Cadillac Records
Cadillac Records is a 2008 American biographical drama film written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and a few of the musicians who recorded for Chess Records.
Cadillac Records
Darnell Martin
- Sofia Sondervan
- Andrew Lack
Anastas Michos
Peter C. Frank
- November 24, 2008 (Grauman's Egyptian Theatre)
- December 5, 2008 (United States)
109 minutes
United States
English
$12 million
$8.9 million[1]
The film stars Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008, by TriStar Pictures. The soundtrack was released on Music World/Columbia and Sony Music.
Plot[edit]
In 1947 in Chicago, a Jewish immigrant from Poland and bar owner Leonard Chess hires a blues combo, including guitarist Muddy Waters and harmonica player Little Walter. Waters' and Walter's success leads to Chess opening the doors for black musicians and beginning a new record label in 1950 – Chess Records. This attracts stars like Etta James, Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry. Inevitably, business and personal lines blur as the sometimes-turbulent lives of the musicians play out.
Background[edit]
Leonard Chess was the co-founder of the 1950s American record label Chess Records, located in Chicago, Illinois. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s.[2] The label started selling records from the back of Chess' Cadillac,[3] and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, soul legend Etta James[4] and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon.[5]