What’s Love Got to Do with It: Tina Turner

Released in 1993, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” is a movie loosely based on the life of Tina Turner. Staring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner, this film follows the life and career of Tina Turner with a focus on her marriage to Ike Turner. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Actress and Best Actor) and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

This movie opens in a church where a choir is practicing. A young girl, Anna Mae (later Tina Turner) is shown singing loud and proud to the disapproval of the choir director. After a stern talking to by the choir director, young Anna Mae cannot contain herself and continues singing loud and proud. The choir director stops the practice and escorts Anna Mae out of the church.

As Anna Mae arrives home she sees her parents getting into a vehicle and driving away. She walks inside the house and sees a huge mess. She is left to live with her grandmother until her grandmother’s death. That’s when Anna Mae moves to St. Louis and is reunited with her mother and sister.

One night Anna Mae goes with her sister to a club where Anna Mae sees Ike Turner singing for the first time. Anna Mae likes what she sees and hears. On another visit Anna Mae ends up singing on stage with Ike. Ike likes what he sees and hears and invites Anna Mae out to eat after the show. There they discuss her singing some of his songs. That’s the beginning of Ike and Tina Turner.

The movie follows their musical career, marriage, physical abuse, divorce, and the beginning of Tina’s solo career and downfall of Ike the artist and man.

The first sign of major physical violence between Ike and Tina Turner in this movie occurs at the couple’s home in California. Tina is outside with friends in the pool and goes inside and sees Ike stressing out. An argument over money ensues and Ike slaps and hits Tina and eventually...