With her songs appearing in over 223 movies and television shows it's hard to deny her impact on the landscape of movie soundtracks, her soulful voice highlighted many a scene, put husbands in their place, mourn losses and in general, raise the emotional impact of any scene.
While her onscreen appearances are mostly in concert films, she does have two movies that have had a lasting impact, even if one of them didn't quite live up to the hype, her appearance in it was every bit as legendary as the woman herself. Those two movies are of course, The Blues Brothers and The Blues Brothers 2000, with The Lovely Miss Aretha playing the annoyed but understanding wife of Matt 'Guitar' Murphy (who we also lost this year). Of course in both, she isn't the mewling wife of a traveling musician, she's the power that lifted him by his bootstraps and kept him and Blue Lou Marini out of that and into living productive lives. She was a business owner in both, the obvious strength in the relationship.
And that's where I leave this, we lost a woman who exemplified strength, beauty and perseverance, a woman dear to the hearts of people from all walks of life, and mostly, a force of nature. She'll be desperately missed, and will always be loved. Rest in Peace Miss Franklin, you were and always be the Queen.