Josephine Baker Story
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List Price: $9.98
Features
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• NTSC
In Theaters : 16 March, 1991
Video Release : 12 December, 1994 |
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Josephine Baker Story Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥
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'The Josephine Baker Story' Is A Treasure In My Movie Collection
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| Ever since I was 9 years old and watched the French documentary 'Chasing A Rainbow' I was emmediatly fascinated by Josephine Baker. It was like The Beatles in a way-she has one of the greatest celebrity stories in know history!And it wasn't until several years later did I realize that this movie had been made but it was an HBO exclusive and I didn't have cable.It came out on VHS and was hard to find for awhile but when it came out on DVD,I waited awhile and at the strong recommendation of a friend went for this.Considering how much I enjoyed [[ASIN:0783116748 Introducing Dorothy Dandridge]] I naturally assumed this would be at least just as good.Well 'The Josephine Baker Story' is BETTER then just as good.As noted in other reviews this film takes a look at Josephine Baker the women rather then the performer.That is covered too but Josephine (portrayed by the lovely and dynamic Lynn Whitfiend)is given a real humanity outside her larger then life persona.One thing I learned about Josephine from this was that I COULD SEE why she'd want to get out of her area of St.Louis.From the point of view of her it looked to be a terrible violent place that should've never been bestowed on anyone of any color. She dreamed of a fairy tale life and after playing the baffoon long enough in America she blissfully went to Paris along with her fellow artist and buddy Sidney Bechet.And so La Baker's assault on France begins-her and other members of Le Revue Negre' dancing in the streets of the city,her being painted and adored by many. But as her pseudo count "husband" Pepito pointed out,she needed to truly break out.So over the years,through returns to her own country she realized that the racism she'd once tried to escape needed to be dealt with and,in middle age (through her famous Rainbow Tribe and activism)she did conquer racism with a somewhat heavy handed,if well meaning fist-in her own words "If I see a roach I step on it".She did lose much perspective (and another husband in the kindly Joe Boullian) when she began to become obsessed with adopting every foundling child she heard about.As she had many times before she endured a beating to leave her chateau Les Milandes but made a triumphant comeback,slying admitting in a phone call at the premire of her final revue in 1975 that she was'nt "behind the times" as she cited Mick Jaggers presense at the revue and concluded with what sounded like a slightly altered "Josephine-ized" version of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are-A-Changin"-it was quite a road to that from "Je Deux Amour".There are many many highlites here to mention-one being the dramatic and exciting interpretation of Josephine's performance in the (allegedly) unfilmed Le Revue' Negre',her banana dance and (my favorite) the beautifully filmed scene where a glowing Pepito (Rueban Blades) watches as a wistful young Josephine records her theme song "Je Deux Amour" in the early 1930's.As stated some things are missing but there are some poignant moments,such as a distraught Josephine learning of her inability to bare children while in the hospital in North Africa.So even though it is not a biographically flawless movie (it would've taken a MINI SERIES to put all of Josephine's amazing story) this is a must see for any fan of Josephine Baker or even the curious.Because even if you know her story to heart as I do this superbly acted and beautifully photographed movie will show you who she was while she lived her own history.One reason why we have the art of film in the first place. |
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