Yet as record sales diminish and the revamped Temps perform before ever-smaller crowds, they, too, feel the wall of regret closing in. There's plenty of fodder, both emotional and musical, to fill this four-hour biography, and much of the time director Allan Arkush keeps us riveted with a brisk tempo and telling insight into the creative process. Part 1 is the stronger of the two because Arkush gives us time to get to know these characters. We share their youthful joy at being signed, their frustration at faltering out of the gate, their euphoria at finally conquering the charts. There's something infectious about their triumph.
Tribulation is another matter, and it dominates the darker second night.
At one point there are two groups of Temptations touring the country, each boasting two original members. Eventually, Motown orchestrates a combined reunion tour, the consequences of which are unforeseen. At its best, The Temptations makes the innocence and exuberance of the '60s palpable, a time when any old group with a dream had a shot at stardom. Whitfield shines as the group' s founder, Otis Williams, a man's whose drive often blinds him to the pain of others. And Leon proves a decisive counterweight.