CBS News Heartbreak and transcendence: Bringing "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" to the screen Before Billie, before Ella, there was Ma. "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is a new Netflix film inspired by the true-life story of the blues legend. And like Ma herself, the movie is big, bawdy, and – spoiler alert – the music alone is worth the price of admission. Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis and Colman Domingo in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." David Lee/Netflix The story is one of talent marred by tragedy, but it's also one of those rare times when the story behind the scenes is just as compelling, and every bit as tragic.