#m: carmen jones (1954)

[musicalfilm]

R.I.P. Harry Belafonte (March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023)

[boricuacherry-blog]

[nitestar7]

Carmen Jones (1954) - review

🎬Dive into the groundbreaking musical Carmen Jones (1954)! With stellar performances by Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte, this all-African-American cast film is a must-watch for its cultural significance and captivating music. #ClassicMusicals.

Image1: Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen and Harry Belafonte as Joe Reviewed by: LitewriterCheck out more of my reviews and articles on “Sunset Movie Reviews” by Litewriter CINEMATIC REVIEW: “Carmen Jones” (1954) Step into the vibrant world of 1950s cinema with Otto Preminger’s Carmen Jones. This iconic musical film, featuring an all-African American cast, dazzles with its performances as they…

[jasonsutekh]

Carmen Jones (1954)

A young woman seduces a soldier, breaking apart his meaningful relationship with his girlfriend.

A fair few of the musical numbers are recognisable and enjoyable with the slight twists they have and new lyrics. The setting is unusual and it’s surprising to see a mostly black cast in the 1950s. All the performances were high in quality and there’s a fair amount of character development for the main three.

Although the story has some powerful subtext with reminiscences to classic plays, it’s rather uncomfortable to watch the types of relationship displayed. While it’s arguably progressive of the time to have a mostly African-American cast, none were shown in a very positive light, either displaying characteristics of aggressive sexuality regardless of consent, adultery, or murder.

The aesthetics were adequate though little appeared to be of special note. The colour palette was tame compared to many of the other musicals of the time, but it’s the setting that leaves something to be desired, having too many bleak military buildings and dirt roads. There’s a little discussion about honour which helped the narrative but it was short lived.

Most of the music numbers were engaging and helped to progress the narrative or expand upon the feelings of the characters, however many of the notes reached such a high pitch that it became difficult to distinguish many of the words so the tune and actions were relied upon more heavily to explain the scene.

3/10 -This one’s bad but it’s got some good in it, just there-

-The original opera on which the film is based was set in a cigarette factory.

-The lead was the first black actress to be nominated for Best Actress.

[zoirohs]

CARMEN JONES (1954) dir. Otto Preminger

[ediths-shades]

DOROTHY DANDRIDGE in Carmen Jones (1954)

Costume design by Mary Ann Nyberg

[roseillith]

CARMEN JONES (1954) dir. OTTO PREMINGER

[cartermagazine]

Today We Honor Diahann Carroll

A television and stage actress and singer. Diahann Carroll has had a long, successful career that has expanded through 5 decades.

Appearing in Carmen Jones (1954), Porgy and Bess (1959), Julia (1968) one of the first series on American television to star a black woman in a non-stereotypical role, and Claudine (1974) to name a few.

Later she created the role of Dominique Deveraux on the popular prime time soap opera, Dynasty.

CARTER™️ Magazine

[citizenscreen]

Dorothy Dandridge photographed by Bob Willoughby on set of Preminger’s CARMEN JONES (1954)

[theafroamericaine]

Vintage Black Hollywood aka Black Glamour

During the early 20th century Black Americans started producing their own films these were known as "race films" due to them being created for Black audiences and predominantly viewed by them. If a film had an all black cast it was considered a race film as well. This period lasted from the 1900s to the 1950s. Here are some classic films from that time.

Stormy Weather (1943)

Hi-De-Ho (1947)

Carmen Jones (1954)

Anna Lucasta (1958)

[classichollywoodarchive]

DOROTHY DANDRIGE IN CARMEN JONES (1954)

image from vogue

[cyarskj52]

Where you goin'? I might come back. Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte in Carmen Jones (1954) dir. Otto Preminger

[gone2soon-rip]

HARRY BELAFONTE (1927- Died April 25th 2023,at 96.Congestive Heart failure). American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.Belafonte was best known for his recordings of "The Banana Boat Song", with its signature "Day-O" lyric, "Jump in the Line", and "Jamaica Farewell". He recorded and performed in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He also starred in several films, including Carmen Jones (1954), Island in the Sun (1957), and Odds Against Tomorrow (1959). Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award,and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honour.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Belafonte

[ladybegood]

Dorothy Dandridge photographed by Bob Willoughby on the set of Carmen Jones (1954)

[film-classics]

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Jean Dandridge (born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio) was an American actress and singer who was the first African-American to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and to be on the cover of Life. Renowned not only for her beauty but also her talent, she received critical acclaim for her films: Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959). At the young age of 42, she was found unresponsive in her West Hollywood apartment. after an accidental overdose of the antidepressant imipramine.

[roseillith]

CARMEN JONES (1954) dir. OTTO PREMINGER