Carmen Jones
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Movie Reviews of Carmen Jones
Movie Review: A memorable film accompanied by a great cast.
Summary: 5 Stars
Although it's been some time since I last saw this film, it is on my "must have" list based on the wonderful musical score, the charismatic leads, and its importance as a vehicle for Black American talent at a time when racial discrimination was rife.
Dandridge would have been a true Hollywood success story had her years in Hollywood been today. America was still hesitant to give black performers key roles in motion pictures. True, we had films such as Cabin in the Sky (1943) but where did that film go to? Otto Preminger must be credited for taking a big chance in making this all-black picture concerning Carmen Jones, who works in a parachute factory, and the soldier, Belafonte, who must escort her to the magistrate when she has broken the law.
Dorothy Dandridge nailed this role as Carman Jones. She is catty, seductive, and has her men wrapped around her finger. Harry Belafonte is sensational as Joe, the naive soldier who becomes prey to Carman. It's interesting to watch Joe trying to tame the wild tendencies of Carman, while a love triangle grows outside of their relationship. It's like watching a cat on a hot tin roof. (oops, another great movie.) An added plus is the wonderful production numbers with dance choreography and songs. The costume, wardrobe, and props reflect the culture of city slickers and country folks, presenting the differences in lifestyles among characters. These differences became evident in Dorothy Dandridge performance, and earn her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. Halle Berry's Oscar acceptance speech for Best Actress in Monster's Ball reminded me of just how far we have come and how long it has taken to reach this stage of the journey!
If you haven't yet seen Carmen Jones - take the time to view this milestone in American cinema history - you won't be disappointed.
Movie Review: The Easy Way To Get Into Opera
Summary: 5 Stars
1954's Carmen Jones is a classic film of great value. Otto Preminger directed the film in the new CinemaScope, Dorothy Dandridge was a black actress in the pre-Civil Rights Movement period to be playing a serious role and it's an easy transition into the Georges Bizet French opera from which it was based. The movie used Bizet's music but they translated the lyrics into English. Dorothy Dandrige stars as Carmen Jones and Harry Belafonte as Joe, or Carmen and Don Jose respectively. The film was successful, since it was Rodgers and Hammerstein's concept. The film is like a realistic musical without too much sugar or sunshine. The story of Carmen, itself drawn from the French short novel by Prosper Merimee, is a dark story of passion and obscession that results in a crime of passion, the death of Carmen as she is stabbed by the jealous Joe. Carmen, a free spirit, gets into all sorts of trouble, oozes sensuality and sex appeal, and wins all the men with her Habanera song. When she seduces Joe in a World War II military camp, he abandons his homely and well-mannered girlfriend Cindy Lou (Micaela in the opera) he lives with Carmen as lovers. But the affair declines for Carmen who takes an interest in the attractive boxer Oscar Miller (a play on the name Escamillo from the opera who was a bullfighter). Joe gets decisively jealous and begs Carmen to forget about the boxer and continue their romance. The last scene is particularily impressive, and is full of taut, dramatic tension. The rest of the movie is of course all musical numbers and dramatic scenes, such as Carmen Jones discovering her doom through reading the cards and reading her death card. The whole thing is a miracle to watch, because it seems to work effectively as both musical and opera. It's highly enjoyable and I recommend anyone interested in the opera Carmen to watch it.Movie Review: Classic Carmen.
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is phenomenal. Personally, there
are not many movies which I care to see
more than once. My interest span is not that great.
However, I could watch "Carmen Jones" everyday.
Apart from all its political and social notoriety,
"Carmen Jones" is a great film on any level. Yes,
we've all heard about Dandridge's groundbreaking
success and the racial progress that she incurred
with this film. However, even if you were not aware
of this, the movie still stands as a remarkable product
of Otto Preminger's mastery.
Yes, it's slow in some places, and you
find yourself going through withdrawal,
just waiting for the next glimpse of the
stunning Dandridge. However, this movie delivers
with a flavorful punch. Without a doubt, it lives up to
it's hype and beyond. Good story line, beautiful
leading actors (Belafonte/Dandridge, a match made
in movie heaven), fun music, and an entertaining
interpretation of the original opera.
This is a great movie for everyone.
PS: just a little information here.
People often wonder why two professional singers (Belafonte/Dandridge) would have their voices dubbed in the movie. Well, first of all, Dandridge was a pop/night club performer and it is highly unlikely that she had the vocal range nor the appropriate voice ability to tackle the classic mezzo-soprano role. Likewise, with Belafonte, who was also a pop singer. However, I do suspect that he could have vocally pulled off the tenor role. Perhaps, it was a question of taste by the producers. Diahann Caroll is also dubbed. Pearl Baily, however, is not dubbed.(????????)What's that all about?
Movie Review: THE ULTIMATE "CARMEN".....
Summary: 5 Stars
This film treatment by Otto Preminger of Bizet's "Carmen" is stunningly done with an all-black cast. The mesmerizing Dorothy Dandridge is Carmen, the femme fatale who bewitches a GI (Harry Belafonte) leading to tragedy. The film is set in the present and retains the operatic score in English but unnecessarily performed with black dialect. This idiosyncrasy may have its' defenders but I found it rather stereotypical. At any rate, it's beautifully done and dubbed perfectly with the cast. Carmen is portrayed as the ultimate material girl---at once heartless yet vulnerable. She renounces her relationship with the lovesick GI to pursue her pot of gold with an up-and-coming boxer. Film depicts the sexuality of Carmen with earthy frankness surprising for the time. It has a European feel to it. Dandridge should have gotten an Oscar for this but racial prejudices being what they were at the time shut her out---a damnable outrage but this was the 50's and white audiences evidently weren't ready to see such a frank modern performance by a black actress. Halle Berry did a cable bio of Dandridge and would later thank her posthumously when she herself became the first black actress to win a Best Actress award for "Monster's Ball". "Carmen Jones" is a historical milestone and an American classic that is available on DVD and must be seen to be appreciated.Movie Review: Joe - Thanks, but I don't drink.
Summary: 5 Stars
Carmen Jones - Boy, if the army was made up of nothin' but soldiers like you, war wouldn't do nobody no good.
Adapted from a legendary opera, Carmen, and the successful Broadway musical, it is a timeless story which explores the consequences when a deep devotion leads to personal anguish and then to intense, tragic rage.
The movie won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture and Dorothy Dandridge - in a sizzling performance as Carmen Jones - was the first black woman nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress. The film was selected for preservation by the U.S. National Film Registry.
The cast is nothing less than outstanding, with Harry Belafonte (Joe) and Joe Adams (heavyweight fighter, Husky Miller) capturing the emotional turmoil and consequences in striving to be Carmen's only lover. Olga James (Cindy Lou), Pearl Bailey (Frankie), Diahann Carroll (Mert) and Brock Peters (Sgt. Brown) are captivating in their roles.
Adapted to film by Oscar Hammerstaein III - who wrote the dialogue & lyrics for the musical - and Harry Kleiner & directed by Otto Preminger, the movie was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical.
Rarely do all the elements fall into place for a perfect movie. They all came together for Carmen Jones.