The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel's brilliant storytelling has fans calling it 'best music biopic'
At the height of the civil rights movement in the United States, gospel musician and choral director Dr Mattie Moss Clark had a vision for her daughters — to serve both Jesus Christ and music — and formed the Clark Sisters. This consisted of her daughters Jacky Clark Chisholm, Elbernita 'Twinkie' Clark, Denise Clark Bradford, Dorinda Clark Cole and Karen Clark Sheard.
The Clark Sisters spent over four decades taking gospel music to where it is today with their signature "Clark Sound", wherein they brought together elements of jazz, blues, funk, R&B/soul and classical underneath their unshakeable faith-based messaging. Led by Twinkie's songwriting and accompaniment, they remains the best-selling female gospel group in history. With songs like 'Is My Living In Vain', 'Hallelujah', 'Name It Claim It', 'You Brought the Sunshine', 'Jesus is a Love Song', 'Ha-Ya' and 'Blessed and Highly Favored', the group also went on to win Grammy awards.
Lifetime's latest biopic, 'The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel' focuses on Mattie's formation of the Clark Sisters and their subsequent rise to success. Produced by Grammy award-winning Queen Latifah, Mary J Blige and Missy Elliott — who, along with Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Mariah Carey, Fantasia and Beyoncé were also influenced by the Clark Sisters — the movie debuted on Lifetime on Saturday ahead of Easter.
Lifetime's biopic on the sisters and their mother earned rave reviews from viewers. One fan tweeted, "I'm already 20 minutes into this Clark Sisters movie and it's already superior in acting, casting, and script compared to ALL other Lifetime biopics. I know that's a low bar, but it's obvious Missy's, Mary J's and Queen Latifah's involvement paid off."
Another viewer wrote, "In love with the Clark sisters on Lifetime right now!!! These women are the TRUE epitome of what singing is!!!! YES GOD!!!!!! SING!!!!!!! love them all but that @kierrasheard is my heart." Kiera Sheard is Karen Clark Sheard's daughter and is a gospel singer and actress in her own right.
One viewer said, "The Clark Sisters movie on Lifetime resonates so much with my life and black womanhood and people wanting me to be things that would be better for them even when I'm showing in so many ways that the behavior is overbearing, counterproductive, all of that, and that I literally can NOT."
Another tweeted, "This Clark Sisters film is one of the BEST music biopics I've seen. Spot on casting, acting, and VOCALS!!! YES LIFETIME!! And y'all better give Aunjanue Ellis her flowers! Always been a stellar actress. #TheClarkSisters." A fan said, "Clark sisters is a good movie I enjoy looking at it. I love the gospel music it really touches your soul in time of need."
Viewers were also praising Lifetime for their African-American oriented programing. One viewer tweeted, "Lifetime is the new Bet. They got the Clark Sisters movie, the new salt'n Pepa movie, Kim Fields gotta movie tmr and the new Whitney doc is coming out on it too. Now they just announced the new Wendy Williams What A Mess doc as well." Another said, "It’s like #Lifetime is doing Black History and Women’s History Months again...and I’m here for it!!!"