Carmen Jones (1954)

Carmen Jones (1954). Carmen Jones: Directed by Otto Preminger. With Harry Belafonte, Dorothy Dandridge, Pearl Bailey, Olga James. Contemporary version of the Bizet opera, with new lyrics and an African-American cast.

“Even after the success of Oklahoma, the partnership of Rodgersu0026amp;Hammerstein was not cast in stone yet. After Oklahoma debuted, Oscar Hammerstein, II went to work on his next Broadway show with a dead collaborator. He wrote new lyrics for the music of Georges Bizetu0026#39;s opera Carmen and wrote a new book for an all black cast to perform it, in the tradition of Porgy and Bess.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat show was Carmen Jones and it ran for 502 performances on Broadway from 1943 to 1945. Hammerstein discovered what the team of Robert Wright and Chet Forrest had previously found out in adapting Edvard Griegu0026#39;s melodies into their hit, Strange Music. That thereu0026#39;s nothing like writing with a collaborator who canu0026#39;t complain and whou0026#39;s melodies are already a hit.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn fact while the show was originally on Broadway, Rise Stevens had sung in Going My Way the song that eventually became Datu0026#39;s Love. And Nelson Eddy and sung The Toreador Song in his film Balalaika. Hammerstein brilliantly capitalized on some free publicity for his own show.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHarry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge give great acting performances though itu0026#39;s kind of strange to hear other voices coming from the mouths of two good singers. Their voices werenu0026#39;t operatic though, yet the singers dubbing them matched well with the personalities of both the leads. And Dandridge had Marilyn Horne, you canu0026#39;t do much better than that.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe whole thing originates from the French novelistu0026#39;s Prosper Merimeeu0026#39;s story of the ill effects of passionate love. Harry Belefonteu0026#39;s on his way to being a Tuskegee airman and he runs afoul of Carmen Jones. Belefonteu0026#39;s got himself a gal, but Dandridge puts on her Delilah routine and Belefonteu0026#39;s dead meat. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIn addition to Samson and Delilah the Belefonte character is remarkably similar to George Hurstwood in Theodore Dreiseru0026#39;s Sister Carrie. Another man who threw it all away for passion. I wouldnu0026#39;t be surprised if Dreiser refined Merimeeu0026#39;s theme.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut Dandridgeu0026#39;s performance is the best. As the hedonistic Carmen Jones, sheu0026#39;s a wonder on screen. Seeing her realize that part on the screen, we can well understand why Belefonte threw it all away for love. Dandridge became the first black woman nominated in the Best Actress category, but she lost the Oscar sweepstakes to Grace Kelly for The Country Girl.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor those who like the opera Carmen, I think theyu0026#39;ll be well pleased with Oscar Hammerstein, II did with Bizetu0026#39;s music and Merimeeu0026#39;s story.”