Carmen Jones (film)
- Dorothy Dandridge: Carmen Jones
- Harry Belafonte: Joe
- Olga James: Cindy Lou
- Pearl Bailey: Frankie
- Joe Adams: Husky Miller
- Diahann Carroll: Myrt
- Brock Peters: Sergeant Brown
Carmen Jones is an American feature film from the year 1954.
Action
The film relocates the opera Carmen in the southern United States and is exclusively occupied with black actors. Joe is a GI who is awarded the contract, the factory worker Carmen Jones to arrest for assault. During transport to jail, Joe is seduced by Carmen. Carmen can flee and Joe has even jail. His fiancée Cindy Lou also breaks up with him. In his distress and impaired love for Carmen he deserted from the army. But the relationship between Joe and Carmen does not develop as hoped by Joe. Carmen gets bored with Joe. As her friends Frankie and Myrt invite them to a boxing match, she feels the boxer Husky Miller as the far more interesting man. Joe is full of jealousy and hatred and murder Carmen.
Background
The film Carmen Jones is based on the Broadway performance of Carmen Jones from the year 1943. Idea for these Oscar Hammerstein English lyrics to the music of Georges Bizet had written. The arias of the opera were not sung in the film by the actors, but synchronized. The soprano Marilyn Horne gave Dorothy Dandridge their voice and LeVern Hutcherson sang the parts for Harry Belafonte.
Reviews
" The music gains by the " modern " realistic framework of naturalness and conviction, the convincing game and the vocal performances of the actors round out the positive impression. Instead of gypsy romance a compelling drama about culpable and tragic entanglements is offered, the convinced in the immediacy of his feelings. "
" A successful opera film. "
Awards
For the first time a Hollywood director had exclusively occupied with black actors what 1954/1955 of a revolution equaled. The film has won several awards:
- Golden Globe Award 1955: Best Film in the category Musical; Best Young Actor ( Joe Adams)
- Oscar Nominations 1955: Best Actress ( Dorothy Dandridge was the first African American to be nominated for a leading role ), best musical arrangement
- International Film Festival of Cannes 1955: Invitation to the competition
- International Film Festival 1955: Bronze Bear by public vote
- Locarno Film Festival 1955: Golden Leopard
- Nominations for the British Film Academy Award 1956: Best Film and Best Foreign Actress
- 1992: Inclusion in the National Film Registry