La venere nera

Fabulous acting from Lyn Whitfield. She gives a lot of oomph to the story and is so full of zest and energy. She really took on the persona of Josephine and brought her to life.

And, even today, 23 August 2021, 46 years after she died, she's still making headlines : Joséphine Baker to be first black woman to enter France's Panthéon.

Baker will be just the sixth woman to join some 80 national heroes in the Panthéon.

What an amazing woman !

I enjoyed this movie but felt there was one major problem that prevented it from being an even better film. Even though Baker was VERY famous for her semi-nude dancing in France in the early 20th Century, showing these nude dances in the film make this a poor choice to show kids. And, the problem is, this is EXACTLY the audience that could really benefit from learning about Miss Baker. In other words, how can kids learn about a great African-American if their parents tell them they can't see the film because of its "high boobie quotient"? If they had used a few photographic techniques, they could have made this a PG movie and appropriate for all.

Apart from this, the movie is very competently made. The acting and direction are fine. Give it a try and then try to get a copy of ZOU ZOU--a film actually starring Josephine Baker. Then, you can compare the bio with the real lady.

Some outstanding performances here by Whitfield, Blades, Gossett, and others in this overly long biography of an important, outspoken, and controversial African American woman, who was years ahead of her time. It was quite a revelation to see how African Americans were treated in St. Louis and in New York in the decades before the civil rights advances of the 50's and 60's. We all know about the history of the South, but in many places up North, things were nearly as difficult for minorities in the 1930's and 40's.

The story of Josephine Baker had to be told since so many of us are not familiar with her achievements. And HBO and the cast did an outstanding job doing so. The movie was entertaining and sexual, eye-opening and thought provoking. It covered American society as well as French and even gave us some insights into Josephine's heroics and patriotism during WWII and her push for equality of the races in the U.S. military. I would have preferred to see the movie end while Josephine was at the top and still young, rather than drag on with her numerous adoptions and comeback attempts. That's why it was not a major motion picture.....too long and drawn out for theater audiences.

A good movie to watch at home while putting away the laundry or brushing the dog.

Rags to riches, in which Lynn Whitfield's exhibitionism rivals that of the woman she portrays. Whitfield fills her character with purpose and determination, and her feud with Walter Winchell is well done. However the routine showbiz bio formula is hard to enliven. I love the stuff about her adopted children (what a great way to spend a fortune!) but it was more touching as described in the documentary "Chasing a Rainbow."

An entertaining and informative film about Josephine Baker, the well-known dancer who subsequently became a leading civil rights campaigner. Lynn Whitfield is quite a bit lighter-skinned than the real Josephine Baker, but she still gives an excellent performance (although the end credits do acknowledge the use of a 'dance double'). Understandably, the film does simplify some aspects of Josephine's life (particularly her complex private life). Louis Gossett and Ruben Blades are also excellent in supporting roles. One minor criticism (only added because my original wording was too short for IMDB) is that the film devotes a bit too much time to the notorious racist journalist and broadcaster Walter Winchell.