The Queen of Basketball (2021)

She was arguably the greatest women's basketball player. She won three national trophies; she played in the ’76 Olympics; she was drafted to the NBA. But have you ever heard of Lucy Harris?

5.0 / 5

INCLUVIE SCORE

5.0 / 5

MOVIE SCORE

Representation

Black

teri elam

February 6, 2022

5 / 5

INCLUVIE SCORE

5 / 5

MOVIE SCORE

All Hail The Queen of Basketball, May She Reign in Peace...and Win An Oscar

If someone asked you who the greatest names in basketball are, what would you say? Based on where you live, your generation, perspective, you might list Jordan, LeBron, Magic, Shaq or Kobe. Some might say Leslie, Swoopes, Staley, etc. How many would say “Harris?” Well, Ben Proudfoot schools us all in his short documentary, The Queen of Basketball about one of the greatest basketball players that ever lived, Lusia “Lucy” Harris. The Queen of Basketball has all the elements of a great sports movie: a strong story, compelling hero, realism, the right mix of action, and a (somewhat) happy ending. It opens with the playful banter between woodwinds and strings in a hopeful composition as a grainy video of a women’s basketball game comes into focus. Even with the sound from the game replaced with the orchestral melody, you can feel the electricity in the gym. The crowd on their feet while the jacketed coaches sit contemplatively on the sidelines staring at the hoop—you know a lot is riding on this game. And there she is, Harris, number 45, a Black woman at the free-throw line, standing tall, a shining light in a multitude of faces, her face almost hidden by the basketball she's holding. She shoots, rebounds, and shoots again, then gracefully bounds toward the other end of the court. We hear, then see our narrator, now an older version of number 45–equal parts delight and grace–whose eyes sparkle as she speaks. Hers is the only voice we need to tell her story. Her magic and wonder belying her grey crown—her sweet countenance sweet-talking you. Proudfoot’s

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Movie Information

She was arguably the greatest women's basketball player. She won three national trophies; she played in the ’76 Olympics; she was drafted to the NBA. But have you ever heard of Lucy Harris?

Rating:

Genre:Documentary

Directed By:Ben Proudfoot

Written By:

In Theaters:6/10/2021

Box Office:

Runtime:22 minutes

Studio:The New York Times, Breakwater Studios