Dancehall Queen


Dancehall Queen is a 1997 indie Jamaican film co-directed and written by Don Letts, Suzanne Fenn and Ed Wallace. starring Audrey Reid, who plays Marcia, a street vendor struggling to raise a bad-tempered daughter, Tanya. Directed by Rick Elgood.

Plot

Marcia Green is a single mom and street vendor barely scraping by even with a financial assist from the seemingly avuncular Larry, a gun-toting strongman with a twisted desire for Marcia's teenage daughter Tanya who he then decides to pursue. Complicating things is Priest, a murderous hoodlum who killed Marcia's friend and now is terrorizing the defenseless woman. Facing three big problems, Marcia arrives at an inspired solution: develop an alter ego, a dancing celebrity called the Mystery Lady who can compete in a cash-prize contest and put both of the men against one another.
She does so and Marcia very amusingly carries out her complicated plan, with a little help from sympathetic friends.

Cast

as Marcia, a struggling street vendor, who decides to use dancing to better her situation. So, she takes on the persona of the Mystery Lady, to raise money.
Cherine Anderson as Tanya, Marcia's older daughter. Trying to live a normal life, she has to deal with the advances of Larry, the wealthy man that her mother seeks money from.
Mark Danvers as Junior, Marcia's younger brother and Tanya's uncle. After witnessing his friend's death, at the hands of Priest, he fears he'll be murdered next.
Carl Davis as Larry, a well-off man, who has an interest in Tanya, he falls for the Mystery Lady.
Paul Campbell as Priest, the knife-wielding hoodlum who's pursuing Marcia
Carl Bradshaw as Police Officer #1
Beenie Man as himself
Lady Saw as herself

Soundtrack

Dancehall Queen mixed recent hits with songs created for the movie, including the title track by Beenie Man.