Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story

Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story is a riveting biographical documentary that takes you behind the scenes and into the personal and professional life of the late best-selling author Jackie Collins, whose prolific career bridged more than four decades, with more than 500 million books sold in over 40 countries. The film premiered in 2021 and features appearances by Tita Cahn, Hazel Collins, among others, helping to paint a comprehensive picture of the woman, artist, and cultural phenomenon Jackie Collins was.

The documentary, directed by Laura Fairrie, offers an intimate, unfiltered portrayal of this iconic author, shattering the shine of her glamorous public persona to reveal the real woman beneath. It explores the triumphs, controversies, and personal and professional battles that have marked her vibrant multi-decade career.

Jackie Collins, the younger sister of actress Joan Collins, burst into the public scene as a novelist with a distinct knack for bold storytelling and meticulous character development. Her novels are replete with strong female characters, exploring a world of fame, glitz, glamor, and the darker side of Hollywood. Her audacious narratives mirrored her own life, and like the heroines in her novels, Collins too battled her way through scandals, criticism, and personal losses.

The narrative of the documentary is driven compellingly by the fascinating interviews of Collins' family and close friends. Tita Cahn, widow of the legendary lyricist Sammy Cahn and close confidante to Collins, reveals aspects of her friendship that shed light on Jackie's resilience and grit. Hazel Collins, Jackie’s daughter, provides an emotive perspective of the iconic figure as a mother, offering insights into Jackie's private life away from her public persona.

The film delves into the challenges and conflicts of Collins' personal life, her relationship with her 'Dynasty' actress sister Joan Collins, her marriages, and her fight with breast cancer. Through a gripping narration, the documentary pieces together an inspiring and touching story of a woman who led by design, not by default, setting new bars of courage, audaciousness, and resiliency.

In Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story, Fairrie constructs a moving portrait of Collins by fusing interviews, archival footage, personal photographs and entries from Jackie's personal diaries, which were narrated posthumously by the actress Erin Cummings. This approach brings to life a voice long lost but still very much alive through her literary work. The narrative underscores Collins' unapologetic commitment to her art and her strength in overcoming adversity.

Professionally, the film takes viewers on a chronological journey through Jackie's career, charting her course from the rejection of her first manuscript to her groundbreaking global success as a novelist. Collins did not shy away from fierce themes of power, sex, and scandal, choosing to tell the stories she wanted - a decision that often led to her being misunderstood and criticized by the media and literary critics.

Her battlegrounds were not limited to the literary world but extended to Hollywood; the film dissects the controversial adaptations of her books into film and television. The documentary does a brilliant job of exploring how Collins responded to and overcame adversities, often emerging even stronger from them.

Footage from personal home videos, television shows, movie clips, and press conferences provide a rich and textured context to the narrative. Fairrie’s handling of these varied sources to weave a compelling story speaks volumes of her creative storytelling and the respect she has for Collins.

The documentary goes beyond merely honoring the legend of Jackie Collins. It delves into her motivations, her struggles, and her unwavering commitment to tell bold, gritty, unpretentious stories that resonated with her millions of readers worldwide.

Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story isn't only a tribute to one of the finest novelists of her time – it’s also a moving and intimate exploration of an ambitious woman’s journey of self-discovery, self-expression, and bridging success and challenges with remarkable grit and resilience.

The film is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good, inspiring story, and in particular, those who have been captivated by Jackie Collins' novels. It's a fitting tribute to the life of an extraordinary woman who broke boundaries, took control of her narrative, and who, in her words, chose to live ‘like a lady boss.’