Review of Carmen Jones (1954) by Monica F — 20 Jul 2009

Maybe Hammerstein's lone cinematic success (and most of the credit really goes to Preminger). 'Carmen Jones' is an engaging musical that benefits enormously from its director's eye for setting and choreography.

Perhaps even more than in Bizet's original opera, the characters aren't very thoroughly humanized, but rather are like powder-kegs of feeling that give off characteral "essences" in their musical monologues (Carmen is untameable desire while Joe is suggestible passion, etc.

). The result is appropriately "operatic," and the film's remaining elements don't embellish much except to reinforce the drama. The cast's racial homogeneity IS an interesting facet though, and I wonder if Preminger wasn't tapping in to the dubious stereotype that Black culture is inherently more sexualized when he cast only black actors in his film (or was it simply that the social milieu of the film -- specifically the innercity boxing culture milieu -- is a historically black one?).

The results are most definitely interesting, and the performances are very good. It's a worthwhile viewing for sure (Richard Linklater apparently counted it as a favorite).