Mahogany

"Mahogany" is one of those movies you don't necessarily want to go out of your way to see, but want to <have seen>. Fortunately, late night cable frequently provides one with the opportunity to catch up on the classics. The plot is straight out of 1937, with the slightly disturbing--to modern ears--message that one's own personal ambition should always take a back seat to love. Diana Ross is luminous, funny, charming and beautiful in a role that doesn't ask much of her but to pose - her delivery and timing are good, but the dialogue she's asked to utter sounds pretty campy today. Anthony Perkins as a creepy, dangerous character - wow, big stretch. Billy Dee Williams as the Honest Politician Who Loves Her - well, he's good, but you could have hired a Steiff teddy bear to play that role. Love those costumes. Have to wonder whether Tracy's designs were set up to be appallingly bad (and they are) so that the audience would object less to her decision to give up on the fashion world.

In my view, the best quote is not the oft-trotted out one about success, but: "You're only young once; you can be immature forever."

The overall "stand by your man" message is singularly abhorrent, but "Mahogany" is such fine kitsch that even the staunchest feminist will laugh, despite herself.

This slick but predictable tale of fashion-world fame resembles, by turns, a diluted version of Valley of the Dolls. Only in this valley, the only doll is black beauty Diana Ross, piloting the whole vanity vehicle like a Sherman tank. She plays Tracy Chambers, a gorgeous secretary from the mean streets of Chicago who finds fame and fortune (but alas--poignant sniffle--not happiness) as Europe's top model/designer, Mahogany ("Meeeee! Mahogany!"). As her lovely theme song flows from the soundtrack, Ms. Ross throws a tantrum in a fountain (which ends up on a Revlon billboard); does a wax-covered striptease; and wears a number of eye-popping, often hideous fashions that she designed herself, including a Sea Monkey costume and a sugar glider made out of pantyhose. But ultimately, what she really wants is love--as does every woman is this sort of film since the invention of the movie camera.

Limp though it may be, there is some enjoyment to be had for camp devotees. The photography and music are breathtaking. The cast looks great; the acting is okay, considering that everyone is forced to mouth silly, soapy dialogue about love and selfishness. There are a fair number of unintentional laughs, too, but by the end, you just won't care anymore. Really, Mahogany is about audience gratification. Basically, the film tells us that success is "Nothing But Heartaches" (to quote Diana--sorry, couldn't resist), so you may as well stay home and clean the oven. And if you believe that idiocy, I've got some prime Florida realty to sell you.

Hot off her turn as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues", singer Diana Ross is cast here as Tracy, a secretary in the fashion business who yearns to make it big as a designer. She falls in love with Brian (her "Lady Sings the Blues" co-star Billy Dee Williams), an earnest, well-meaning aspiring politician. But she's focused on her career, which gets a big boost when she hooks up with Sean McAvoy (Anthony Perkins), a flamboyant photographer; she's on top of the world after she makes a splash as a model, but Sean ultimately reveals himself as a vindictive, sleazy, creepy type.

Ross does well in this decent soap opera from music industry mogul / debuting filmmaker Berry Gordy (who stepped in after firing original director Tony Richardson). In fact, she and Williams are quite engaging as they depict all of the various ups and downs in the Tracy / Brian relationship. Offering fine support are Jean-Pierre Aumont, Nina Foch, Marisa Mell, and Beah Richards, but it's Perkins that gives this entertaining trash an effective shot in the arm, playing the kind of role that he was clearly born to play. There's a memorable scene where Sean shows Brian his collection of photographs - and guns.

Making good use of Chicago and Rome locations, "Mahogany" tells a patently predictable yarn (scripted by John Byrum, based on a story by Toni Amber), where the audience is never in much doubt as to how things will develop. Tracy will eventually have to decide what's really important in her life, while Brian finds himself unable to fit into this new world of hers.

"Mahogany" is overall slight but likeable enough, managing to go a fair distance on the strength of the performances. Ross also is credited with actually creating some of the costumes.

Six out of 10.

Ghetto girl from Chicago wants to be a fashion designer, but her politician boyfriend wants her instead to help him take care of the unfortunates at home (which is more important, after all, than working with coat-hangers, but can't he see that a big salary from the Mrs. might be used to strengthen his campaign?). As good as Diana Ross was in "Lady Sings the Blues", I was restless with that film for a number of reasons (it followed the standard bio-flick pattern, it was heavy-handed and drab). However, "Mahogany" exists purely on adrenaline, and Ross is hyped-up, high on life, and her kicky fashion scenes are both entertaining and gaudy. The love story with Billy Dee Williams is relaxed, Anthony Perkins is loose and campy as a gay shutterbug who puts the moves on La Ross, and the decadent, glamorous surroundings are fun escapism. As for the finale, it is truly gauche...but at least it has the courage to follow through with its happily-ever-after convictions, even if the poverty-stricken crowds cheering at the end have no idea they're being condescended to. *** from ****

In 1975, Diana Ross was just about the most famous black woman in the world. No other performer of color had ever reached her pinnacle of success and celebrity--not Josephine Baker, not Ella Fitzgerald, not Lena Horne. And so with "Mahogany," her second motion picture, Ross' mentor/lover (and, now, director) Berry Gordy fashioned an extravagant "hymn to how glorious it is to be Diana Ross", as reviewer Rex Reed put it. Not since the glory days of Joan Crawford's dewy-ewed close-ups had a star been so lovingly photographed; never considered a classic beauty, Diana Ross is astoundingly luscious in this film. Like all great screen divas, Ross is in nearly every scene, and when she's not, her presence still is. She plays Tracy Chambers, a spunky Chicago ghetto girl with her eye on becoming a great fashion designer. Tracy falls in love with Brian (Billy Dee Williams), an earnest politician, but his social conscience is at extreme odds with her desire for fame, fortune and the good life. Enter Sean (Tony Perkins), the world's most famous fashion photographer, who discovers Tracy, whisks her off to Rome, and prego! Mahogany, the supermodel, is born. (Sean calls Tracy "Mahogany," you see, because she is also "dark, beautiful, rich and rare.") When in Rome, Tracy/Mahogany indulges in la dolce vita, drips candlewax on her nude body at a Roman orgy, becomes the renowned fashion designer she always dreamed of becoming, and also becomes the kept woman of filthy rich Jean-Pierre Aumont...but, she soon learns, "Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with." If you haven't already guessed, despite the chic Roman locales, there's more corn here than in the state of Kansas. However, Diana Ross simply dominates the screen; it's a shame and a sin that her acting career never fulfilled its promise (due in large part to the mostly negative reviews "Mahogany" initially received), because she's precisely the larger-than-life, iconic figure that Hollywood's been lacking for so long. She's a natural and incredibly likable actress--all the more remarkable, considering her "difficult" off-screen reputation. Having said that, "Mahogany" IS best viewed as camp--the cornball dialogue, outrageous costumes (designed by Diana herself) and over-the-top performances ensure its cult status. But there is a degree of art here, and it lies squarely on the dark, beautiful, rich, rare shoulders of Miss Diana Ross.