CARMEN JONES (1954)

Cast

Plot

Carmen, a sultry woman, seduces a young soldier, Joe, in order to avoid imprisonment. However, when she leaves Joe for another man, he seeks revenge. There’s no sexier pairing in the history of black cinema than Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte. She died tragically young but this performance sees her at her best – vivacious, talented, full of agency and power - Catharine Des Forges Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen Jones stands right at the top of my list. No competition. This is one of cinema’s greatest ‘star’ performances. From the moment Dandridge swaggers onto screen singing ‘Dat’s Love’ you can’t keep her eyes off her in all her snarling, seductive, self-destructive glory. You feel as ready to be seduced as Harry Belafonte appears to be. Her performance makes me feel sad, too: it’s impossible not to imagine the films that she never got to make - Robin Baker