Dear Constant Reader,
I first saw this documentary in 2018 at a local theatre, but it took me this long to write up my thoughts. I know Tempest never would have seen this little blog, but I didn’t feel comfortable writing this while she was alive. The audience at the screening was sparse and I though that was sad. Harvey Robbins, Tempest’s manger, who I can’t stand (let’s just leave it at that) introduced the film and did a Q &A at the end, all of which I remember thinking we could have done without.
Tempest Storm directed by Nimisha Mukerji, 2016.
I won’t rehash Tempest’s amazing career here. Read The Lady is a Vamp if you want to know more. The film covers some of her glory days and some of her personal life, with interviews with Tempest, her family members, manager, and people in the neo-burlesque scene. There’s archival images and footage of Tempest, but also some artsy, mood-setting scenes, like actresses playing younger Tempest and little girl Tempest that I didn’t think was so necessary.
Throughout Tempest is glamorous. They focus on a number of her triumphs: headlining at a burlesque festival, a photoshoot, signing her clothing line deal with Tatyana, greeting her adoring fans at conventions, performing at BHoF.
The documentary follows Tempest as she attempts to reconnect with her family. She calls her daughter and leaves messages several times without response. Her father abandoned Tempest when she was a baby and she never knew him or why he left. After a genealogist traces him, Tempest goes back to Georgia to visit his grave. It feels a bit like a farewell tour as she sees her siblings and their families. She continues by going to Los Angeles to see her ex-husband Herb Jeffries (who died not long after their reunion). Marrying Herb, a Black singing cowboy, caused damage to her career and to her relationship with her family. Ultimately she chose her career over the marriage and their daughter.
Then she flew to met with her estranged daughter. Who refused to see her. The film maker clearly had this plan for a redemption arc, with a mother-daughter reunion, which was foiled by people not acting like characters in a script.
She never seems to realize that she repeated history by leaving her daughter and husband, like her father abandoned her. When her daughter challenges Tempest over the phone for not being there for her and her granddaughter, Tempest tries to explain how busy she’s been with festivals and appearances, but never apologizes for her absence in their lives. It’s sad and I feel like her sorrow is exploited.
The film ends (not a spoiler) with footage of Tempest in a diaphanous white gown at dusk, dancing in a field of Georgia cotton, the kind she had to pick as a little girl. She worked so hard to get away and yet much of this film is about her return.
The documentary is a chance to hear her story from her and that is absolutely worth it. You can watch the entire film on YouTube.
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Oh, The Glamourous Life! 
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