The Josephine Baker Story

Starring:Lynn Whitfield, RubÃ©n Blades, David Dukes, Louis Gossett Jr., Craig T. Nelson, Kene Holliday, Vivian Bonnell, Mayah McCoy, Ainslie Currie, Pierre Magny, Franco Britt, George Faison, Robert Lesser, Luis Reyes, Vivienne Eytle, Eartha Robinson, Paula Brown, Ann Harrington, ZoltÃ¡n Gera, GÃ¡bor CsÃkos
Director: Brian Gibson
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

You know how it goes. You hear about what a sensation someone like Josephine Baker was in her prime (in her case, the 1920s and '30s), how she pushed boundaries in such delicate areas as race and sex, how she both thrilled and scandalized Paris with her exotic dancing and personal behavior. You have all these loose strands of legend and random fact, your curiosity is running high, and then you hear that a feature film is being made about the very subject. You watch, and then wonder: what was the big deal about Josephine Baker? The problem with this 1991 TV movie is the same as with a number of HBO films from the 1980s and early '90s: it isn't particularly well written, the production looks rushed, and the entire point is obscured in a whirl of biographical material that doesn't sufficiently develop into insightful, organic unity. What The Josephine Baker Story does do, however, is provide a reference point from which to begin an appreciation of Baker's life. A poor, African American girl from St. Louis, Baker found fame and wealth in Europe as a dancer whose partially nude, unbridled performances invoked wit, sexual liberation, and passion--without, somehow, seeming vulgar or obscene. As Baker, Lynn Whitfield gets into the uninhibited spirit of things, free with her body and enthusiastic about re-creating many of her character's performances (yes, the famed Banana Dance is a highlight). The film superficially suggests that Baker was celebrated as an expressive artist, a healthy force of nature rather than a lewd exhibitionist, but it doesn't go far enough down that road to tell us why she matters. Somewhat better is the script's contrasting emphasis on Baker's celebrity overseas and her second-class status as a black woman in America. In the end, the film's real accomplishment is underscoring how racism truly determines the course of an individual's life, and the way Baker understood that both from the vantage point of a refugee and a victim. --Tom Keogh

Description

Before Madonna, before Marilyn, there was Josephine. Outrageous, shocking, sensational, she travelled the world to become one of the most loved, truly international stars. ' 'Sizzling hot.' ' (USA Today) ' 'A knockout!' ' (Washington Post)

Customer Reviews:

The Josephine Baker Story.......2007-07-03

It is an excellent dramatic, inspiring, and historic account of the life and times of the legendary Josephine Baker.

The Josephine Baker Story.......2007-04-08

I found the movie informative, interesting and delightful. I had heard of Ms. Baker but Lynn Whitfield truly brought her to life for me on screen.

More to her story but good.......2006-11-25

I am surprised by the life this black dancer/singer lived. She had married white men, lived in France and was quite outspoken. I hope Ms. Whitfield is proud of this performance. We tend to forget about the many black artists we have to be proud of, especially when we think of the life they lived back then. Not many people know about Josephine Baker, we can be proud of this entertainer. Check out her story.

A life worth remembering.......2006-08-18

Buoyed by a strong performance from Lynn Whitfield, this HBO film touches on the highlights of La Baker's career and life. Since I didn't know much about her life, most everything in the film was new to me. Even though it doesn't delve too deeply into any one area, we experience her childhood motivations, marriage tribulations, career successes and love of children. We also get some distinct impressions that she left the United States for France because the racism and oppression in the US were unbearable. Apparently being African-American qualified her to entertain folks, but not to enter by the same door or eat at the same tables as them. She married a Caucasian, "no `count Count" from Italy and adopted a "rainbow" of children from around the world. Throughout her life, she sought to break down racial barriers and fight racism in her own, not insignificant way. While she will be remembered as an exotic dancer, it is her struggle with racism on which this film justifiably focuses. HBO seems to have a knack for making above-average biopics that probably would not stand a chance in theaters. This stands alongside "Gia," "Norma Jean and Marilyn," and others as a well-made chronicle of a life well worth remembering.

Black is beautifull.......2006-02-12

African-americans have reason to be proud of the great entertainer, Josephine Baker, portrayed by the great actress, Lynn Whitfield. White Americans never foregave them: Josephine Baker who abandoned America and Lynn Whitfield who dared to show white Americans how and what they were and are.

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