Review of What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015) by Ben L — 18 Jan 2016

She had a unique and brilliant voice but, on the evidence of this documentary picture, Nina Simone was far from easy to get along with. Told with a mix of archive interviews, concert footage and interviews with family, friends and admirers, What Happened Miss Simone? tells the story of Nina Simone's rise to fame, pivotal role in the US human rights movement of the 1960s and her fall from grace and battles with her personal demons.

It does however gloss over some significant episodes in the tempestuous life of this extraordinary and gifted woman. There are aspects of her behaviour that, frankly, were inexcusable, even given her at times fragile mental state.

The occasions when she threatened a shop assistant and then a neighbour with a gun are not even mentioned and her numerous affairs are barely touched upon. What we get is an incomplete picture of this difficult woman which, for me, diminished the validity of what was on screen.

It is however, fascinating and delightful to see some of her earlier live appearances on US television and hear that magnificent voice. For me, the stand out scene is a short segment of a French interview in which she speaks of her regret at not becoming the first black American classical pianist and how this affected her emotionally.

Without doubt, Nina Simone was a genius. Deeply flawed and with a chaotic streak to her nature, she often seemed to court controversy and attract around her similarly chaotic people. I did feel that the film was a little too sanitised to give a true picture of this amazing woman and for that, I can't really score it more highly.