Carmen Jones

views updated

Carmen Jones ★★★ 1954

Bizet's tale of fickle femme fatale Carmen heads South with an all black cast and new lyrics by Hammerstein II. Soldier Belafonte falls big time for factory working belle Dandridge during the war, and runs off with miss thang after he kills his C.O. And quits the army. Tired of prettyboy Belafonte, Dandridge's eye wanders upon prize pugilist Escamillo, inspiring ex-soldier beau to wring her throaty little neck. Film debuts of Carroll and Peters. More than a little racist undertone to the direction. Actors' singing is dubbed. DDat's Love; Dere's a Cafe on de Corner; Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum; You Talk Just Like My Maw; Stand Up and Fight; Dis Flower; My Joe. 105m/C VHS, DVD . Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Pearl Bailey, Roy Glenn, Diahann Carroll, Brock Peters; D: Otto Preminger; W: Harry Kleiner; C: Sam Leavitt; M: Oscar Hammerstein, Georges Bizet. Golden Globes '55: Film—Mus./Comedy, Natl. Film Reg. '92.

More From encyclopedia.com