Black Cinema - Carmen Jones - Essay Example

Order 390252 Black Cinema-Carmen Jones. Star of the movie Carmen Jones (1922-1965) died of a drug-overdose and proved in real-life how sex and drug move together on the path of self-destruction. Her career was curtailed by racism and personal problems in the 1950s. She reached up to Carmen Jones, through New Yorks Cotton Club and small movie parts in Hollywood. Her role as heroine of the 1954 film Carmen Jones was a hit and it heralded an era of hope for the black actors.

The real-life situations have deep impact on the roles of actors and actresses. The personal life of this most strikingly beautiful and charismatic star was full of tragic events. She was compared to another tragic Hollywood heroine, Marilyn Monroe-so glamorous was her image and turbulent was her life. “In 1954, she won the lead role in the movie that would make her a star-Carmen Jones- a lavish musical based on the nineteenth-century French opera Carmen by Georges Bizet that tells the story of a beautiful but fickle gypsy girl whose seductive ways lead to tragedy.

” (Carmen Jones..)Dandridge, a sterling sex-symbol, works the situation to her distinct advantage by seducing a black soldier and then betrays her to pay the ultimate price for her actions. This role came to her lot on the basis of her sex-appeal. When she was not selected in her first audition, she practiced the intended role to perfection with an authentic-sounding southern accent, her tight skirt and low-cut blouse exhibited her feminine assets, she tousled her hair, the make up was brilliant and the result was obvious.

She made the perfect character and won the heart of the director personally as well, though the liaison ended on an unfortunate note. The movie was a stupendous commercial success, Dorothy became the toast of Hollywood, reporters, publishers, photographer vied with each other to describe this black sex-bomb, and Life Magazine described her as one of the most beautiful women in America. Love, passion, betrayal and tragedy marked Carmen Jones which is an adaptation of Bizets legendary opera, which Dorothy plays to perfection.

Her extraordinary beauty, and tremendous sex appeal is the object of desire of many men. Carmen successfully traps an army officer, he succumbs to her physical charms and forsakes the sweetheart to whom he is engaged. In the 1950-1960s Hollywood was sill plagued with racism and no black-woman would think of securing the lead role. Minor domestic and subservient roles came to their lot. Notwithstanding the maiden success of Carmen Jones, the producers and studio bosses refused to accept African American actresses for roles other than domestic servants, tramps and seductresses.

In such a situation, the lusty young woman Dorothy Dandrige, was the role-model and hope for the black actors. The television era of the 1940s set a competitive trend in the entertainment industry and the Hollywood bosses had to adopt changed strategies, to get the business going. Not for blacks alone, but also for an integrated mix audience. Unprecedented boom set forth on movies related to black issues, and much credit goes to the trend set by Carmen Jones and the acting talents like Dorothy.

Film makers deliberately exploited racial issues to appeal to the conscience of audience with shocking depiction of racism. Rape scenes and race-mixing were commonplace in the black-dominated movies. The movies were aimed at both white and black audiences. Some of them were,Free Black & 21, Black Rebels, Checkerboard, My Baby Is Black, Murder In Mississippi, Girl On a Chain Gang, and The Black Klansman,Cry the Beloved Country, Lilies of the Field, Go Man Go, The Bed-ford Incident, Goody My Lady, A Patch of Blue, Edge of the City, Duel At Diablo, Edge Of the City, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner etc.

Dorothy Dandrige served as the ignition key for the start of a new era for the black actors and actresses and she contributed much to their economic welfare and improved status. Blacks found a new respectability in Hollywood. ************ Works Cited:Carmen Jones (1954)Dorothy Dandriges roles went beyond that of sex symbol to being a parody of female sexuality.. Retrieved on February 11,2010 [