Been Rich All My Life

Heather Lyn MacDonald's vibrant documentary profiles the Silver Belles, a troupe of former showgirls who performed at the Apollo Theatre and other Harlem hotspots during the 1930s and 1940s. Now in their 80s and 90s, they are still active performers, but while the ladies devote much of their time to seemingly endless rehearsals that pay off with wonderful performances, Been Rich All My Life is hardly all song and dance. Each of the Silver Belles has her own distinctive story to share (two of the dancers here are suffering serious health problems), coupled with a mix of personal photographs and archival footage that captures these ladies at the peak of their glory days seven decades ago. Not surprisingly, much of their life's work was marked with racism and sexism, not to mention ageism. Overall, this would have been an ideal 60-minute film—it sometimes feels padded and repetitious, particularly with the numerous rehearsal scenes—but there's no denying the fact that watching these showstoppers is a real treat. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a 14-minute “Dance Class: Learn the Shim Sham Shimmy” featurette, a 10-minute interview—including bonus scenes—with director Heather Lyn MacDonald, an interview with composer Pete Whitman (9 min.), seven original music tracks, and a photo gallery. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an entertaining documentary.] (P. Hall)