself become overly emotional or sentimental. Instead it just soldiers on like Tina herself and the final scenes give you an impression of someone who has overcome to get to where she is. Usually it would be difficult to feel for someone who is as rich and successful as Tina Turner and it is to the film's credit that it has managed it. Part of the reason for this is a sympathetic yet strong performance from Bassett (one of the better black actresses around). She at times seems to be just impersonating Turner (during the music pieces) but she is in her element in the rest with a meaty part not often offered to her. Fishburne is good and bad in different ways. Firstly he is good because he grips the audience and commands attention and is, as always, an excellent actor given the chance. However he is too powerful – the real Ike is less physically dominant and Fishburne doesn't do him justice – appearing to point the blame on drugs and no inner turmoil.

Overall this is a good film that deals with a difficult subject matter. The fact that it is a true story just makes it better. Strong black leads and emotionally involving makes for a good watch even if it's hard to describe the violence at times as `entertainment'.