Definitely Dusty

moviecm1_small.jpg (2841 bytes)

Film: Definitely Dusty

Description: A documentary on the life of Dusty Springfield following her death in March 1999

To Order: Contact the BBC

tv.gif (8509 bytes)

This documentary was made after the demise of Britain's queen of Blue-Eyed Soul in testimony to her life and achievement. Achievement not only in the musical sense but also in a social context as well. It was Dusty that completely revolutionised the music culture of the day by blatantly copying the sound of Black America and giving many of the British Public their first taste of Soul Music. It was she who promoted Black Artists through her TV shows and opposed any form of racial prejudice. She caused her biggest stir by insisting that she played only to mixed audiences and had such a clause included in her contract for her tour of South Africa. When she turned up at a venue and discovered that the audience were all white she refused to perform and the tour had to be terminated. She insisted that she was not a political animal, she just felt that anybody should have the right to see her. Later, after admitting her bi-sexuality, she became an icon for gays as well.

This documentary was well researched and imaginatively presented and represents the best of programme making at the BBC. It was a subtle blend of old concert footage, clips from her appearances on chat shows and interviews with celebrities that knew her. Her friends made a virtual who's who of show business including Elton John, Lulu, Madeline Bell, Jerry Wexler and Martha Reeves all giving their personal recollections of her. Their stories were consistent in that they viewed Dusty as a shy retiring girl despite the public perceptions of her. Most of them considered Dusty to have two personas, that of the shy Catholic Girl Mary O'Brien (her real name) and that of her alter Ego Dusty Springfield. Once she donned her Makeup and added her long nails she became a totally different person. Jerry Wexler found her so shy she was almost impossible to work with. She was always critical of her own work and never satisfied with it, sometimes she wouldn't record for days on end.

Like many icons of the day Dusty suffered from drug and drink addiction which may well have contributed to her premature end, though it was actually breast cancer to which her death was attributed. The contribution of Dusty Springfield to Black Music in Britain is inestimable and this documentary is fitting tribute to the queen of blue-eyed soul.