Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
PG-13 | 21 August 1999 (USA)
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An acclaimed stage performer, Dorothy still struggled with the challenge of her color, in a time that wouldn't let some stars in by the front door. Yet against the odds she beat out many more famous rivals for the role of "Carmen Jones", becoming the first black woman ever nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. Marriages and affairs would break her heart, but her heart was strong. Seductive and easily seduced, she was born to be a star - with all the glory and all the pain of being loved, abused, cheated, glorified, undermined and undefeated. Here was a woman who wouldn't wait in the wings. Halle Berry stars as Dorothy Dandrige.

Reviews
Hellen

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

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Sexyloutak

Absolutely the worst movie.

Invaderbank

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

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Caryl

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

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SnoopyStyle

It's the 1955 Academy Awards in NYC. Dorothy Dandridge (Halle Berry) is the first colored nominee for best actress despite rampant racism. She flashes back to the 40s as Dorothy is performance in the Dandridge Sisters at the Cotton Club. She, her sister Vivian (Cynda Williams) and mother Ruby (Loretta Devine) are all managed by the cruel dictatorial 'Auntie'. She marries fellow performer Harold Nicholas (Obba Babatundé). Their daughter is mentally handicap which ruptures their marriage. Earl Mills (Brent Spiner) becomes her loyal manager. She wins over director Otto Preminger (Klaus Maria Brandauer) for the lead of Carmen Jones.This is a pretty straight forward biopic of a tumultuous life. It's a worthwhile movie about a fascinating period of history. This could be another TV movie but Halle Berry delivers a terrific performance which raises this above most other TV biopics. It feels personal to her and that adds importance to her work here.

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Jay Raskin

The only thing I knew about Dorothy Dandridge before seeing this film was her terrific performance in "Carmen Jones." I now feel that I know much more about her life and the times she lived in.The beginning of the film is a little disjointed, but it becomes more fascinating as it goes along. The best parts of the movie are scenes with Brent Spinner (Star Trek: next Generation) as her manager, Earl Wills, and Klaus Maria Brandauer (Mephisto) as film director Otto Preminger. They are both men who fall in love with Ms. Dandridge, despite the horribly racist nature of the times.The film is at its best when it shows the talent of Ms. Dandridge (well-played by Halle Berry who won an Emmy for it) and when it shows the incredible racism of the time she lived in. The film avoids the real horror and ugliness of the time (lynchings, poverty and unjust imprisonment of blacks) but makes the point that even the most sophisticated and brilliant Black people at the time faced ridiculous and inhuman discrimination.It is a good and important movie and probably reflects Ms. Dandridge's self image very well. See it especially if you are a movie fan. Seeing the Nicolas Brothers, Marilyn Monroe and Darrell F. Zanuck in a few scenes is especially fun and worth the price of admission, as they say.

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sddavis63

Admittedly, it's probably unfair to call Dorothy Dandridge unknown, as I've just done in the title. She was, after all nominated for an Academy Award and had a fairly long resume of parts, even if the majority of them were small ones. Many probably know her. I, however, aside from this movie, have no knowledge of her whatsoever. I've never seen any of her movies and was not familiar with the name until I came across this bio-pic. The title of this movie would seem to suggest that I'm not alone - she has to be introduced to us, after all. And - what an introduction!Halle Berry was absolutely perfect in this role. To me, she became the character with all the right moves and all the right emotions and presented a fascinating portrait of her subject. I find it hard to believe that so much was introduced in a little under two hours. Dandridge's problematic relationships (especially her relationship with the great director Otto Preminger) were interesting; her troubled upbringing being abused by whoever "Auntie" was supposed to be to the family was sad; her devotion to her mentally retarded daughter; the subtle look at the reality of racism in the era (she dips her toes in a hotel swimming pool, and the pool has to be drained and scrubbed as a result); her growing drug and alcohol dependence; her ultimate tragic death. In some respects she's portrayed as a black Marilyn Monroe, who does pop up from time to time in this movie. You would think that trying to show so much in so little time would lead to a shallow presentation, but it didn't. The movie leaves you wanting more, but not because it hasn't given you a lot.The secondary characters were also interesting: from Dandridge's first husband (Obba Babatunde) - who is captivated by her beauty but can't agree with her on what they want out of life, to her manager Earl Mills (Brent Spiner) - who quietly falls in love with her, to Preminger (Klaus Maria Brandauer) - who also seems to love her, but who finally turns away from her, possibly because she wanted more of a commitment than he wanted to give or perhaps because he felt that creating personal distance between them would help him to further her career.I'm shocked that this movie doesn't have a higher rating here. I think this was absolutely marvellous. 10/10

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preppy-3

Cable TV pic about the life of black entertainer Dorothy Dandridge. It deals with her battles with racism, a harrowing sexual assault, abusive marriages, alcoholism etc etc. I'm not sure how factual this is but, more than once, it plays like a standard Hollywood biopic...and not a good one. Everything seems muted and the impact of some of the scenes just isn't there. The only real reason to watch is Halle Berry. She doesn't look (or sound) like Dandridge but she still gives a very strong performance. Also good is Brent Spiner as her manager. However Klaus Maria Brandauer is lousy as Otto Preminger--he's so boring you wonder what Dorothy ever saw in him. So, it's worth watching for her.

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