Ziegfeld Girls

October 30, 2017
Barthel’s soapy, underwhelming historical charts the travails of two young women in 1914: Suzanne Haskins, who is white, and her black servant and friend, Jada, after Suzanne finally gets her big break with the Ziegfeld Follies in New York City. Suzanne left Richmond, Va., two years prior and brought Jada along to help her; while Suzanne mingles at lavish parties every night, Jada does her shopping and mending and puts her own dreams on the back burner. Jada is a talented singer and dancer, but is reluctant to step out of Suzanne’s shadow. But when Bert Williams, the black star of Ziegfeld’s new show, takes notice of Jada’s talents, all bets are off, and Jada and Suzanne’s friendship may not survive the fallout. The behind-the-scenes look at the Follies is interesting, but Suzanne is wooden and Jada isn’t given enough room on the page. A tepid mystery involving threatening notes the girls receive takes a backseat to the backstabbing and melodrama. Those seeking a more thoughtful representation of race and class in the early 20th century should look elsewhere.