Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999)
Brent Spiner, Cynda Williams, D.B. Sweeney, Halle Berry, Klaus Maria Brandauer ... (see more) , LaTanya Richardson , Loretta Devine , Obba Babatundé , Tamara Taylor , William Atherton
The troubled life of Dorothy Dandridge, the first African-American woman to garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress (for CARMEN JONES) is dramatized in this fine made-for-HBO film from director Coolidge (RAMBLING ROSE). Gorgeous Berry shines as Dandridge in a role she seems born to play.... (read more) The troubled life of Dorothy Dandridge, the first African-American woman to garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress (for CARMEN JONES) is dramatized in this fine made-for-HBO film from director Coolidge (RAMBLING ROSE). Gorgeous Berry shines as Dandridge in a role she seems born to play. Dandridge's close relationship with her manager (Spiner) is examined, as is her affair with director Otto Preminger, along with her first marriage to dancer Harold Nicholas, with whom she gave birth to a mentally disabled daughter. Aside from her personal struggles, the film also demonstrates the rampant racism of 1950's Hollywood which she had to endure throughout her short career.
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R, 120 min.
Directed by:
Martha Coolidge
Release Date: Jan 01, 1999
DVD Release Date: Feb 15, 2000
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Can you beleive that in the 50's, a black women singing in a cabaret didn't have the right to access the bathroom. They would give her a set of plastic cups for her to pee in ! Can you beleive that she couldn't swim in the pool of the hotel she pe... (read more) Can you beleive that in the 50's, a black women singing in a cabaret didn't have the right to access the bathroom. They would give her a set of plastic cups for her to pee in ! Can you beleive that she couldn't swim in the pool of the hotel she performed at. And when she did so, they emptied it and disinfected it !!!!
Sometimes menkind can be a stupid state...
If Halle Berry deserves an Oscar for anything, it's this film. I love it! Brent Spiner is also fantastic. It was so good to see him in such a dramatic/leading man role. My heart breaks for him several times as I watch this movie.
excellent! baby doll halle scores a triple touchdown with this searing portrayal of the dorothy dandridge (RIP)
Its fun to go back and watch current superstars working their way up the Hollywood ladder by taking on meaty roles like Halle Berry does in this one. Its then funny to think of how little this movie actually helped her career compared to how she blew... (read more) Its fun to go back and watch current superstars working their way up the Hollywood ladder by taking on meaty roles like Halle Berry does in this one. Its then funny to think of how little this movie actually helped her career compared to how she blew up after her breasts got that producer credit on Swordfish.
Halle Berry was excellent in this role. Dandridge was not someone I knew much about, so I enjoyed this glimpse into the rise and fall of her life.
Engrossing biopic from director Martha Coolidge. Halle Berry is luminous as Dorothy Dandridge, and the rest of the cast is equally excellent. The script has its awkward elements - the framing device feels forced - and it's clearly hampered by its TV-... (read more) Engrossing biopic from director Martha Coolidge. Halle Berry is luminous as Dorothy Dandridge, and the rest of the cast is equally excellent. The script has its awkward elements - the framing device feels forced - and it's clearly hampered by its TV-movie production values, but for the most part it's smart and always compelling. Nice old-fashioned score by Elmer Bernstein.
Stunning performance from Halle Berry - fantastic to think that she went on to win the first Oscar - I'm sure Dorothy would have been proud!
I think the UK title The Face of An Angel is a better title than the US title. Anyway the film was a very educational movie for me. Since I had no clue who Dorothy Danbridge was. If you're familiar with Marilyn Monroe or Doris Day you should know abo... (read more) I think the UK title The Face of An Angel is a better title than the US title. Anyway the film was a very educational movie for me. Since I had no clue who Dorothy Danbridge was. If you're familiar with Marilyn Monroe or Doris Day you should know about Danbridge. She probably would of been in just as many well known films as them if the American film industry wasn't as racist as it was back then. This is the best made for tv films I've ever seen, also this is without a doubt the best Halle Berry film I've ever seen. There is just one scene that stops this from getting a full five stars. The scene is when Dorothy goes into labour. I was wondering what was happening because in the previous scene there was no indication that she was pregnant. Having said that this is still a film worth seeing especially if you liked films like Ray, Dreamgirls or Beyond The Sea.
Dandridge opened up the path for women of color in show biz. She was born in the wrong time, or maybe there is a reason for everything... She died at 42.
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