Claudine (Criterion Blu-Ray)
Claudine (Criterion Blu-Ray)
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Synopsis

Diahann Carroll received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of a poor Harlem resident who secretly works as a maid in order to qualify for welfare and support her six children. James Earl Jones plays a garbage collector who falls for her, but doesn't know whether he can handle being a father. Featuring a musical score by Gladys Knight & The Pips and Curtis Mayfield

John Berry---USA---1974---92 mins.

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  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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   | Mark#58

Single mom Claudine (a lovely, likable, awesome Diahann Carroll) starts dating charming garbage collector Roop (the legendary James Early Jones) in 1970s Harlem. The two lovebirds navigate a ton of obstacles including her six kids (the oldest is Lawrence Hilton- Jacobs, who should've had a much more substantial career), the city's welfare system, and the ingrained habits both Roop and Claudine have fallen into and acquiesced to, just accepting it. There's no mistaking that Carroll and Jones are fantastic but they are playing flawed characters who are not always particularly likable, especially when they slip into tropes or stereotypes; Claudine is on welfare and lies to the government about having a job because her welfare would stop and Roop is absent father to four children he never sees. On the one hand, it's interesting to see these dire issues addressed in a realistic manner. On the other hand, it makes the viewer reserve their sympathy...but not empathy. As the movie started, Claudine's kids looked like they were going to be the source of a lot of laughs because they were sassy smart alecks but that did not last as they were all dealing with their own problems. So the lightheartedness I was hoping for from this first scene dissipated rather quickly as we get pulled into the real drama of single parents dating in 1970s Harlem. Billed as a comedy, there honestly wasn't a ton of laughter after the first 20 minutes or so but the film is compelling. Plus, you get to spend an hour and a half with the late greats Miss Carroll and Mr. Jones, and the rest of the cast is quite good as well. I didn't detect a false note throughout; everyone seemed very real and somewhat relatable. B

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