If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band (1972)
The story of ghetto boy and girl trying to raise money for the girl to visit her father in prison.
Life in a black ghetto isn't easy for 14-year-old Billie Jean Sims, who has a father in jail, a blind grandmother, and a brother with a drug habit. Growing up among drug pushers, prostitutes, and pimps, Billie Jean still has some things going for her: fierce pride, a loyal friend named Fish, and, at last, enough savings to visit her father 1200 miles away in prison.
Director: Fred Coe
Genre: TV Movie, Drama, Comedy
Runtime: 73 min
Release Date: December 19, 1972
Cast
- Donna M. Bryan - Billie Jean Sims
- James Broderick - Trick
- Georgia Burke - Grannie
- Laurence Fishburne - Fish
- Sonny Jim Gaines - Mr. Sims
- Arthur French - Customer
- Moses Gunn - Mr. Miller
- Albert Hall - T-Bone Sims
- Dots Johnson - Jim
- John Marriott - Jessie
Screenplay
Cinematography: Michael Lieberman, Jake Ostroff
Editing: Arline Garson
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Fred Coe
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band about?
- Life in a black ghetto isn't easy for 14-year-old Billie Jean Sims, who has a father in jail, a blind grandmother, and a brother with a drug habit. Growing up among drug pushers, prostitutes, and pimps, Billie Jean still has some things going for her: fierce pride, a loyal friend named Fish, and, at last, enough savings to visit her father 1200 miles away in prison.
- Who directed If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band?
- If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band was directed by Fred Coe.
- Who stars in If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band?
- If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band stars Donna M. Bryan, James Broderick, Georgia Burke, Laurence Fishburne, Sonny Jim Gaines, Arthur French.
- How long is If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band?
- If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band has a runtime of 1h 13m (73 minutes).
- What genre is If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band?
- If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band is a TV Movie, Drama, Comedy film.
- Where was If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band produced?
- If You Give a Dance, You Gotta Pay the Band was produced in United States of America.