Claudine

"Claudine" is a unique insight into the life of the average poor urban black family of the early 1970s. And, it has some exceptional acting. So, despite some flaws (which I'll talk about in a bit), the film is well worth your time.

Claudine (Diahann Carroll) is a mother on welfare who works on the sly in order to support her six kids. She works very hard at low-paying jobs and has little time for anything other than her kids and work. However, when she meets a vivacious garbage collector, Roop (James Earl Jones), she is swept off her feet and they immediately start sleeping together (if guns have a three day waiting period, shouldn't there be a similar system for sex?). Soon, however, it goes from casual sex and good times to something serious--and that's when troubles begin. It seems that the welfare system is designed to prevent women from having families--and destroying marriage. What's to become of this couple and the six kids? See the film and find out for yourself.

The acting is the best thing about this film. In addition to Carroll and Jones' great acting, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs has a very auspicious film debut as Claudine's angry and mixed-up oldest son. The film also has a lot of great insights into the stupidity of the welfare system and what it was like to grown up at that time. However, and I know some folks will think I am a jerk for saying it, but I also couldn't help but feel that some of the problems were CLEARLY caused by the characters. Claudine has six kids she cannot take care of and then jumps into bed with Roop on their first date!! Morality aside, this is insane behavior and shows a nutty unwillingness to accept reality. Despite this dumb mixed message, the film, on balance, is well worth seeing.

The great film of an early urban afro-american family struggling through hard time and racism, this is an emaculate film. I am in love with this particular classic film because it shows reality, its emotion, its funny, and its a urban fairytale. I read the review by Brian Koller and basically he's saying that the film left him confused and without a plot. Well! I think that what he seemed to have missed was the fact that they did indeed get married, yes! the police did take Charles (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs) to jail and the family went with him in the wagon to jail right after the wedding. To me that meant that the family was sticking together, no matter what the problem or finances were. Also I love the sound track performed by Gladys Knight and the Pips, titled "On and On". I would love to purchase this film, every time it comes on TV, I miss it. This film is truly a classic and should be in every afro-americans home. I wish somebody had some information for me about purchasing this film......Iama

This well crafted film stands as an " American classic" in every sense of the word .We have the images of an Afro American family long before Cosby made it fashionable.And this film has the details which make it grittily realistic and believable .Oh! how I love those genuine NYC locations .Though made not so long after the civil rights era peaked, it dose'nt seem dated at all.The cast remarkable ,one must ask what became of these kids.The direction flawless ,James Earl is such a mighty presence in films and here he is young and strong.Watch him fight against the racist system .No doubt this is a movie for everyone no matter the race ,and what is color any way ?? I had seen this a few times but only recently obtained the videotape through sources that I found in the area .We really need more movies like this ,genuine wit , intelligent ,and touching emotions ,maybe our society would be a little better place.

An important film in its day, it still holds up well. Claudine was one of the first mainstream American dramas to deal with the struggles of urban poor African-Americans without exploitation, violence or exaggeration on one side, or sugar coating or soft peddling on the other. It has sadness, anger and heartache, but also joy, love and humor. It has two smashing central performances by Diahann Carroll as the mother of six, trying to survive on welfare and an off the books job as a housekeeper, and James Earl Jones as a very charming garbage man who woos her despite the risk their getting together could cut her welfare payments.

Carroll is a wonder. One of the most beautiful actresses of her era, here she manages to be believable as an over-worked, under loved mother in the ghetto. Equal parts pain, pride, vulnerability, smarts and strength she was one of the first African Americans to get an Oscar nomination in a drama. Jones does some of his best film work. Always a great of the American theater, in his early films Jones often came off as too theatrical, larger than life. But here is he subtle, sly, complicated, and very sexy. The young actors playing Carroll's six children are uniformly excellent, often a weak spot in a film like this.

There are problems; some plot turns are predictable, some moments feel a bit 'Hollywood', some of it feels awkwardly dated. But much of it is as relevant as ever, and not afraid to be upsetting and angry along with it's gentle comedy.

Two notes, while often marketed as a 'family' film, this deals with sex and nudity in an honest and realistic way, and it's language is salty and true. Also, sadly, the only available DVD is full screen – too bad since the film was quite nicely shot in its gritty way.

Calaudine (Diahann Carroll) is 36, unmarried and has six children and is trying to raise them all on welfare. Garbage truck guy Roop (James Earl Jones) starts romancing her. Her kids don't trust him and she doesn't trust herself. This movie chronicles how she deals with her relationship with Roop and how to deal with her six kids--two who are teenagers and starting to fight back.

I've never even HEARD of this movie until FXM showed it one night. It seems to have disappeared and that's too bad. It's easily got to be one of the most honest and accurate portrayals about growing up poor and black in the city. I'm not black but I've read books on the subject and had some friends who lived like this and this movie hits the subjects right on. Also this is one of the few movies where the kids act and talk like kids--not like little adults. The language is strong (there's plenty of casual swearing and sex talk) but that's how people act and talk. Also this film doesn't shrink from Claudine and Roop having sex--it presents it in a matter of fact way. The script is OK but tries to cover all the bases of being poor and struggling with kids--that's WAY too much for one movie. Also it seems to pile one disaster after another on Claudine. It's gets to be overkill. I also didn't buy the happy shots during the closing credits. Still this is an exceptional movie that seems to have fallen between the cracks. The acting is great--Carroll and Jones are so young and full of life and energy. Carroll was nominated for an Oscar for this film. Also, among her kids, is Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs who went on the star in the TV series "Welcome Back Kotter".

I do have to point out that the language is STRONG in this one and it has flashes of nudity (female). It wouldn't get a PG today--it would get an R. Still it's just being honest and there's nothing wrong with that!