Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Been Rich All My Life

Play trailer Poster for Been Rich All My Life 2005 1h 21m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 100% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Filmmaker Heather Lyn MacDonald pays tribute to the Silver Belles, former chorus girls from Harlem's Renaissance period who are still grooving on well into their 80s and 90s. In their prime, the women performed with such luminaries as Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.

Where to Watch

Been Rich All My Life

Been Rich All My Life

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The remarkable resilience, energy, strength, and charisma of these women captivate, and their experiences are a historical treasure.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Sam Adams Los Angeles Times 09/28/2006
3/5
MacDonald seems less interested in the Silver Belles' past than their inspirational present. Eventually, the inevitable broken hips and dizzy spells take their toll, but those who remain seem determined to shuffle-step their way into the sunset. Go to Full Review
Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune 09/07/2006
3.5/4
It's a modest but highly enjoyable tribute. Go to Full Review
Tom Keogh Seattle Times 08/25/2006
3/4
Reminds us that every life contains many acts worth hearing about, not just a select few. Go to Full Review
Brandy McDonnell The Oklahoman 08/14/2018
3/4
MacDonald doesn't let the story get syrupy or maudlin. But the brief run time doesn't let us get to know the dancers as well as we might like. Go to Full Review
Amber Wilkinson Eye for Film 06/13/2008
4.5/5
The rhythm of life is a powerful beat - and this affectionate and revealing documentary is sure to get even the most world-weary feet tapping. Go to Full Review
Maria Garcia Film Journal International 03/01/2007
It's a credit to MacDonald that she provides a little-known view of Harlem's halcyon days, but what's missing is the pith and marrow: We feel that the women still elude us. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
07/20/2017 I Loved it. it was endearingly sweet portrait of a group of ladies who simply said love doing what they do. As I enter my later middle years of my life and things begin to break down and the signs of our inevitable mortality loom larger this film is a life affirmation! I totally encourage everyone to sink in for a wonderful sweet ride. See more 01/26/2012 what an amazing story of five women with a zest for life and a talent for tap dance. I enjoyed every minute of their lives - past and present. They are an inspiration for anyone who worries about turning 80. See more 12/18/2010 This documentary studies life-long chorus girls now known as the Silver Belles, all in their 80s and 90s now and still dancing. Demonstrates the true meaning of zest for life, endurance, passion and above all friendship. Excellent documentary with some nice special features on the DVD including, Learning to do the Shim Sham. See more 04/18/2010 An endearing look at some of the original Harlem showgirls, putting on a repertoire from their 1930s dance ensemble. Upllifting and fascinating look into the early half of the 19th Century entertainment business in NYC. See more 11/09/2008 A very charming film about The Silver Belles Dance Troupe, that is comprised of women, who had danced in choruses, at The Cotton Club, and The Apollo Theaters, in Harlem, some of them beginning in the late 1920's. These women are a humorous, tight-knit group, who have had fascinating lives, having performed with, and known, the likes of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Cab Calloway, Jimmy Lunceford, etc. They talk of traveling in the south, as part of the USO. The scars of humiliation, stemming from the prejudice they experienced on the tour, is still evident in their faces . Following the war, with the demand for chorus girls dwindling, many of the women tend bar, and even one went on to work in Paris, (Tehran, I think), and even Tokyo as a dancer. She later ended up working on the Alaskan Pipeline. For a look at lives well-lived, and STILL lived well, this is a good place to start. It's funny, engrossing, sad, and by the end, I was certainly glad I "met" these spirited ladies! See more 03/25/2008 These elderly ladies make me feel like I'm wasting my life. They've led, and continue to lead, fascinating lives. I only wish I could hang out with them for real. See more Read all reviews
Been Rich All My Life

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Broadway: The Golden Age 83% 92% Broadway: The Golden Age Watchlist Ballets Russes 91% 81% Ballets Russes Watchlist Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal 91% % Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal Watchlist Mad Hot Ballroom 84% 83% Mad Hot Ballroom Watchlist Watermarks 96% 94% Watermarks Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Heather Lyn MacDonald pays tribute to the Silver Belles, former chorus girls from Harlem's Renaissance period who are still grooving on well into their 80s and 90s. In their prime, the women performed with such luminaries as Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.
Director
Heather Lyn MacDonald
Producer
Heather Lyn MacDonald
Production Co
Toots Crackin
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 7, 2005, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jul 21, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 20, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$33.7K
Runtime
1h 21m
Most Popular at Home Now