Directed by John Berry
Written by Lester Pine & Tina Pine
Starring Diahann Carroll, James Earl Jones, Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs, Tamu Blackwell, David Kruger, Yvette Curtis, Eric Jones, Socorro Stephens
IMDB Entry
American movies tended toward big themes, with plenty of drama and action. The smaller films – character stories where the plot is less important than the people – is primarily a European thing.* But every once in a while, an American film does cover this sort of ground. Claudine is an example of this, what Virginia Woolf called a “Mrs. Brown” story that concentrates on the lives of ordinary people.
Claudine Price (Diahann Carroll) lives in Harlem, the single mother of six. She works under the table, since Welfare doesn’t pay enough, but runs the big risk of losing her benefits. She meets Rupert “Roop” Marshall (James Earl Jones), a garbageman, who asks her out on a date. Roop is bemused by the chaos of six kids, but still proceeds with the romance, even coping with the mistrust of Claudine’s oldest son, Charles (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs),** who has seen his mother’s other husbands leave her.
Jones is wonderful. He’s one of the country’s best actors and this is a smaller-scale role than many of his, and he manages to keep his larger-than-life persona tuned to just the right levels, with plenty of charm as a romantic leading man. Diahann Carroll is is also great – she got an Oscar nomination for it – showing humor and strength.
In addition to the romance, the film has a lot to say about the difficulties and contradictions of the U.S. Welfare system. Claudine is caught in a trap; as she says, “If I don’t feed my kids, it’s child neglect. If I go out and get a job, and make a little money on the side, then that’s cheating. I stay at home and I’m lazy. I can’t win.” The movie humanizes people on public assistance and shows just how difficult it can be.
Director John Berry had a spotty career, most due to the fact that he was a victim of the Blacklist. He was starting to work regularly in Hollywood when he was one of the names named in the witch hunt and had to move to France in the early 50s. He returned to the US in the early 60s and moved his way up to features again.This was probably his best-regarded film.
The movie was a critical success, and probably made money, though it’s small budget helped, as did a soundtrack album.by Gladys Knight and the Pips. But because it was relatively quiet in tone, it faded from consciousness.
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*Certainly Hollywood has little interest in that today.
**Pre-Kotter
3 comments:
Wonderful film in all regards.
Diana Sands was originally going to play the lead and co-produce CLAUDINE, but sadly was diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly before filming was to start. She asked her close friend Diahann Carroll to take the role, and it ended up being arguably her best-remembered performance on the big screen. I think Diana Sands would have been fantastic too; Sands should have received an Oscar nomination at the very least for THE LANDLORD a few years before.
Should have led to more opportunities for Carroll on the big screen, but sadly didn't. Her next movie role of substance was not until THE FIVE HEARTBEATS 17 years later.
Claudine was one of the Best American Films of all times. Black America is America although often ignored. The story captured the sentiment of Black life in America with the challenges of living within a system designed to hurt and suppress more than help. The way these actors navigate their desire to “BE” and exist as a family despite the many political and socioeconomic policies that discouraged male led family. It was a film that showed the power of hope and love was the catalyst to supersede the obstacles, is one of the many reasons that this film Claudine still resonates 40 years later. The music was perfect to match the sentiment of the particular scenes. I still enjoy watching this film and I was 14 years old when I first watched it in the movie theatre. I am 62 now. As a native New Yorker it resonated. Great job Lester and Tina Pine and director John Berry! This movie was about humanity and basic themes of love, determination and a desire to be respected.
I am listed as Anonymous because this site is new to me. My name is Karen Kenney-Jones
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