‘The Josephine Baker Story’

This 1991 HBO production has given the legendary entertainer--the rage of ‘20s Paris, French Resistance heroine, civil rights activist--the royal treatment she so richly deserves. It is highlighted by a knockout portrayal of the complex, sometimes controversial but always heroic Baker by a perfectly cast Lynn Whitfield (pictured), whose ability to bring the durable entertainer to life and span tumultuous decades is nothing short of remarkable (HBO early Thursday at 4:30 a.m.).