Ray – In 1969 in Grady Gammage auditorium at Arizona State University I attended a concert by Ray Charles. I’ve been a fan of his music ever since. Jamie Foxx in an Oscar-winning performance portrays Ray Charles (born Ray Charles Robinson) through his fame as a rhythm-and-blues singer, pianist, composer who melded R&B into gospel and later country music; through his struggles with heroin, racism, lechery, & haunting memories of his younger brother George’s drowning. His long-suffering wife Bea raised their children and stayed with him throughout the ordeals. Ray was blind from glaucoma since the age of seven but not stupid. A musical genius (most of the film’s musical performances are Ray Charles’s recordings), he finally defeated his addiction by accepting the memory of his mother’s challenge not to be a cripple and to stand on his own two feet. His story in many ways ran parallel to Johnny Cash’s, but this movie is better than Walk the Line.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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