Bessie Smith in her only recorded film appearance

When the janitor tries to shut down the hallway game.

A building janitor tries to break up a heated craps game on the floor, but the players quickly remind him who is actually in control.

When the Janitor Tries to Stop the Dice Game

She did not hesitate for a single second.

Bessie discovers her cheating partner with another woman in the bedroom and instantly tackles the interloper out into the hallway.

Bessie Catches Her Man Cheating

She gave him everything and he walked out laughing.

Bessie begs her lover Jimmy to stay, recounting everything she gave him, only for Jimmy to shove her to the floor and exit laughing.

Bessie Pleads Before Heartbreaking Betrayal

The only preserved footage of the Empress of the Blues singing.

Devastated on the floor, Bessie reaches for a bottle and begins singing St. Louis Blues before the scene shifts to a smoky bar.

Bessie Smith Sings the St. Louis Blues

Bessie Smith in her only film appearance, 1929

Sitting at a speakeasy bar, Bessie Smith delivers a haunting rendition of St. Louis Blues with full chorus backing.

Bessie Smith Sings the Original St. Louis Blues

Bessie Smith sings about betrayal and heartbreak as the speakeasy patrons join in a mournful gospel-style response.

That St. Louis Woman With Her Diamond Rings

Speakeasy dance battles in 1929 were wild

Dancer Jimmy Mordecai storms the dance floor with lightning-fast footwork, floor drops, and spins to an ecstatic crowd.

Real 1929 Speakeasy Charleston and Tap Dancing

Jimmy pretends to passionately embrace Bessie at the bar, secretly steals her bankroll, and dances out into the night.

The Coldest Pickpocket in Cinema History

Bessie Smith's legendary 1929 blues finale

Standing alone at a speakeasy bar, Bessie Smith mourns a lost lover as a chorus laments the woman who stole him away, culminating in her unforgettable vocal solo.

Bessie Smith Performs Her Heartbreaking Blues Finale

[00:58] When the Janitor Tries to Stop the Dice Game
[04:30] Bessie Catches Her Man Cheating
[05:28] Bessie Pleads Before Heartbreaking Betrayal
[06:40] Bessie Smith Sings the St. Louis Blues
[07:56] Bessie Smith Sings the Original St. Louis Blues
[09:48] That St. Louis Woman With Her Diamond Rings
[11:41] Real 1929 Speakeasy Charleston and Tap Dancing
[12:49] The Coldest Pickpocket in Cinema History
[14:19] Bessie Smith Performs Her Heartbreaking Blues Finale

Bessie Smith in her only recorded film appearance

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