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Dreamgirls (film)

January 26, 2023

Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name, Dreamgirls is a film à clef, a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and one of its acts, the Supremes.[6] The story follows the history and evolution of American R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit girl group known as "The Dreams" and their manipulative record executive.

Dreamgirls
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBill Condon
Screenplay byBill Condon
Based onDreamgirls
by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen
Produced byLaurence Mark
Starring
CinematographyTobias A. Schliessler
Edited byVirginia Katz
Music byStephen Trask
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • December 4, 2006 (2006-12-04) (Ziegfeld Theatre)
  • December 25, 2006 (2006-12-25) (United States)
Running time
130 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$75–80 million[3][4]
Box office$155.4 million[5]

The film adaptation features an ensemble cast, starring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy with Jennifer Hudson, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson in supporting roles. In addition to the original compositions by composer Henry Krieger and lyricist/librettist Tom Eyen, four new songs, composed by Krieger with various lyricists, were added for the film.[7] The film marks the acting debut of Hudson, a former American Idol contestant.

Dreamgirls debuted in four special road show engagements starting on December 15, 2006, before its nationwide release on December 25, 2006.[8] With a production budget of $80 million, Dreamgirls is one of the most expensive films to feature a predominant African-American starring cast in American film history.[4] Upon its release, the film garnered positive reviews from critics, who particularly praised Condon's direction, the soundtrack, costume design, production design, and performances of the cast (in particular of Hudson, which many deemed a standout performance). The film was a commercial success, grossing over $155 million at the international box office.[5] At the 79th Academy Awards, the film received a leading eight nominations, winning Best Supporting Actress (for Hudson), and Best Sound Mixing. At the 64th Golden Globe Awards, it won three awards, including for the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[9]

Plot

In 1962 Detroit, Michigan, young car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr. meets a Black girl group known as "The Dreamettes", consisting of lead singer Effie White and backup singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson, at an R&B amateur talent show at the Detroit Theatre. Presenting himself as their new manager, he recruits them as backup singers for Chitlin' Circuit R&B star Jimmy "Thunder" Early.

Curtis soon starts his own record label, Rainbow Records, out of his Detroit car dealership, appointing Effie's brother C.C. head songwriter. When their first single "Cadillac Car" fails after white pop group "Dave and the Sweethearts" releases a cover version, Curtis, C.C., and their producer Wayne turn to payola to make "Jimmy Early & The Dreamettes" mainstream pop stars. Offstage, Effie falls in love with Curtis while the married Jimmy does likewise with Lorrell.

Jimmy's manager, Marty Madison, grows weary of Curtis' plans to make his client more pop-friendly and walks out. When Jimmy bombs in front of an all-white Miami Beach supper club audience, Curtis sends him out on the road alone, keeping The Dreamettes behind to headline in his place. He appoints the slimmer, more conventionally attractive Deena as the new lead singer, renaming them "The Dreams". He feels Effie's plus size figure and distinctive, soulful voice will not attract white audiences, (as Deena's voice, although more basic and generic, is more marketable).

Aided by new songs and a new image, Curtis and C.C. transform The Dreams into a top-selling mainstream pop group. By 1965, however, Effie begins acting out, particularly when Curtis' affections also turn towards Deena. He eventually drops Effie, hiring his secretary Michelle Morris to replace her beginning with their 1966 New Year's Eve debut in Las Vegas as "Deena Jones & the Dreams." Though Effie defiantly and desperately appeals to Curtis, he, C.C., and The Dreams abandon her, forging ahead to stardom.

By 1973, Effie has become an impoverished welfare mother living in Detroit with her daughter Magic. To restart her music career, she hires Marty as her manager and begins performing at a local club. Meanwhile, The Dreams have become superstars and Rainbow Records, having moved to Los Angeles is now the biggest pop business in the country. Curtis pitches a film about Cleopatra to star Deena, whom he has also married. However, Deena clandestinely hopes the film will never come to be, pursuing other acting gigs.

The following year, Jimmy has descended into drug addiction due to Curtis' focus on Deena, along with the rejection of the charity single he recorded. During a televised special of Rainbow's tenth anniversary, Jimmy strays off from his soulful act to do an impromptu rap. This is a hit with the audience until Jimmy goes too far and drops his pants. Curtis promptly drops him from the label and Lorrell ends their affair. Sometime later, C.C., who feels Curtis is undermining his songs' artistic merit by making them into disco music, quits the label. Then everyone learns of Jimmy's unexpected death from a heroin overdose, which greatly upsets Lorrell.

Disillusioned by Jimmy's death and Curtis' cold reaction to the news, C.C. reconciles with Effie in Detroit. He writes and produces a comeback single for her, "One Night Only". Just as it's gaining local radio play, Curtis uses payola to force radio stations to play The Dreams' disco cover of the song. The plan falls apart, however, as Deena, angry over how Curtis controls her career, discovers his schemes and contacts Effie, who arrives in Los Angeles with C.C., Marty, and a lawyer.

Deena and Effie reconcile, with Effie telling her that Curtis is Magic's father. They force Curtis to nationally distribute Effie's record to avoid being reported to the FBI. Inspired by Effie's victory and realizing Curtis' true character, Deena leaves him.

By 1975, The Dreams give a farewell performance at the Detroit Theater, inviting Effie for the final song. Towards the end, Curtis notices Magic in the front row, realizing she is his daughter.

Cast

  • Jennifer Hudson as Effie White; inspired by Supremes member Florence Ballard,[10] Effie is a talented yet temperamental singer who suffers when Curtis, the man she loves, replaces her as lead singer of the Dreams and his love interest, and later drops her altogether. With the help of Jimmy's old manager Marty, Effie begins to resurrect her career a decade later, while raising her daughter Magic, the offspring of her union with Curtis.
  • Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor, Jr.; based upon Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr.,[11] Curtis is a slick Cadillac dealer-turned-record executive who founds the Rainbow Records label and shows ruthless ambition in his quest to make his black artists household names with white audiences. At first romantically involved with Effie, Curtis takes a professional and personal interest in Deena after appointing her lead singer of the Dreams in Effie's place.
  • Beyoncé Knowles as Deena Jones; based upon Motown star and lead Supremes member Diana Ross and two former Supremes members Jean Terrell and Scherrie Payne,[10] Deena is a very shy young woman who becomes a star after Curtis makes her lead singer of the Dreams. This, as well as her romantic involvement and later marriage to Curtis, draw Effie's ire, though Deena realizes over time she is a puppet for her controlling husband.
  • Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson; inspired by Supremes member Mary Wilson,[12] is a good-natured background singer with the Dreams who falls deeply in love with the married Jimmy Early and becomes his mistress.
  • Keith Robinson as Clarence Conrad (C.C.) White; inspired by Motown vice president, artist, producer, and songwriter Smokey Robinson,[13] Effie's soft-spoken younger brother serves as the main songwriter for first the Dreams and later the entire Rainbow roster.
  • Eddie Murphy as James (Jimmy) "Thunder" Early; inspired by R&B/soul singers such as James Brown, Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye,[11] is a raucous performer on the Rainbow label engaged in an adulterous affair with Dreams member Lorrell. Curtis attempts to repackage Early as a pop-friendly balladeer. Jimmy's stardom fades as the Dreams' stardom rises, and as a result – he falls into depression (which he copes with through drug abuse).
  • Danny Glover as Marty Madison, Jimmy's original manager before Curtis steps into the picture; Marty serves as both counsel and confidant to Jimmy, and later to Effie as well.
  • Sharon Leal as Michelle Morris; based upon three Supremes members Cindy Birdsong, Lynda Laurence, and Susaye Greene,[14] Curtis' secretary who replaces Effie in the Dreams and begins dating C.C.
  • Hinton Battle as Wayne, a salesman at Curtis' Cadillac dealership who becomes Rainbow's first record producer and Curtis' henchman.
  • Yvette Cason as May, Deena's mother
  • Loretta Devine as Jazz Singer. Devine originated the role of Lorrell in the 1981 stage production.
  • Dawnn Lewis as Melba Early, James' wife
  • John Lithgow as Jerry Harris, a film producer looking to cast Deena
  • John Krasinski as Sam Walsh, Jerry Harris' screenwriter/film director
  • Jaleel White as Talent Booker at the Detroit Theatre talent show
  • Cleo King as Janice
  • Robert Cicchini as Nicky Cassaro
  • Yvette Nicole Brown as Curtis' Secretary
  • Mariah I. Wilson as Magic White, Effie's daughter
  • Paul Kirby as Promo Film Narrator (voice)

Musical numbers

Act I

  1. "I'm Lookin' for Something" – The Step Sisters
  2. "Goin Downtown" – Little Albert & the Tru-Tones
  3. "Takin the Long Way Home" – Tiny Joe Dixon
  4. "Move" – Dreamettes
  5. "Fake Your Way To The Top" – James "Thunder" Early & The Dreamettes
  6. "Cadillac Car" – James Thunder Early & The Dreamettes
  7. "Cadillac Car (Reprise)" – Dave & The Sweethearts
  8. "Steppin To The Bad Side" – Curtis Taylor Jr., Wayne, C.C. White, Jimmy Early & The Dreamettes and Chorus
  9. "Love You I Do" – Effie White
  10. "I Want You Baby" – Jimmy Early & The Dreamettes
  11. "Family" – C.C. White, Effie White, Curtis Taylor Jr., Deena Jones, and Lorrell Robinson
  12. "Dreamgirls" – The Dreams
  13. "Heavy" – The Dreams
  14. "It's All Over" – Effie White, Deena Jones, Curtis Taylor Jr., C.C. White, Lorrell Robinson, and Michelle Morris
  15. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" – Effie White
  16. "Love Love Me Baby" - Deena Jones & The Dreams

Act II

  1. "I'm Somebody" – Deena Jones & the Dreams
  2. "When I First Saw You" – Curtis Taylor Jr.
  3. "Patience" – Jimmy Early, Lorrell Robinson, C.C. White, and Chorus
  4. "I Am Changing" – Effie White
  5. "Perfect World" – The Campbell Connection
  6. "I Meant You No Harm/Jimmy's Rap" – Jimmy Early
  7. "Lorrell Loves Jimmy" – Lorrell Robinson
  8. "Family (Reprise)" – Deena Jones & the Dreams
  9. "Jimmy Don't Crawl" – Jimmy Early (Director's Cut only)
  10. "Step on Over" – Deena Jones & the Dreams
  11. "I Miss You Old Friend" – Jazz Singer (Loretta Devine)
  12. "Effie, Sing My Song" – C.C. White and Effie White (Director's Cut only)[15]
  13. "One Night Only" – Effie White
  14. "One Night Only (Disco)" – Deena Jones & the Dreams
  15. "Listen" – Deena Jones
  16. "Effie White's Gonna Win" - Effie White
  17. "Hard to Say Goodbye" – Deena Jones & the Dreams
  18. "Dreamgirls (Finale)" – The Dreams

Production

Pre-production

In the 1980s and 1990s, several attempts were made to produce a film adaptation of Dreamgirls, a Broadway musical loosely based upon the story of The Supremes and Motown Records, which won six Tony Awards in 1982. David Geffen, the stage musical's co-financier, retained the film rights to Dreamgirls and turned down many offers to adapt the story for the screen. He cited a need to preserve the integrity of Dreamgirls stage director Michael Bennett's work after his death in 1987.[16] That same year, Geffen, who ran his Warner Bros.-associated Geffen Pictures film production company at the time, began talks with Broadway lyricist and producer Howard Ashman to adapt it as a star vehicle for Whitney Houston, who was to portray Deena. The production ran into problems when Houston wanted to sing both Deena and Effie's songs (particularly "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"), and the film was eventually abandoned.[17]

When Geffen co-founded DreamWorks in 1994 and dissolved Geffen Pictures, the rights to Dreamgirls remained with Warner Bros. Warner planned to go ahead with the film with director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Tina Andrews[7] in the late 1990s, following the success of Touchstone Pictures's Tina Turner biopic What's Love Got to Do with It. Schumacher planned to have Lauryn Hill[18] portray Deena and Kelly Price play Effie. After Warner's Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love failed at the box office, the studio shut down development on Dreamgirls.[17]

DreamWorks' Dreamgirls adaptation came about after the film version of the Broadway musical Chicago was a success at both the box office and the Academy Awards. Screenwriter and director Bill Condon, who wrote Chicago's screenplay, met producer Laurence Mark at a Hollywood holiday party in late 2002, where the two discussed a long-held "dream project" of Condon's – adapting Dreamgirls for the screen.[19] The two had dinner with Geffen and successfully convinced him to allow Condon to write a screenplay for Dreamgirls.[20] Condon did not start work on the Dreamgirls script until after making the Alfred Kinsey biographical film Kinsey (2004).[19] After sending Geffen the first draft of his screenplay in January 2005, Condon's adaptation of Dreamgirls was greenlit.[13]

Stage to script changes

While much of the stage musical's story remains intact, a number of significant changes were made. The Dreams' hometown—the setting for much of the action—was moved from Chicago to Detroit, the real-life hometown of The Supremes and Motown Records.[16] The roles of many of the characters were related more closely to their real-life inspirations, following a suggestion by Geffen.[16]

Warner Bros. had retained the film rights to Dreamgirls, and agreed to co-produce with DreamWorks. However, after casting was completed, the film was budgeted at $73 million and Warner backed out of the production. Geffen, taking the role of co-producer, brought Paramount Pictures in to co-finance and release Dreamgirls. During the course of production, Paramount's parent company, Viacom, would purchase DreamWorks, aligning the two studios under one umbrella (and giving the senior studio US distribution rights on behalf of DreamWorks).[16] The completed film had a production budget of $75 million, making Dreamgirls the most expensive film with an all-black starring cast in cinema history.[4]

Casting and rehearsal

Mark and Condon began pre-production with the intentions of casting Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy, both actors with record industry experience, as Curtis Taylor, Jr. and James "Thunder" Early, respectively.[19] When offered the part of Curtis, Foxx initially declined because DreamWorks could not meet his salary demands.[19] Denzel Washington, Will Smith, and Terrence Howard were among the other actors also approached to play Curtis.[21] Murphy, on the other hand, accepted the role of Jimmy Early after being convinced to do so by DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg.[16]

While Condon had intended to cast relatively unknown actresses as all three Dreams,[13] R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles lobbied for the part of Deena Jones,[22] and was cast after a successful screen test.[16] Upon learning that Knowles and Murphy had signed on, Foxx rethought his original decision and accepted the Curtis role at DreamWorks' lower salary.[23]

R&B star Usher was to have been cast as C.C. White,[24] but contract negotiations failed; Usher was unable to dedicate half a year to the project. André 3000 of Outkast was also offered the role, but declined.[25] After briefly considering R&B singer Omarion,[26] singer/actor Keith Robinson was eventually cast in the role.[27]

Anika Noni Rose, a Broadway veteran and a Tony Award winner, won the part of Lorrell Robinson after an extensive auditioning process.[22] Rose, significantly shorter than most of her co-stars at five feet and two inches (157 cm), was required to wear (and dance in) four and five-inch (127 mm) heels for much of the picture, which she later stated caused her discomfort.[23]

The most crucial casting decision involved the role of Effie White, the emotional center of the story.[22] The filmmakers insisted on casting a relative unknown in the role, paralleling the casting of then-21-year-old Jennifer Holliday in that role for the original Broadway production.[22] A total of 783 singing actresses auditioned for the role of Effie White, among them American Idol alumnae Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson, former Disney star Raven-Symoné, and Broadway stars Capathia Jenkins and Patina Miller. Community actress Yvette Nicole Brown was also in the running for the role but was eventually cast as the legal secretary to Foxx’s character.[28] Though Barrino emerged as an early frontrunner for the part,[29] Hudson was eventually selected to play Effie, leading Barrino to telephone Hudson and jokingly complain that Hudson "stole [Barrino's] part."[30][31][32]

Hudson was required to gain twenty pounds for the role,[33] which marked her debut film performance. In casting Hudson, Condon recalled that he initially was not confident he'd made the right decision, but instinctively cast Hudson after she'd auditioned several times because he "just didn't believe any of the others."[34]

After Hudson was cast in November 2005, the Dreamgirls cast began extensive rehearsals with Condon and choreographers Fatima Robinson and Aakomon "AJ" Jones, veterans of the music video industry.[35] Meanwhile, the music production crew began work with the actors and studio musicians recording the songs for the film. Although rehearsals ended just before Christmas 2005, Condon called Hudson back for a week of one-on-one rehearsals, to help her more fully become the "diva" character of Effie. Hudson was required to be rude and come in late both on set and off, and she and Condon went over Effie's lines and scenes throughout the week.[23]

Loretta Devine, who played Lorrell in the original Broadway production, has a cameo as a jazz singer who performs the song "I Miss You Old Friend."[22] Another Dreamgirls veteran present in the film is Hinton Battle, who was a summer replacement for James "Thunder" Early onstage and here portrays Curtis' aide-de-camp Wayne.[22]

Principal photography

Principal photography began January 6, 2006 with the filming of dance footage for the first half of "Steppin' to the Bad Side," footage later deleted from the film.[36] The film was primarily shot on soundstages at the Los Angeles Center Studios and on location in the Los Angeles area, with some second unit footage shot in Detroit, Miami, and New York City.[36] The award-winning Broadway lighting team of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer were brought in to create theatrical lighting techniques for the film's musical numbers.[37]

Beyoncé Knowles elected to lose weight to give the mature Deena Jones of the 1970s a different look than the younger version of the character. By sticking to a highly publicized diet of water, lemons, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper (also known as the Master Cleanse), Knowles rapidly lost twenty pounds, which she gained back once production ended.[38]

Shooting was completed in the early-morning hours of April 8, 2006, after four days were spent shooting Jennifer Hudson's musical number "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", which had purposefully been saved until the end of the shoot.[36] Originally scheduled to be shot in one day, Condon was forced to ask for extra time and money to finish shooting the "And I Am Telling You" scene, as Hudson's voice would give out after four hours of shooting the musical number, and she was unable to plausibly lip-sync while hoarse.[19][34] The scene was felt by everyone involved to be pivotal to the film, as "And I Am Telling You" was Jennifer Holliday's show-stopping number in the original Broadway musical.[19][22]

Music

Main article: Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture
 
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"
Performed by Jennifer Hudson.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Dreamgirls musical supervisors Randy Spendlove and Matt Sullivan hired R&B production team The Underdogs — Harvey Mason, Jr. and Damon Thomas — to restructure and rearrange the Henry Krieger/Tom Eyen Dreamgirls score so that it better reflected its proper time period, yet also reflected then-modern R&B/pop sensibilities.[39] During post-production, composer Stephen Trask was contracted to provide additional score material for the film.[40] Several musical numbers from the Broadway score were not included in the film version, in particular Lorrell's solo "Ain't No Party".[41]

Four new songs were added for the film: "Love You I Do", "Patience", "Perfect World," and "Listen."[39] All of the new songs feature music composed by original Dreamgirls stage composer Henry Krieger. With Tom Eyen having died in 1991,[7] various lyricists were brought in by Krieger to co-author the new songs. "Love You I Do," with lyrics by Siedah Garrett, is performed in the film by Effie during a rehearsal at the Rainbow Records studio.[7] Willie Reale wrote the lyrics for "Patience," a song performed in the film by Jimmy, Lorrell, C.C., and a gospel choir, as the characters attempt to record a message song for Jimmy.[7] "Perfect World," also featuring lyrics by Garrett, is performed during the Rainbow 10th anniversary special sequence by Jackson 5 doppelgängers The Campbell Connection.[7] "Listen", with additional music by Scott Cutler and Beyoncé, and lyrics by Anne Preven, is presented as a defining moment for Deena's character late in the film.[7]

After preview screenings during the summer of 2006, several minutes worth of musical footage were deleted from the film due to negative audience reactions to the amount of music.[42] Among this footage was one whole musical number, C.C. and Effie's sung reunion "Effie, Sing My Song", which was replaced with an alternative spoken version.[15][42]

The Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album was released on December 5 by Music World Entertainment/Columbia Records, in both a single-disc version containing highlights and a double-disc "Deluxe Version" containing all of the film's songs. The single-disc version of the soundtrack peaked at number-one on the Billboard 200 during a slow sales week in early January 2007.[43] "Listen" was the first official single from the soundtrack, supported by a music video featuring Beyoncé. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" was the Dreamgirls soundtrack's second single. Though a music video with all-original footage was once planned,[44] the video eventually released for "And I Am Telling You" comprised the entire corresponding scene in the actual film.

Release

 
Beyoncé Knowles at the premiere of Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls premiered on December 4, 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, where it received a standing ovation.[45] The film's Los Angeles premiere was held on December 11 at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills.[46]

Similar to the releases of older Hollywood musicals such as The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story, Dreamgirls debuted with three special ten-day roadshow engagements beginning on December 15, 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, and the AMC Metreon 15 in San Francisco.[8] Tickets for the reserved seats were $25 each; the premium price included a forty-eight page full-color program and a limited-print lithograph.[8] This release made Dreamgirls the first American feature film to have a roadshow release since Man of La Mancha in 1972.[8] Dreamgirls earned a total of $851,664 from the roadshow engagements, playing to sold-out houses on the weekends.[5][47][48] The film's national release, at regular prices, began on December 25. Outside of the U.S., Dreamgirls opened in Australia on January 18, and in the United Kingdom on February 2. Releases in other countries began on various dates between January and early March. Dreamgirls eventually grossed $103 million in North America, and almost $155 million worldwide.[5]

DreamWorks Home Entertainment released Dreamgirls to home video on May 1, 2007[49] in DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray formats. The DVD version was issued in two editions: a one-disc standard version and a two-disc "Showstopper Edition". The two-disc version also included a feature-length production documentary, production featurettes, screen tests, animatics, and other previsualization materials and artwork.[49] Both DVD versions featured alternative and extended versions of the musical numbers from the film as extras, including the "Effie, Sing My Song" scene deleted during previews. Both the Blu-ray and HD DVD versions were issued in two-disc formats. Dreamgirls was the first DreamWorks film to be issued in a high definition home entertainment format.[50] As of 2017, total domestic video sales to date are at $95.1 million.[51]

A "Director's Extended Edition" of Dreamgirls was released on Blu-ray and Digital HD on October 10, 2017 by Paramount Home Media Distribution.[42][52] This version, based on edits done for preview screenings before the film's release, runs ten minutes longer than the theatrical version and features longer musical numbers (including songs and verses cut during previews) and additional scenes.[53]

Reception

Critical response

 
Jennifer Hudson's acting debut as Effie White garnered widespread critical acclaim, winning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 79% based on 206 reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The site's critics consensus states: "Dreamgirls' simple characters and plot hardly detract from the movie's real feats: the electrifying performances and the dazzling musical numbers."[54] Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 rating, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[55] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[56]

Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave the film three and a half stars (out of four) and the number-two position on his "best of 2006" list, stating that "despite transitional bumps, Condon does Dreamgirls proud".[57][58] David Rooney of Variety reported that the film featured "tremendously exciting musical sequences" and that "after The Phantom of the Opera, Rent and The Producers botched the transfer from stage to screen, Dreamgirls gets it right."[59]

On the December 10, 2006 episode of the television show Ebert & Roeper, Richard Roeper and guest critic Aisha Tyler (filling in for Roger Ebert, who was recovering from cancer-related surgery) gave the film "two thumbs up", with Roeper's reservations that it was "a little short on heart and soul" and "deeply conventional".[60] Roeper still enjoyed the film, noting that Jennifer Hudson's rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" as the "show-stopping moment of any film of 2006" and very much enjoyed Murphy's performance as well, remarking that "people are going to love this film."[60] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter was less enthusiastic, stating that while the film was "a damn good commercial movie, it is not the film that will revive the musical or win over the world".[61] Ed Gonzales of Slant magazine found the entire picture too glossy, and declared that "the film doesn't care to articulate the emotions that haunt its characters".[62] University of Sydney academic Timothy Laurie was critical of the film's social message, noting that "the worthy receive just desserts by working even harder for the industries that marginalise them".[63]

Many reviews, regardless of their overall opinion of the film, cited Hudson's and Murphy's performances as standouts, with Travers proclaiming Murphy's performance of "Jimmy's Rap" as "his finest screen moment."[57] Television host Oprah Winfrey saw the film during a November 15 press screening, and telephoned Hudson on the Oprah episode airing the next day, praising her performance as "a religious experience" and "a transcendent performance."[64] A review for The Celebrity Cafe echoes that Hudson's voice "is like nothing we’ve heard in a long time, and her acting is a great match for that power-house sound."[65]

Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role of Effie onstage, expressed her disappointment at not being involved in the film project in several TV, radio, and print interviews.[66] Holliday in particular objected to the fact that her 1982 recording of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" was used in an early Dreamgirls film teaser trailer created before production began. Many of the other original Dreamgirls Broadway cast members, among them Obba Babatundé, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Cleavant Derricks, were interviewed for a Jet magazine article in which they discussed their varying opinions of both the Dreamgirls film's script and production.[67]

Accolades

DreamWorks and Paramount began a significant awards campaign for Dreamgirls while the film was still in production. In February 2006, the press was invited on set to a special live event showcasing the making of the film, including a live performance of "Steppin' to the Bad Side" by the cast.[68] Three months later, twenty minutes of the film — specifically, the musical sequences "Fake Your Way to the Top", "Family", "When I First Saw You", and "Dreamgirls" – were screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, with most of the cast and crew in attendance.[69][70] The resulting positive buzz earned Dreamgirls the status of "front-runner" for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture and several of the other Oscars as well.[71]

Following the success of the Cannes screening, DreamWorks and Paramount began a widespread "For Your Consideration" advertisement campaign, raising several eyebrows by demoting Jennifer Hudson to consideration for Best Supporting Actress and presenting Beyoncé Knowles as the sole Best Actress candidate, as opposed to having both compete for Best Actress awards. By contrast, the actresses who originated Hudson's and Knowles' roles on Broadway, Jennifer Holliday and Sheryl Lee Ralph, respectively, were both nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress, with Holliday winning the award.[31] The presentation of Knowles over Hudson as the sole Best Actress candidate had interesting parallels with the film itself.[31]

Dreamgirls received eight 2007 Academy Award nominations covering six categories, the most of any film for the year, although it was not nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, or either of the lead acting categories. The film's nominations included Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson), Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Sound Mixing, and three nominations for Best Song ("Listen", "Love You I Do", and "Patience"). Dreamgirls is the first live-action film to receive three nominations for Best Song; previously the Disney animated features Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994) had each received three Academy Award nominations for Best Song; Enchanted (2007) has since repeated the feat.[72]

In addition, Dreamgirls was the first film in Academy Award history to receive the highest number of nominations for the year, yet not be nominated for Best Picture.[73] The film's failure to gain a Best Picture or Best Director nod was widely viewed by the entertainment press as a "snub" by the Academy.[74] Some journalists registered shock,[75] while others cited a "backlash".[76] On the other hand, director Bill Condon stated that "I think academy members just liked the other movies better"[77] and that he believed that "we were never going to win even if we were nominated."[77] Reports emerged of significant behind-the-scenes in-fighting between the DreamWorks and Paramount camps, in particular between DreamWorks' David Geffen and Paramount CEO Brad Grey, over decision making and credit-claiming during the Dreamgirls awards campaign.[78]

At the Academy Awards ceremony on February 25, 2007, Dreamgirls won Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Sound Mixing. As such, Hudson became one of the few actresses ever to win an Oscar for a film debut performance. In what was considered an upset, Murphy lost the Best Supporting Actor award to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine. Knowles, Hudson, Rose, and Robinson performed a medley of the three Dreamgirls songs nominated for Best Original Song, although all three songs lost the award to "I Need to Wake Up" from An Inconvenient Truth.[79]

For the 2007 Golden Globe Awards, Dreamgirls was nominated in five categories: Best Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical (Beyoncé Knowles), Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson), and Best Original Song ("Listen"). The film won the awards for Best Picture — Comedy or Musical, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.[9] Dreamgirls received eight NAACP Image Award nominations, winning for Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Outstanding Album (the soundtrack LP).[80] It was also named as one of the American Film Institute's top ten films of 2006.

Dreamgirls also garnered Screen Actors Guild Awards for Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Supporting Actor (Eddie Murphy), as well as a nomination for its ensemble cast.[81] The film was also nominated by the Producers Guild of America for Best Picture and the Directors Guild of America for Bill Condon's directing. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts gave the film awards for Supporting Actress (Jennifer Hudson) and Music (Henry Krieger).

Furthermore, Dreamgirls was nominated for eleven 2007 International Press Academy Satellite Awards, and won four of the awards: Best Picture — Comedy or Musical, Best Director (Bill Condon), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jennifer Hudson), and Best Sound (Mixing & Editing).[82] Dreamgirls also received a record eleven Black Reel Award nominations, and won six of the awards, among them Best Film.[83] At the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony, "Love You I Do" won the award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.[84] The Dreamgirls soundtrack was also nominated for the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album.[84]

For the opening performance at the 2007 BET Awards on June 26 of that year, Hudson performed a duet of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" with her predecessor, Jennifer Holliday. Later that night, Hudson won the BET Award for Best Actress.[85]

In February 2022, Hudson's rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" was named one of the five finalists for Oscars Cheer Moment as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' "Oscars Fan Favorite" contest, finishing in fourth place.[86][87]

Award Year Category Recipient Result
Academy Awards[88] 2007 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Art Direction John Myhre
Nancy Haigh 		Nominated
Best Costume Design Sharen Davis Nominated
Best Original Song "Listen" (Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven) Nominated
"Love You I Do" (Henry Krieger, Siedah Garrett) Nominated
"Patience" (Henry Krieger, Willie Reale) Nominated
Best Sound Mixing Michael Minkler
Bob Beemer
Willie D. Burton 		Won
African-American Film Critics Association Awards 2006 Best Picture Won
Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Won
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Director Bill Condon Won
American Cinema Editors Awards[89] 2007 Best Edited Comedy or Musical Feature Virginia Katz Won
Art Directors Guild Awards[89] 2006 Best Art Direction — Period Film John Myhre Nominated
American Film Institute Awards 2006 Top Ten Movies of the Year Won
Asian Excellence Awards 2006 Best Supporting Film Actress Sharon Leal Nominated
Austin Film Critics Awards[89] 2006 Breakthrough Artist Jennifer Hudson Won
British Academy Film Awards[90] 2007 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Film Music Henry Krieger Nominated
BET Awards 2007 BET Award for Best Actor Eddie Murphy Nominated
Jamie Foxx Nominated
BET Award for Best Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Black Reel Awards[83] 2006 Best Film Won
Best Actor Jamie Foxx Nominated
Best Actress Beyoncé Knowles Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Breakthrough Performance Won
Best Original Score Harvey Mason, Jr.
Damon Thomas 		Won
Best Original Soundtrack Henry Krieger Won
Best Original Song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (performed by Jennifer Hudson) Won
"Listen" (performed by Beyoncé Knowles) Nominated
"One Night Only" (performed by Jennifer Hudson) Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association[91] 2007 Best Picture Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Won
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
Best Director Bill Condon Nominated
Best Original Song "Listen" (Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler, Beyoncé) Won
Best Original Soundtrack Won
Chicago Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Nominated
Costume Designers Guild Awards[89] 2006 Best Costumes in a Period Film Sharen Davis Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards[89] 2006 Best Picture Nominated
Directors Guild of America[89] 2006 Best Director Bill Condon Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[9] 2007 Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Beyoncé Knowles Nominated
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Eddie Murphy Won
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Original Song "Listen" (Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler, Beyoncé) Nominated
Grammy Awards[84] 2008 Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or Television Nominated
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television "Love You I Do" (Henry Krieger, Siedah Garrett) Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actress (Runner-up) Jennifer Hudson Won
Las Vegas Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Picture Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
MTV Movie Awards 2007 Best Performance Jennifer Hudson Nominated
Beyoncé Knowles Nominated
NAACP Image Awards[80] 2007 Outstanding Motion Picture Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Jamie Foxx Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Beyoncé Knowles Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Danny Glover Nominated
Eddie Murphy Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson Won
Anika Noni Rose Nominated
Outstanding Album Won
National Board of Review of Motion Pictures[89] 2006 Breakthrough Performance by an Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
New York Film Critics Online Awards[89] 2006 Best Breakthrough Performance Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
New York Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Runner-up
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards[89] 2006 Breakout Performance Jennifer Hudson Won
Online Film Critics Society Awards[89] 2007 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Nominated
Breakthrough Performance Jennifer Hudson Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Use of Music Won
Breakout Performance of the Year — On Screen Jennifer Hudson Won
Producers Guild of America Awards[89] 2006 Best Theatrical Motion Picture Laurence Mark Nominated
Satellite Awards[82] 2006 Best Film – Musical or Comedy Won
Best Director Bill Condon Won
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Beyoncé Knowles Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson Won
Best Adapted Screenplay Bill Condon Nominated
Best Original Song "Love You I Do" (Henry Krieger, Siedah Garrett) Nominated
"Listen" (Henry Krieger, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler, Beyoncé Knowles) Nominated
Best Editing Virginia Katz Nominated
Best Sound (Editing and Mixing) Willie Burton
Michael Minkler
Bob Beemer
Richard E. Yawn 		Won
Best Art Direction and Production Design John Myhre
Tomas Voth
Nancy Haigh 		Nominated
Best Costume Design Sharen Davis Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards[81] 2006 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Hinton Battle, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé Knowles, Sharon Leal, Eddie Murphy, Keith Robinson, Anika Noni Rose Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson Won
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Eddie Murphy Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Toronto Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards[89] 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Won
Women Film Critics Circle[89] 2006 Best Music Won

Related promotions and products

To give the story more exposure for the upcoming film release, DreamWorks and the licenser of the original play, The Tams-Witmark Music Library, announced that they would pay the licensing fees for all non-professional stage performances of Dreamgirls for the calendar year of 2006. DreamWorks hoped to encourage amateur productions of Dreamgirls, and familiarize a wider audience with the play. As a result, more than fifty high schools, colleges, community theaters, and other non-commercial theater entities staged productions of Dreamgirls in 2006, and DreamWorks spent up to $250,000 subsidizing the licensing.[92]

The Dreamgirls novelization was written by African-American novelist Denene Millner, and adapts the film's official script in chapter form, along with fourteen pages of photographs from the film. The book was released on October 31, 2006.[citation needed] A scrapbook, entitled Dreamgirls: The Movie Musical, was released on March 27, 2007. The limited edition program guide accompanying the Dreamgirls road show release was made available for retail purchase in February.[citation needed] In addition, the Tonnor Doll Company released "The Dreamettes" collection, featuring dolls of the characters Deena, Lorrell, and Effie, to coincide with the release of the film.[citation needed]

Allusions to actual events

Aside from the overall plot of the film and elements already present in the stage musical, many direct references to The Supremes, Motown, or R&B/soul history in general are included in the film. In one scene, Effie saunters into Curtis' office and discusses Rainbow Records' latest LP, The Great March to Freedom, a spoken word album featuring speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. This LP is an authentic Motown release, issued as Gordy 906 in June 1963.[93][94] A later scene features Curtis and the Dreams recording in the studio, while a riot rages outside. By comparison, Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio remained open and active during Detroit's 12th Street Riot in July 1967.[95][96] The photo shoot montage which accompanies "When I First Saw You", as well as the subplot of Deena being forced to star in Curtis' Cleopatra film against her will, reflect both scenes from and the production of Mahogany, a 1975 Motown film starring Diana Ross and directed by Motown CEO Berry Gordy.[97] In a snapshot, Ed Sullivan appears presenting the real Supremes on his show.

Among the more direct references are the uses of adapted Supremes album cover designs for albums recorded in the film by the Dreams. Three Supremes albums – Let the Sunshine In, Cream of the Crop, and Touch – were reworked into Deena Jones & The Dreams album designs, with the only differences in the designs being the substitution of the names and images of the Supremes with those of Deena Jones & the Dreams. Another Dreams LP seen in the film, Meet the Dreams, is represented by an album cover derived from the designs for the Supremes LPs Meet The Supremes, More Hits by The Supremes and The Supremes A' Go-Go.[98] There is also a solo album, Just In Time, recorded by Deena Jones shown in the film, the album cover for which is based on Dionne Warwick's 1970 album, Very Dionne.

Diana Ross, long a critic of the Broadway version of Dreamgirls for what she saw as an appropriation of her life story,[99] denied having seen the film version.[100] On the other hand, Mary Wilson attended the film's Los Angeles premiere, later stating that Dreamgirls moved her to tears and that it was "closer to the truth than they even know".[101]

However, Smokey Robinson was less than pleased about the film's allusions to Motown history. In a January 25, 2007 interview with NPR, Robinson expressed offense at the film's portrayal of its Berry Gordy analogue, Curtis Taylor Jr., as a "villainous character" who deals in payola and other illegal activities.[102] He repeated these concerns in a later interview with Access Hollywood, adding that he felt DreamWorks and Paramount owed Gordy an apology.[103] On February 23, a week before the Oscars ceremony, DreamWorks and Paramount issued an apology to Gordy and the other Motown alumni.[104] Gordy issued a statement shortly afterwards expressing his acceptance of the apology.[104]

The payola scheme used in the film's script, to which Robinson took offense, is identical to the payola scheme allegedly used by Gordy and the other Motown executives, according to sworn court depositions from Motown executive Michael Lushka, offered during the litigation between the label and its chief creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland.[105][106] Several references are also made to Mafia-backed loans Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records.[107] Gordy was highly suspected, though never proven, to have used Mafia-backed loans to finance Motown during its later years.[108]

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  105. ^ Condon, Bill (2006). Dreamgirls (Screenplay). New York: Newmarket Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-55704-745-8.
  106. ^ Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Random House. pp. 216–222. ISBN 978-0-375-50062-6.
  107. ^ Condon, Bill (2006). Dreamgirls (Screenplay). New York: Newmarket Press. pp. 93, 109.
  108. ^ Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Random House. pp. 199–203. ISBN 978-0-375-50062-6.

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January 26, 2023
dreamgirls, film, dreamgirls, 2006, american, musical, drama, film, written, directed, bill, condon, jointly, produced, released, dreamworks, pictures, paramount, pictures, adapted, from, 1981, broadway, musical, same, name, dreamgirls, film, clef, work, ficti. Dreamgirls is a 2006 American musical drama film written and directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name Dreamgirls is a film a clef a work of fiction taking strong inspiration from the history of the Motown record label and one of its acts the Supremes 6 The story follows the history and evolution of American R amp B music during the 1960s and 1970s through the eyes of a Detroit girl group known as The Dreams and their manipulative record executive DreamgirlsTheatrical release posterDirected byBill CondonScreenplay byBill CondonBased onDreamgirlsby Henry Krieger and Tom EyenProduced byLaurence MarkStarringJamie Foxx Beyonce Knowles Eddie Murphy Danny Glover Anika Noni Rose Keith Robinson Jennifer HudsonCinematographyTobias A SchliesslerEdited byVirginia KatzMusic byStephen TraskProductioncompaniesDreamWorks Pictures 1 Paramount Pictures 1 Distributed byDreamWorks Pictures 1 Paramount Pictures 1 Release datesDecember 4 2006 2006 12 04 Ziegfeld Theatre December 25 2006 2006 12 25 United States Running time130 minutes 2 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget 75 80 million 3 4 Box office 155 4 million 5 The film adaptation features an ensemble cast starring Jamie Foxx Beyonce Knowles and Eddie Murphy with Jennifer Hudson Danny Glover Anika Noni Rose and Keith Robinson in supporting roles In addition to the original compositions by composer Henry Krieger and lyricist librettist Tom Eyen four new songs composed by Krieger with various lyricists were added for the film 7 The film marks the acting debut of Hudson a former American Idol contestant Dreamgirls debuted in four special road show engagements starting on December 15 2006 before its nationwide release on December 25 2006 8 With a production budget of 80 million Dreamgirls is one of the most expensive films to feature a predominant African American starring cast in American film history 4 Upon its release the film garnered positive reviews from critics who particularly praised Condon s direction the soundtrack costume design production design and performances of the cast in particular of Hudson which many deemed a standout performance The film was a commercial success grossing over 155 million at the international box office 5 At the 79th Academy Awards the film received a leading eight nominations winning Best Supporting Actress for Hudson and Best Sound Mixing At the 64th Golden Globe Awards it won three awards including for the Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy 9 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Musical numbers 3 1 Act I 3 2 Act II 4 Production 4 1 Pre production 4 2 Stage to script changes 4 3 Casting and rehearsal 4 4 Principal photography 4 5 Music 5 Release 6 Reception 6 1 Critical response 7 Accolades 8 Related promotions and products 9 Allusions to actual events 10 References 11 External linksPlot EditIn 1962 Detroit Michigan young car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr meets a Black girl group known as The Dreamettes consisting of lead singer Effie White and backup singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson at an R amp B amateur talent show at the Detroit Theatre Presenting himself as their new manager he recruits them as backup singers for Chitlin Circuit R amp B star Jimmy Thunder Early Curtis soon starts his own record label Rainbow Records out of his Detroit car dealership appointing Effie s brother C C head songwriter When their first single Cadillac Car fails after white pop group Dave and the Sweethearts releases a cover version Curtis C C and their producer Wayne turn to payola to make Jimmy Early amp The Dreamettes mainstream pop stars Offstage Effie falls in love with Curtis while the married Jimmy does likewise with Lorrell Jimmy s manager Marty Madison grows weary of Curtis plans to make his client more pop friendly and walks out When Jimmy bombs in front of an all white Miami Beach supper club audience Curtis sends him out on the road alone keeping The Dreamettes behind to headline in his place He appoints the slimmer more conventionally attractive Deena as the new lead singer renaming them The Dreams He feels Effie s plus size figure and distinctive soulful voice will not attract white audiences as Deena s voice although more basic and generic is more marketable Aided by new songs and a new image Curtis and C C transform The Dreams into a top selling mainstream pop group By 1965 however Effie begins acting out particularly when Curtis affections also turn towards Deena He eventually drops Effie hiring his secretary Michelle Morris to replace her beginning with their 1966 New Year s Eve debut in Las Vegas as Deena Jones amp the Dreams Though Effie defiantly and desperately appeals to Curtis he C C and The Dreams abandon her forging ahead to stardom By 1973 Effie has become an impoverished welfare mother living in Detroit with her daughter Magic To restart her music career she hires Marty as her manager and begins performing at a local club Meanwhile The Dreams have become superstars and Rainbow Records having moved to Los Angeles is now the biggest pop business in the country Curtis pitches a film about Cleopatra to star Deena whom he has also married However Deena clandestinely hopes the film will never come to be pursuing other acting gigs The following year Jimmy has descended into drug addiction due to Curtis focus on Deena along with the rejection of the charity single he recorded During a televised special of Rainbow s tenth anniversary Jimmy strays off from his soulful act to do an impromptu rap This is a hit with the audience until Jimmy goes too far and drops his pants Curtis promptly drops him from the label and Lorrell ends their affair Sometime later C C who feels Curtis is undermining his songs artistic merit by making them into disco music quits the label Then everyone learns of Jimmy s unexpected death from a heroin overdose which greatly upsets Lorrell Disillusioned by Jimmy s death and Curtis cold reaction to the news C C reconciles with Effie in Detroit He writes and produces a comeback single for her One Night Only Just as it s gaining local radio play Curtis uses payola to force radio stations to play The Dreams disco cover of the song The plan falls apart however as Deena angry over how Curtis controls her career discovers his schemes and contacts Effie who arrives in Los Angeles with C C Marty and a lawyer Deena and Effie reconcile with Effie telling her that Curtis is Magic s father They force Curtis to nationally distribute Effie s record to avoid being reported to the FBI Inspired by Effie s victory and realizing Curtis true character Deena leaves him By 1975 The Dreams give a farewell performance at the Detroit Theater inviting Effie for the final song Towards the end Curtis notices Magic in the front row realizing she is his daughter Cast EditJennifer Hudson as Effie White inspired by Supremes member Florence Ballard 10 Effie is a talented yet temperamental singer who suffers when Curtis the man she loves replaces her as lead singer of the Dreams and his love interest and later drops her altogether With the help of Jimmy s old manager Marty Effie begins to resurrect her career a decade later while raising her daughter Magic the offspring of her union with Curtis Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor Jr based upon Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr 11 Curtis is a slick Cadillac dealer turned record executive who founds the Rainbow Records label and shows ruthless ambition in his quest to make his black artists household names with white audiences At first romantically involved with Effie Curtis takes a professional and personal interest in Deena after appointing her lead singer of the Dreams in Effie s place Beyonce Knowles as Deena Jones based upon Motown star and lead Supremes member Diana Ross and two former Supremes members Jean Terrell and Scherrie Payne 10 Deena is a very shy young woman who becomes a star after Curtis makes her lead singer of the Dreams This as well as her romantic involvement and later marriage to Curtis draw Effie s ire though Deena realizes over time she is a puppet for her controlling husband Anika Noni Rose as Lorrell Robinson inspired by Supremes member Mary Wilson 12 is a good natured background singer with the Dreams who falls deeply in love with the married Jimmy Early and becomes his mistress Keith Robinson as Clarence Conrad C C White inspired by Motown vice president artist producer and songwriter Smokey Robinson 13 Effie s soft spoken younger brother serves as the main songwriter for first the Dreams and later the entire Rainbow roster Eddie Murphy as James Jimmy Thunder Early inspired by R amp B soul singers such as James Brown Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye 11 is a raucous performer on the Rainbow label engaged in an adulterous affair with Dreams member Lorrell Curtis attempts to repackage Early as a pop friendly balladeer Jimmy s stardom fades as the Dreams stardom rises and as a result he falls into depression which he copes with through drug abuse Danny Glover as Marty Madison Jimmy s original manager before Curtis steps into the picture Marty serves as both counsel and confidant to Jimmy and later to Effie as well Sharon Leal as Michelle Morris based upon three Supremes members Cindy Birdsong Lynda Laurence and Susaye Greene 14 Curtis secretary who replaces Effie in the Dreams and begins dating C C Hinton Battle as Wayne a salesman at Curtis Cadillac dealership who becomes Rainbow s first record producer and Curtis henchman Yvette Cason as May Deena s mother Loretta Devine as Jazz Singer Devine originated the role of Lorrell in the 1981 stage production Dawnn Lewis as Melba Early James wife John Lithgow as Jerry Harris a film producer looking to cast Deena John Krasinski as Sam Walsh Jerry Harris screenwriter film director Jaleel White as Talent Booker at the Detroit Theatre talent show Cleo King as Janice Robert Cicchini as Nicky Cassaro Yvette Nicole Brown as Curtis Secretary Mariah I Wilson as Magic White Effie s daughter Paul Kirby as Promo Film Narrator voice Musical numbers EditAct I Edit I m Lookin for Something The Step Sisters Goin Downtown Little Albert amp the Tru Tones Takin the Long Way Home Tiny Joe Dixon Move Dreamettes Fake Your Way To The Top James Thunder Early amp The Dreamettes Cadillac Car James Thunder Early amp The Dreamettes Cadillac Car Reprise Dave amp The Sweethearts Steppin To The Bad Side Curtis Taylor Jr Wayne C C White Jimmy Early amp The Dreamettes and Chorus Love You I Do Effie White I Want You Baby Jimmy Early amp The Dreamettes Family C C White Effie White Curtis Taylor Jr Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson Dreamgirls The Dreams Heavy The Dreams It s All Over Effie White Deena Jones Curtis Taylor Jr C C White Lorrell Robinson and Michelle Morris And I Am Telling You I m Not Going Effie White Love Love Me Baby Deena Jones amp The Dreams Act II Edit I m Somebody Deena Jones amp the Dreams When I First Saw You Curtis Taylor Jr Patience Jimmy Early Lorrell Robinson C C White and Chorus I Am Changing Effie White Perfect World The Campbell Connection I Meant You No Harm Jimmy s Rap Jimmy Early Lorrell Loves Jimmy Lorrell Robinson Family Reprise Deena Jones amp the Dreams Jimmy Don t Crawl Jimmy Early Director s Cut only Step on Over Deena Jones amp the Dreams I Miss You Old Friend Jazz Singer Loretta Devine Effie Sing My Song C C White and Effie White Director s Cut only 15 One Night Only Effie White One Night Only Disco Deena Jones amp the Dreams Listen Deena Jones Effie White s Gonna Win Effie White Hard to Say Goodbye Deena Jones amp the Dreams Dreamgirls Finale The DreamsProduction EditPre production Edit In the 1980s and 1990s several attempts were made to produce a film adaptation of Dreamgirls a Broadway musical loosely based upon the story of The Supremes and Motown Records which won six Tony Awards in 1982 David Geffen the stage musical s co financier retained the film rights to Dreamgirls and turned down many offers to adapt the story for the screen He cited a need to preserve the integrity of Dreamgirls stage director Michael Bennett s work after his death in 1987 16 That same year Geffen who ran his Warner Bros associated Geffen Pictures film production company at the time began talks with Broadway lyricist and producer Howard Ashman to adapt it as a star vehicle for Whitney Houston who was to portray Deena The production ran into problems when Houston wanted to sing both Deena and Effie s songs particularly And I Am Telling You I m Not Going and the film was eventually abandoned 17 When Geffen co founded DreamWorks in 1994 and dissolved Geffen Pictures the rights to Dreamgirls remained with Warner Bros Warner planned to go ahead with the film with director Joel Schumacher and screenwriter Tina Andrews 7 in the late 1990s following the success of Touchstone Pictures s Tina Turner biopic What s Love Got to Do with It Schumacher planned to have Lauryn Hill 18 portray Deena and Kelly Price play Effie After Warner s Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love failed at the box office the studio shut down development on Dreamgirls 17 DreamWorks Dreamgirls adaptation came about after the film version of the Broadway musical Chicago was a success at both the box office and the Academy Awards Screenwriter and director Bill Condon who wrote Chicago s screenplay met producer Laurence Mark at a Hollywood holiday party in late 2002 where the two discussed a long held dream project of Condon s adapting Dreamgirls for the screen 19 The two had dinner with Geffen and successfully convinced him to allow Condon to write a screenplay for Dreamgirls 20 Condon did not start work on the Dreamgirls script until after making the Alfred Kinsey biographical film Kinsey 2004 19 After sending Geffen the first draft of his screenplay in January 2005 Condon s adaptation of Dreamgirls was greenlit 13 Stage to script changes Edit While much of the stage musical s story remains intact a number of significant changes were made The Dreams hometown the setting for much of the action was moved from Chicago to Detroit the real life hometown of The Supremes and Motown Records 16 The roles of many of the characters were related more closely to their real life inspirations following a suggestion by Geffen 16 Warner Bros had retained the film rights to Dreamgirls and agreed to co produce with DreamWorks However after casting was completed the film was budgeted at 73 million and Warner backed out of the production Geffen taking the role of co producer brought Paramount Pictures in to co finance and release Dreamgirls During the course of production Paramount s parent company Viacom would purchase DreamWorks aligning the two studios under one umbrella and giving the senior studio US distribution rights on behalf of DreamWorks 16 The completed film had a production budget of 75 million making Dreamgirls the most expensive film with an all black starring cast in cinema history 4 Casting and rehearsal Edit Mark and Condon began pre production with the intentions of casting Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy both actors with record industry experience as Curtis Taylor Jr and James Thunder Early respectively 19 When offered the part of Curtis Foxx initially declined because DreamWorks could not meet his salary demands 19 Denzel Washington Will Smith and Terrence Howard were among the other actors also approached to play Curtis 21 Murphy on the other hand accepted the role of Jimmy Early after being convinced to do so by DreamWorks co founder Jeffrey Katzenberg 16 While Condon had intended to cast relatively unknown actresses as all three Dreams 13 R amp B singer Beyonce Knowles lobbied for the part of Deena Jones 22 and was cast after a successful screen test 16 Upon learning that Knowles and Murphy had signed on Foxx rethought his original decision and accepted the Curtis role at DreamWorks lower salary 23 R amp B star Usher was to have been cast as C C White 24 but contract negotiations failed Usher was unable to dedicate half a year to the project Andre 3000 of Outkast was also offered the role but declined 25 After briefly considering R amp B singer Omarion 26 singer actor Keith Robinson was eventually cast in the role 27 Anika Noni Rose a Broadway veteran and a Tony Award winner won the part of Lorrell Robinson after an extensive auditioning process 22 Rose significantly shorter than most of her co stars at five feet and two inches 157 cm was required to wear and dance in four and five inch 127 mm heels for much of the picture which she later stated caused her discomfort 23 The most crucial casting decision involved the role of Effie White the emotional center of the story 22 The filmmakers insisted on casting a relative unknown in the role paralleling the casting of then 21 year old Jennifer Holliday in that role for the original Broadway production 22 A total of 783 singing actresses auditioned for the role of Effie White among them American Idol alumnae Fantasia Barrino and Jennifer Hudson former Disney star Raven Symone and Broadway stars Capathia Jenkins and Patina Miller Community actress Yvette Nicole Brown was also in the running for the role but was eventually cast as the legal secretary to Foxx s character 28 Though Barrino emerged as an early frontrunner for the part 29 Hudson was eventually selected to play Effie leading Barrino to telephone Hudson and jokingly complain that Hudson stole Barrino s part 30 31 32 Hudson was required to gain twenty pounds for the role 33 which marked her debut film performance In casting Hudson Condon recalled that he initially was not confident he d made the right decision but instinctively cast Hudson after she d auditioned several times because he just didn t believe any of the others 34 After Hudson was cast in November 2005 the Dreamgirls cast began extensive rehearsals with Condon and choreographers Fatima Robinson and Aakomon AJ Jones veterans of the music video industry 35 Meanwhile the music production crew began work with the actors and studio musicians recording the songs for the film Although rehearsals ended just before Christmas 2005 Condon called Hudson back for a week of one on one rehearsals to help her more fully become the diva character of Effie Hudson was required to be rude and come in late both on set and off and she and Condon went over Effie s lines and scenes throughout the week 23 Loretta Devine who played Lorrell in the original Broadway production has a cameo as a jazz singer who performs the song I Miss You Old Friend 22 Another Dreamgirls veteran present in the film is Hinton Battle who was a summer replacement for James Thunder Early onstage and here portrays Curtis aide de camp Wayne 22 Principal photography Edit Principal photography began January 6 2006 with the filming of dance footage for the first half of Steppin to the Bad Side footage later deleted from the film 36 The film was primarily shot on soundstages at the Los Angeles Center Studios and on location in the Los Angeles area with some second unit footage shot in Detroit Miami and New York City 36 The award winning Broadway lighting team of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer were brought in to create theatrical lighting techniques for the film s musical numbers 37 Beyonce Knowles elected to lose weight to give the mature Deena Jones of the 1970s a different look than the younger version of the character By sticking to a highly publicized diet of water lemons maple syrup and cayenne pepper also known as the Master Cleanse Knowles rapidly lost twenty pounds which she gained back once production ended 38 Shooting was completed in the early morning hours of April 8 2006 after four days were spent shooting Jennifer Hudson s musical number And I Am Telling You I m Not Going which had purposefully been saved until the end of the shoot 36 Originally scheduled to be shot in one day Condon was forced to ask for extra time and money to finish shooting the And I Am Telling You scene as Hudson s voice would give out after four hours of shooting the musical number and she was unable to plausibly lip sync while hoarse 19 34 The scene was felt by everyone involved to be pivotal to the film as And I Am Telling You was Jennifer Holliday s show stopping number in the original Broadway musical 19 22 Music Edit Main article Dreamgirls Music from the Motion Picture And I Am Telling You I m Not Going source source Performed by Jennifer Hudson Problems playing this file See media help Dreamgirls musical supervisors Randy Spendlove and Matt Sullivan hired R amp B production team The Underdogs Harvey Mason Jr and Damon Thomas to restructure and rearrange the Henry Krieger Tom Eyen Dreamgirls score so that it better reflected its proper time period yet also reflected then modern R amp B pop sensibilities 39 During post production composer Stephen Trask was contracted to provide additional score material for the film 40 Several musical numbers from the Broadway score were not included in the film version in particular Lorrell s solo Ain t No Party 41 Four new songs were added for the film Love You I Do Patience Perfect World and Listen 39 All of the new songs feature music composed by original Dreamgirls stage composer Henry Krieger With Tom Eyen having died in 1991 7 various lyricists were brought in by Krieger to co author the new songs Love You I Do with lyrics by Siedah Garrett is performed in the film by Effie during a rehearsal at the Rainbow Records studio 7 Willie Reale wrote the lyrics for Patience a song performed in the film by Jimmy Lorrell C C and a gospel choir as the characters attempt to record a message song for Jimmy 7 Perfect World also featuring lyrics by Garrett is performed during the Rainbow 10th anniversary special sequence by Jackson 5 doppelgangers The Campbell Connection 7 Listen with additional music by Scott Cutler and Beyonce and lyrics by Anne Preven is presented as a defining moment for Deena s character late in the film 7 After preview screenings during the summer of 2006 several minutes worth of musical footage were deleted from the film due to negative audience reactions to the amount of music 42 Among this footage was one whole musical number C C and Effie s sung reunion Effie Sing My Song which was replaced with an alternative spoken version 15 42 The Dreamgirls Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album was released on December 5 by Music World Entertainment Columbia Records in both a single disc version containing highlights and a double disc Deluxe Version containing all of the film s songs The single disc version of the soundtrack peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 during a slow sales week in early January 2007 43 Listen was the first official single from the soundtrack supported by a music video featuring Beyonce And I Am Telling You I m Not Going was the Dreamgirls soundtrack s second single Though a music video with all original footage was once planned 44 the video eventually released for And I Am Telling You comprised the entire corresponding scene in the actual film Release Edit Beyonce Knowles at the premiere of Dreamgirls Dreamgirls premiered on December 4 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City where it received a standing ovation 45 The film s Los Angeles premiere was held on December 11 at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills 46 Similar to the releases of older Hollywood musicals such as The Sound of Music My Fair Lady and West Side Story Dreamgirls debuted with three special ten day roadshow engagements beginning on December 15 2006 at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles and the AMC Metreon 15 in San Francisco 8 Tickets for the reserved seats were 25 each the premium price included a forty eight page full color program and a limited print lithograph 8 This release made Dreamgirls the first American feature film to have a roadshow release since Man of La Mancha in 1972 8 Dreamgirls earned a total of 851 664 from the roadshow engagements playing to sold out houses on the weekends 5 47 48 The film s national release at regular prices began on December 25 Outside of the U S Dreamgirls opened in Australia on January 18 and in the United Kingdom on February 2 Releases in other countries began on various dates between January and early March Dreamgirls eventually grossed 103 million in North America and almost 155 million worldwide 5 DreamWorks Home Entertainment released Dreamgirls to home video on May 1 2007 49 in DVD HD DVD and Blu ray formats The DVD version was issued in two editions a one disc standard version and a two disc Showstopper Edition The two disc version also included a feature length production documentary production featurettes screen tests animatics and other previsualization materials and artwork 49 Both DVD versions featured alternative and extended versions of the musical numbers from the film as extras including the Effie Sing My Song scene deleted during previews Both the Blu ray and HD DVD versions were issued in two disc formats Dreamgirls was the first DreamWorks film to be issued in a high definition home entertainment format 50 As of 2017 update total domestic video sales to date are at 95 1 million 51 A Director s Extended Edition of Dreamgirls was released on Blu ray and Digital HD on October 10 2017 by Paramount Home Media Distribution 42 52 This version based on edits done for preview screenings before the film s release runs ten minutes longer than the theatrical version and features longer musical numbers including songs and verses cut during previews and additional scenes 53 Reception EditCritical response Edit Jennifer Hudson s acting debut as Effie White garnered widespread critical acclaim winning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 79 based on 206 reviews with an average rating of 7 30 10 The site s critics consensus states Dreamgirls simple characters and plot hardly detract from the movie s real feats the electrifying performances and the dazzling musical numbers 54 Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 rating based on 37 critics indicating generally favorable reviews 55 Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of A on an A to F scale 56 Rolling Stone s Peter Travers gave the film three and a half stars out of four and the number two position on his best of 2006 list stating that despite transitional bumps Condon does Dreamgirls proud 57 58 David Rooney of Variety reported that the film featured tremendously exciting musical sequences and that after The Phantom of the Opera Rent and The Producers botched the transfer from stage to screen Dreamgirls gets it right 59 On the December 10 2006 episode of the television show Ebert amp Roeper Richard Roeper and guest critic Aisha Tyler filling in for Roger Ebert who was recovering from cancer related surgery gave the film two thumbs up with Roeper s reservations that it was a little short on heart and soul and deeply conventional 60 Roeper still enjoyed the film noting that Jennifer Hudson s rendition of And I Am Telling You I m Not Going as the show stopping moment of any film of 2006 and very much enjoyed Murphy s performance as well remarking that people are going to love this film 60 Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter was less enthusiastic stating that while the film was a damn good commercial movie it is not the film that will revive the musical or win over the world 61 Ed Gonzales of Slant magazine found the entire picture too glossy and declared that the film doesn t care to articulate the emotions that haunt its characters 62 University of Sydney academic Timothy Laurie was critical of the film s social message noting that the worthy receive just desserts by working even harder for the industries that marginalise them 63 Many reviews regardless of their overall opinion of the film cited Hudson s and Murphy s performances as standouts with Travers proclaiming Murphy s performance of Jimmy s Rap as his finest screen moment 57 Television host Oprah Winfrey saw the film during a November 15 press screening and telephoned Hudson on the Oprah episode airing the next day praising her performance as a religious experience and a transcendent performance 64 A review for The Celebrity Cafe echoes that Hudson s voice is like nothing we ve heard in a long time and her acting is a great match for that power house sound 65 Jennifer Holliday who originated the role of Effie onstage expressed her disappointment at not being involved in the film project in several TV radio and print interviews 66 Holliday in particular objected to the fact that her 1982 recording of And I Am Telling You I m Not Going was used in an early Dreamgirls film teaser trailer created before production began Many of the other original Dreamgirls Broadway cast members among them Obba Babatunde Vondie Curtis Hall and Cleavant Derricks were interviewed for a Jet magazine article in which they discussed their varying opinions of both the Dreamgirls film s script and production 67 Accolades EditAcademy Awards1 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson2 Best Sound Mixing Michael Minkler Bob Beemer Willie D BurtonGolden Globe Awards1 Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy2 Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture Eddie Murphy3 Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture Jennifer HudsonBritish Academy Film AwardsBest Supporting Actress Jennifer HudsonScreen Actors Guild Awards1 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Eddie Murphy2 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Jennifer HudsonDreamWorks and Paramount began a significant awards campaign for Dreamgirls while the film was still in production In February 2006 the press was invited on set to a special live event showcasing the making of the film including a live performance of Steppin to the Bad Side by the cast 68 Three months later twenty minutes of the film specifically the musical sequences Fake Your Way to the Top Family When I First Saw You and Dreamgirls were screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival with most of the cast and crew in attendance 69 70 The resulting positive buzz earned Dreamgirls the status of front runner for the 2006 Academy Award for Best Picture and several of the other Oscars as well 71 Following the success of the Cannes screening DreamWorks and Paramount began a widespread For Your Consideration advertisement campaign raising several eyebrows by demoting Jennifer Hudson to consideration for Best Supporting Actress and presenting Beyonce Knowles as the sole Best Actress candidate as opposed to having both compete for Best Actress awards By contrast the actresses who originated Hudson s and Knowles roles on Broadway Jennifer Holliday and Sheryl Lee Ralph respectively were both nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress with Holliday winning the award 31 The presentation of Knowles over Hudson as the sole Best Actress candidate had interesting parallels with the film itself 31 Dreamgirls received eight 2007 Academy Award nominations covering six categories the most of any film for the year although it was not nominated for Best Picture Best Director or either of the lead acting categories The film s nominations included Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson Best Achievement in Costume Design Best Achievement in Art Direction Best Achievement in Sound Mixing and three nominations for Best Song Listen Love You I Do and Patience Dreamgirls is the first live action film to receive three nominations for Best Song previously the Disney animated features Beauty and the Beast 1991 and The Lion King 1994 had each received three Academy Award nominations for Best Song Enchanted 2007 has since repeated the feat 72 In addition Dreamgirls was the first film in Academy Award history to receive the highest number of nominations for the year yet not be nominated for Best Picture 73 The film s failure to gain a Best Picture or Best Director nod was widely viewed by the entertainment press as a snub by the Academy 74 Some journalists registered shock 75 while others cited a backlash 76 On the other hand director Bill Condon stated that I think academy members just liked the other movies better 77 and that he believed that we were never going to win even if we were nominated 77 Reports emerged of significant behind the scenes in fighting between the DreamWorks and Paramount camps in particular between DreamWorks David Geffen and Paramount CEO Brad Grey over decision making and credit claiming during the Dreamgirls awards campaign 78 At the Academy Awards ceremony on February 25 2007 Dreamgirls won Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Sound Mixing As such Hudson became one of the few actresses ever to win an Oscar for a film debut performance In what was considered an upset Murphy lost the Best Supporting Actor award to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine Knowles Hudson Rose and Robinson performed a medley of the three Dreamgirls songs nominated for Best Original Song although all three songs lost the award to I Need to Wake Up from An Inconvenient Truth 79 For the 2007 Golden Globe Awards Dreamgirls was nominated in five categories Best Picture Comedy or Musical Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Beyonce Knowles Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson and Best Original Song Listen The film won the awards for Best Picture Comedy or Musical Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress 9 Dreamgirls received eight NAACP Image Award nominations winning for Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson and Outstanding Album the soundtrack LP 80 It was also named as one of the American Film Institute s top ten films of 2006 Dreamgirls also garnered Screen Actors Guild Awards for Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson and Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy as well as a nomination for its ensemble cast 81 The film was also nominated by the Producers Guild of America for Best Picture and the Directors Guild of America for Bill Condon s directing The British Academy of Film and Television Arts gave the film awards for Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson and Music Henry Krieger Furthermore Dreamgirls was nominated for eleven 2007 International Press Academy Satellite Awards and won four of the awards Best Picture Comedy or Musical Best Director Bill Condon Best Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson and Best Sound Mixing amp Editing 82 Dreamgirls also received a record eleven Black Reel Award nominations and won six of the awards among them Best Film 83 At the 50th Grammy Awards ceremony Love You I Do won the award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture Television or Other Visual Media 84 The Dreamgirls soundtrack was also nominated for the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album 84 For the opening performance at the 2007 BET Awards on June 26 of that year Hudson performed a duet of And I Am Telling You I m Not Going with her predecessor Jennifer Holliday Later that night Hudson won the BET Award for Best Actress 85 In February 2022 Hudson s rendition of And I Am Telling You I m Not Going was named one of the five finalists for Oscars Cheer Moment as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscars Fan Favorite contest finishing in fourth place 86 87 Award Year Category Recipient ResultAcademy Awards 88 2007 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy NominatedBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonBest Art Direction John Myhre Nancy Haigh NominatedBest Costume Design Sharen Davis NominatedBest Original Song Listen Henry Krieger Scott Cutler Anne Preven Nominated Love You I Do Henry Krieger Siedah Garrett Nominated Patience Henry Krieger Willie Reale NominatedBest Sound Mixing Michael Minkler Bob Beemer Willie D Burton WonAfrican American Film Critics Association Awards 2006 Best Picture WonBest Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy WonBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonBest Director Bill Condon WonAmerican Cinema Editors Awards 89 2007 Best Edited Comedy or Musical Feature Virginia Katz WonArt Directors Guild Awards 89 2006 Best Art Direction Period Film John Myhre NominatedAmerican Film Institute Awards 2006 Top Ten Movies of the Year WonAsian Excellence Awards 2006 Best Supporting Film Actress Sharon Leal NominatedAustin Film Critics Awards 89 2006 Breakthrough Artist Jennifer Hudson WonBritish Academy Film Awards 90 2007 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson WonBest Film Music Henry Krieger NominatedBET Awards 2007 BET Award for Best Actor Eddie Murphy NominatedJamie Foxx NominatedBET Award for Best Actress Jennifer Hudson WonBlack Reel Awards 83 2006 Best Film WonBest Actor Jamie Foxx NominatedBest Actress Beyonce Knowles NominatedBest Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy NominatedBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonBest Breakthrough Performance WonBest Original Score Harvey Mason Jr Damon Thomas WonBest Original Soundtrack Henry Krieger WonBest Original Song And I Am Telling You I m Not Going performed by Jennifer Hudson Won Listen performed by Beyonce Knowles Nominated One Night Only performed by Jennifer Hudson NominatedBroadcast Film Critics Association 91 2007 Best Picture NominatedBest Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy WonBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonBest Acting Ensemble NominatedBest Director Bill Condon NominatedBest Original Song Listen Henry Krieger Anne Preven Scott Cutler Beyonce WonBest Original Soundtrack WonChicago Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy NominatedBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson NominatedCostume Designers Guild Awards 89 2006 Best Costumes in a Period Film Sharen Davis NominatedDallas Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards 89 2006 Best Picture NominatedDirectors Guild of America 89 2006 Best Director Bill Condon NominatedGolden Globe Awards 9 2007 Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy WonBest Actress Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Beyonce Knowles NominatedBest Supporting Actor Motion Picture Eddie Murphy WonBest Supporting Actress Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson WonBest Original Song Listen Henry Krieger Anne Preven Scott Cutler Beyonce NominatedGrammy Awards 84 2008 Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or Television NominatedBest Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television Love You I Do Henry Krieger Siedah Garrett WonLos Angeles Film Critics Association Awards 89 2006 Best Supporting Actress Runner up Jennifer Hudson WonLas Vegas Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Picture NominatedBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonMTV Movie Awards 2007 Best Performance Jennifer Hudson NominatedBeyonce Knowles NominatedNAACP Image Awards 80 2007 Outstanding Motion Picture NominatedOutstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Jamie Foxx NominatedOutstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Beyonce Knowles NominatedOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Danny Glover NominatedEddie Murphy NominatedOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson WonAnika Noni Rose NominatedOutstanding Album WonNational Board of Review of Motion Pictures 89 2006 Breakthrough Performance by an Actress Jennifer Hudson WonNational Society of Film Critics Awards 89 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonNew York Film Critics Online Awards 89 2006 Best Breakthrough Performance Jennifer Hudson WonBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonNew York Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy Runner upBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonOklahoma Film Critics Circle Awards 89 2006 Breakout Performance Jennifer Hudson WonOnline Film Critics Society Awards 89 2007 Best Supporting Actor Eddie Murphy NominatedBreakthrough Performance Jennifer Hudson NominatedBest Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson NominatedPhoenix Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Use of Music WonBreakout Performance of the Year On Screen Jennifer Hudson WonProducers Guild of America Awards 89 2006 Best Theatrical Motion Picture Laurence Mark NominatedSatellite Awards 82 2006 Best Film Musical or Comedy WonBest Director Bill Condon WonBest Actress Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Beyonce Knowles NominatedBest Supporting Actress Motion Picture Jennifer Hudson WonBest Adapted Screenplay Bill Condon NominatedBest Original Song Love You I Do Henry Krieger Siedah Garrett Nominated Listen Henry Krieger Anne Preven Scott Cutler Beyonce Knowles NominatedBest Editing Virginia Katz NominatedBest Sound Editing and Mixing Willie Burton Michael Minkler Bob Beemer Richard E Yawn WonBest Art Direction and Production Design John Myhre Tomas Voth Nancy Haigh NominatedBest Costume Design Sharen Davis NominatedScreen Actors Guild Awards 81 2006 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Hinton Battle Jamie Foxx Danny Glover Jennifer Hudson Beyonce Knowles Sharon Leal Eddie Murphy Keith Robinson Anika Noni Rose NominatedOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Jennifer Hudson WonOutstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Eddie Murphy WonSoutheastern Film Critics Association Awards 89 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonToronto Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson NominatedWashington D C Area Film Critics Association Awards 89 2006 Best Supporting Actress Jennifer Hudson WonWomen Film Critics Circle 89 2006 Best Music WonRelated promotions and products EditTo give the story more exposure for the upcoming film release DreamWorks and the licenser of the original play The Tams Witmark Music Library announced that they would pay the licensing fees for all non professional stage performances of Dreamgirls for the calendar year of 2006 DreamWorks hoped to encourage amateur productions of Dreamgirls and familiarize a wider audience with the play As a result more than fifty high schools colleges community theaters and other non commercial theater entities staged productions of Dreamgirls in 2006 and DreamWorks spent up to 250 000 subsidizing the licensing 92 The Dreamgirls novelization was written by African American novelist Denene Millner and adapts the film s official script in chapter form along with fourteen pages of photographs from the film The book was released on October 31 2006 citation needed A scrapbook entitled Dreamgirls The Movie Musical was released on March 27 2007 The limited edition program guide accompanying the Dreamgirls road show release was made available for retail purchase in February citation needed In addition the Tonnor Doll Company released The Dreamettes collection featuring dolls of the characters Deena Lorrell and Effie to coincide with the release of the film citation needed Allusions to actual events EditAside from the overall plot of the film and elements already present in the stage musical many direct references to The Supremes Motown or R amp B soul history in general are included in the film In one scene Effie saunters into Curtis office and discusses Rainbow Records latest LP The Great March to Freedom a spoken word album featuring speeches by Martin Luther King Jr This LP is an authentic Motown release issued as Gordy 906 in June 1963 93 94 A later scene features Curtis and the Dreams recording in the studio while a riot rages outside By comparison Motown s Hitsville U S A studio remained open and active during Detroit s 12th Street Riot in July 1967 95 96 The photo shoot montage which accompanies When I First Saw You as well as the subplot of Deena being forced to star in Curtis Cleopatra film against her will reflect both scenes from and the production of Mahogany a 1975 Motown film starring Diana Ross and directed by Motown CEO Berry Gordy 97 In a snapshot Ed Sullivan appears presenting the real Supremes on his show Among the more direct references are the uses of adapted Supremes album cover designs for albums recorded in the film by the Dreams Three Supremes albums Let the Sunshine In Cream of the Crop and Touch were reworked into Deena Jones amp The Dreams album designs with the only differences in the designs being the substitution of the names and images of the Supremes with those of Deena Jones amp the Dreams Another Dreams LP seen in the film Meet the Dreams is represented by an album cover derived from the designs for the Supremes LPs Meet The Supremes More Hits by The Supremes and The Supremes A Go Go 98 There is also a solo album Just In Time recorded by Deena Jones shown in the film the album cover for which is based on Dionne Warwick s 1970 album Very Dionne Diana Ross long a critic of the Broadway version of Dreamgirls for what she saw as an appropriation of her life story 99 denied having seen the film version 100 On the other hand Mary Wilson attended the film s Los Angeles premiere later stating that Dreamgirls moved her to tears and that it was closer to the truth than they even know 101 However Smokey Robinson was less than pleased about the film s allusions to Motown history In a January 25 2007 interview with NPR Robinson expressed offense at the film s portrayal of its Berry Gordy analogue Curtis Taylor Jr as a villainous character who deals in payola and other illegal activities 102 He repeated these concerns in a later interview with Access Hollywood adding that he felt DreamWorks and Paramount owed Gordy an apology 103 On February 23 a week before the Oscars ceremony DreamWorks and Paramount issued an apology to Gordy and the other Motown alumni 104 Gordy issued a statement shortly afterwards expressing his acceptance of the apology 104 The payola scheme used in the film s script to which Robinson took offense is identical to the payola scheme allegedly used by Gordy and the other Motown executives according to sworn court depositions from Motown executive Michael Lushka offered during the litigation between the label and its chief creative team Holland Dozier Holland 105 106 Several references are also made to Mafia backed loans Curtis uses to fund Rainbow Records 107 Gordy was highly suspected though never proven to have used Mafia backed loans to finance Motown during its later years 108 References Edit a b c d Dreamgirls AFI Catalog of Feature Films Retrieved May 11 2017 Dreamgirls 12A British Board of Film Classification November 28 2006 Retrieved January 5 2016 AFI Catalog a b c Gottfried Marvin 2007 Introduction Dreamgirls The Movie Musical New York Newmarket Press Pg 15 a b c d Gray Brandon Dec 2006 Daily Box Office Results for Dreamgirls Box Office Mojo Retrieved on December 28 2006 Feb 2 2007 I literally pinch myself every day The Guardian Retrieved 2007 02 27 a b c d e f g Buckley Michael December 17 2006 STAGE TO SCREENS Dreamgirls Composer Krieger and Co Star Rose Plus David Warren Playbill Archived from the original on September 10 2012 Retrieved 17 May 2010 a b c d McClintock Pamela Nov 6 2006 D Works takes Girls on road Daily Variety Retrieved on November 11 2006 a b c 2007 Golden Globe Awards for 2006 GoldenGlobes org Retrieved 2010 05 16 Archived October 11 2011 at the Wayback Machine a b Fotomat Robert 2005 American Idol s Jennifer Hudson as the Supremes Florence Ballard Archived December 27 2013 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on November 11 2006 a b Selvin Joel Dec 25 2006 Songs story don t reflect Motown world The Journal Gazette Retrieved on Jan 23 2007 dead link Miller Danny Dec 26 2006 Dreamgirls Crossing Over Again permanent dead link Huffington Post com Retrieved on Jan 23 2007 dead link a b c Chideya Farai Dec 21 2006 Bill Condon Tells the Story Behind Dreamgirls audio interview National Public Radio Retrieved on Jan 23 2007 Wells Duane Dec 13 2006 A Viewers Guide to Dreamgirls Archived July 3 2009 at the Wayback Machine GayWired com Retrieved on Jan 23 2007 a b Horowitz Joshua Dec 7 2006 Oscar file Dreamgirls Director Isn t Lost in Award Buzz Dream World MTV News Retrieved on December 10 2006 a b c d e f Marr Melissa Dec 8 2006 After Dreamgirls Geffen says goodbye to movies The Wall Street Journal Retrieved on December 9 2006 a b Hill Jeremy Film Version 2006 History Dreamgirls Your Virtual Coffee Table Book of the Musical Retrieved on November 10 2006 Archived September 24 2008 at the Wayback Machine Fugees Lauryn Hill Eyed For Dreamgirls MTV com MTV Networks July 16 1998 Retrieved May 17 2010 a b c d e f Dreamgirls with Writer Director Bill Condon KCET Cinema Series Los Angeles California December 6 2006 2 34 minutes in PBS KCET Archived from the original on June 21 2011 Ulmer James Sept 10 2006 After Conquering Chicago It s On to Motown The New York Times Retrieved on November 11 2006 Johnson Pamela K Aug 2005 Howard s Homecoming Archived February 22 2007 at the Wayback Machine Essence Digital version retrieved on December 14 2006 a b c d e f g 2007 Building the Dream Documentary from Dreamgirls 2 Disc Showstopper Edition DreamWorks Home Entertainment Paramount Pictures a b c Daly Steve November 10 2006 Chasing Down the Dreamgirls Entertainment Weekly Retrieved on November 11 2006 May 15 2005 Usher Looks Set for Dreamgirls Contactmusic com Retrieved on November 1 2006 Aug 9 2005 Andre 3000 Benjamin has turned down a role in Dreamgirls Archived October 12 2007 at the Wayback Machine Monsters and Critics Retrieved on Jan 23 2007 August 30 2005 Film TV Bits Ursh outta Dreamgirls Retrieved on December 17 2006 Archived August 6 2009 at the Wayback Machine Kersey Tanya Nov 23 2005 Dreamgirls Film Cast Finally Shaping Up Usher and Fantasia Are Out Keith Robinson and Jennifer Hudson Are In Archived January 7 2009 at the Wayback Machine BlackTalentNews com Retrieved on December 3 2005 Murray Jawn December 26 2006 BVBuzz AOL Black Voices Archived from the original on March 29 2010 Retrieved May 18 2010 LaPorte Nicole May 4 2010 The Men Who Would Be King An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls Movies and a Company Called DreamWorks Boston MA Houghton Mifflin Harcourt pp 407 413 ISBN 978 0547134703 Dec 5 2005 American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson gets lead role in Dreamgirls movie Archived October 12 2007 at the Wayback Machine Jet magazine Retrieved on March 3 2007 a b c O Neil Tom Aug 15 2006 Dreamgirl Hudson is frontrunner for supporting Oscar Archived December 18 2013 at the Wayback Machine TheEnvelope com Gold Derby Retrieved on November 11 2006 Fonseca Nicholas Dec 8 2006 Fantasia s Second Act Entertainment Weekly Retrieved on January 21 2008 Joyner Tom Wilkes Sybil and Brown J Anthony Dec 12 2006 Audio interview with Jennifer Hudson Archived October 15 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Tom Joyner Morning Show Dallas TX REACH Media Inc Retrieved on December 16 2006 a b Risky Business Directors Guild Meet the Nominees Panel The Hollywood Reporter February 4 2007 Archived from the original on January 25 2013 Retrieved May 19 2010 Bloom Julie Nov 27 2006 Musical Movies Dreamgirls choreographer brings hip hop moves to Motown The New York Times Reprinted version retrieved from The International Herald Tribune on December 2 2006 Archived February 26 2008 at the Wayback Machine a b c Coker Cheo Hodari 2007 Pg 178 2006 Production notes for Dreamgirls Retrieved on December 16 2006 Archived December 18 2007 at the Wayback Machine May 22 2006 Beyonce Loses Weight on a Water Diet San Francisco Gate Retrieved on December 16 2006 a b Coker Cheo Hodari 2007 Introduction Dreamgirls The Movie Musical New York Newmarket Press Pg 166 167 Goldwasser Dan Stephen Trask scores Dreamgirls Soundtrack net Retrieved 2007 02 04 Haun Harry January 1 2007 Condon Bill Legendary Motown Musical Destined for the Top of the Charts 1 07 Film Journal International Archived from the original on May 9 2016 Retrieved May 1 2016 a b c Smith Jeremy Apr 30 2007 Exclusive Interview Bill Condon Dreamgirls DVD CHUD com Retrieved May 3 2007 Hasty Katie Jan 10 2007 Dreamgirls Takes No 1 In Sluggish Sales Week Billboard com Retrieved on Jan 10 2007 Jan 9 2007 Hudson to Upgrade And I Am Telling You Video Dreamgirls director Condon wants clip to attract wider audience EURweb com Retrieved on Jan 11 2007 Archived August 6 2009 at the Wayback Machine Friedman Roger Dec 5 2006 Dreamgirls Gets Standing Ovations Cheers FOX News Retrieved on December 9 2006 Loretta Devine amp Sheryl Lee Ralph Attend L A Premiere of Dreamgirls Broadway com Retrieved March 10 2007 Archived January 8 2008 at the Wayback Machine Gray Brandon Dec 18 2006 Pursuit Overtakes Eragon Web Box Office Mojo Retrieved on December 18 2006 Gray Brandon Dec 18 2006 Weekend Box Office Results Dec 15 17 2006 Box Office Mojo Retrieved on December 18 2006 a b 2007 Press Release Paramount Home Entertainment Presents the Critically Acclaimed Smash Hit and Winner of Two Academy Awards DREAMGIRLS Two Disc Showstopper Edition Archived July 16 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 6 2007 Forster Dave March 06 2007 Dreamgirls HD in May DVD Times Retrieved March 6 2007 Dreamgirls 2006 The Numbers Retrieved November 19 2017 DREAMGIRLS Director s Cut Extended Edition Coming to Blu ray Combo Gift Set This October Broadway World August 3 2017 Retrieved August 18 2017 Fernandes Marriska October 9 2017 Bill Condon reveals what s exciting about Dreamgirls Director s Extended Edition tribute ca Retrieved October 10 2017 Dreamgirls 2006 Retrieved on April 23 2022 Dreamgirls reviews Metacritic CBS Interactive Retrieved January 5 2016 Find CinemaScore Type Dreamgirls in the search box CinemaScore Retrieved May 2 2021 a b Travers Peter November 21 2006 Dreamgirls review Rolling Stone Archived from the original on January 4 2013 Retrieved December 2 2006 Travers Peter November 21 2006 The Best 10 Movies of 2006 Rolling Stone Archived from the original on December 17 2006 Retrieved December 21 2006 Rooney David December 2 2006 Dreamgirls review Variety a b Roeper Richard Tyler Aisha December 10 2006 Audio review for Dreamgirls Archived from the original on December 14 2006 Retrieved 2006 12 15 Honeycutt Kirk December 1 2006 Dreamgirls review The Hollywood Reporter Archived from the original on January 9 2007 Retrieved December 2 2006 Gonzales Ed December 15 2006 Dreamgirls review Slant magazine Archived from the original on January 9 2007 Retrieved December 15 2006 Laurie Timothy 2012 Come and get these memories gender history and racial uplift in Bill Condon s Dreamgirls Social Identities Journal for the Study of Race Nation and Culture vol 18 no 5 537 553 URL http www tandfonline com doi abs 10 1080 13504630 2012 667603 DiMaio Debra November 16 2006 The Oprah Winfrey Show Television series Chicago Illinois Harpo Productions Pace Elizabeth January 19 2007 Dreamgirls The Celebrity Cafe Archived from the original on October 9 2007 Retrieved 2007 03 04 Nader Juli Nov 21 2006 Black Public Relations Wire Exclusive Jennifer Holliday Says She Created Role in Dreamgirls and Doesn t Want to Be Forgotten Retrieved on November 27 2006 Archived August 23 2007 at the Wayback Machine Christian Margena A Dec 7 2006 Creative License or Sour Grapes Original Broadway Cast of Dreamgirls Feels Left Out of Movie History Jet magazine Franklin Garth Feb 28 2006 Dreamgirls Presented To Press Dark Horizons Retrieved March 11 2007 Friedman Roger May 20 2006 Oscars 2007 Dreamgirls Fox News Retrieved March 11 2007 Kilday Gregg May 23 2007 Dreamgirls gets early Oscar boost Archived May 14 2007 at the Wayback Machine Monsters and Critics Retrieved March 11 2007 Wells Jeffrey Aug 15 2006 Oscar Mashing at Paramount Archived November 8 2006 at the Wayback Machine Hollywood Elsewhere Retrieved March 11 2007 Gallo Phil Jan 23 2007 This year s Oscar fun facts Variety Retrieved Jan 24 2007 Howell Peter Jan 24 2007 Dream on girls Toronto Star Retrieved Jan 24 2007 Goodman Dean Dreamgirls snubbed for Oscars best film nomination Archived January 29 2007 at the Wayback Machine Reuters filed on Wednesday January 24 05 50 AM PT Accessed January 29 2007 O Neil Tom Jan 23 2007 Wake Me Up from this Dreamgirls nightmare Archived August 8 2009 at the Wayback Machine The Envelope The Golden Derby Retrieved March 11 2007 Felton Robert Feb 28 2007 Dreamgirls Best Picture snub and Oscar night thud Archived February 22 2012 at the Wayback Machine Austin Weekly News Retrieved March 11 2007 a b Holson Laura M Jan 29 2007 Dreamgirls banked on Best Picture and Lost The New York Times Retrieved March 11 2007 LaPorte Nicole May 4 2010 The Men Who Would Be King An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls Movies and a Company Called DreamWorks Boston MA Houghton Mifflin Harcourt pp 414 420 ISBN 978 0547134703 Nominees amp Winners for the 79th Academy Awards Oscars org Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Archived from the original on August 6 2011 Retrieved 16 May 2010 a b The 38th NAACP Image Awards Takes Place With Superstar Entertainer LL Cool J As Host PDF naacpimageawards net National Association for the Advancement of Colored People March 15 2007 Archived from the original PDF on January 7 2010 Retrieved May 17 2010 a b Screen Actors Guild Honors Outstanding Film and Television Performances in 13 Categories at the 13th Annual SAG Awards Sagawards org Screen Actors Guild Awards January 28 2007 Retrieved May 17 2010 dead link a b Official press release for International Press Academy Satellite Awards Nominations PDF pressacademy com International Press Academy December 1 2006 Archived from the original PDF on September 28 2011 a b The Black Reel Awards Winner The Black Reel Awards February 12 2009 Retrieved May 17 2010 a b c Grammy 2008 Winners List MTV com MTV Networks February 10 2010 Retrieved May 17 2010 Jessen Monique June 27 2007 Beyonce Jennifer Hudson Top BET Awards People com Time Inc Archived from the original on April 20 2010 Retrieved May 17 2010 Oscars Fan Favorite Zack Snyder s Justice League Tops Oscars Cheer Moment List CBR March 28 2022 Retrieved March 28 2022 The 79th Academy Awards 2007 Nominees and Winners oscars org Retrieved November 20 2011 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Dreamgirls 2006 Nominees and Winners Yahoo Archived from the original on November 16 2011 Retrieved November 24 2011 Jan 5 2007 Bond and The Queen head BAFTA longlist Screen International Retrieved on January 7 2006 Subscription required dead link The 12th Critics Choice Awards Winners and Nominees bfca org Broadcast Film Critics Association Archived from the original on January 3 2013 Retrieved May 17 2010 Mark Olsen December 12 2006 One stage of film s marketing is on stage Los Angeles Times Retrieved June 5 2022 Condon Bill 2006 Dreamgirls Screenplay New York Newmarket Press Pgs 36 38 Edwards David and Callahan Mike 1999 Gordy Album Discography Part 1 1962 1981 Retrieved Feb 3 2007 Archived September 27 2007 at the Wayback Machine Condon Bill 2006 Dreamgirls Screenplay New York Newmarket Press Pgs 57 59 Posner Gerald 2002 Motown Music Money Sex and Power New York Random House ISBN 0 375 50062 6 Pg 173 Kirkland Bruce May 4 2007 Dreamgirls DVD fan friendly Jam Showbiz Retrieved June 15 2007 Jan 12 2007 Live online chat with Mary Wilson The Washington Post Transcript retrieved 2007 02 027 O Neil Tom October 18 2006 Diana s Dreamgirls decision TheEnvelope com Los Angeles Times Retrieved October 27 2007 Diana Ross Talks About Dreamgirls Secrets to Staying Power ABCNews com January 16 2007 Retrieved February 27 2007 Mary Wilson on the New Film Dreamgirls Extra Los Angeles Warner Bros Television December 7 2006 Archived from the original on February 21 2008 Retrieved December 9 2006 Blair Elizabeth January 25 2007 Does Dreamgirls Offer Lowdown on Motown NPR org Retrieved February 27 2007 Robinson Shaun February 2 2007 Smokey Robinson slams Dreamgirls Today com Retrieved February 27 2007 a b Motown Honcho Makes Up With Dreamgirls The Washington Post February 23 2007 Retrieved January 7 2014 Condon Bill 2006 Dreamgirls Screenplay New York Newmarket Press p 109 ISBN 978 1 55704 745 8 Posner Gerald 2002 Motown Music Money Sex and Power New York Random House pp 216 222 ISBN 978 0 375 50062 6 Condon Bill 2006 Dreamgirls Screenplay New York Newmarket Press pp 93 109 Posner Gerald 2002 Motown Music Money Sex and Power New York Random House pp 199 203 ISBN 978 0 375 50062 6 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Dreamgirls film Official website Dreamgirls at IMDb Dreamgirls at the TCM Movie Database Dreamgirls at Box Office Mojo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dreamgirls film amp oldid 1132275552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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