Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown (2014) on Netflix

Plot summary

The documentary follows James Brown from a childhood in which his parents left him behind to a career that made him one of the twentieth century's most influential artists. He was a self-made man who also worked as a social activist. The film traces his path from rhythm and blues to funk, gathering interviews along with rare and previously unseen footage and photographs. His first hit, "Please, Please, Please," came in 1956. The account reaches his performances at the Apollo Theater, the T.A.M.I. Show and the Paris Olympia, and it notes his billing as the hardest working man in show business.