Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones are truly great in Claudine, a family drama and romance about the mother of six kids, on welfare, dating a proud garbage man, and the obstacle course the System tries to make them jump through as they make a go of it. This is a fine piece of naturalism, creating characters that feel real and that each have their own story and relationship to one another, even the kids. Real, funny, touching, it checks all the boxes, and is an unheralded classic about the black experience, and the working poor experience as well. A lesser film would have compromised the human story to highlight the System's absurdities, but in Claudine, it's just part of the reality and never feels like it's taking time away from the relationships. Above all, this is a human movie, showing people, as if unwritten, warts and all. The ending is particularly marvelous, both a down and an up note, incredibly satisfying and resonant. And a very cool a soundtrack by Gladys Knight and the Pips too!
"You men have some crazy ideas about bein' a man, fighting, beating up on somebody, that makes you a man right? Screwing all the broads and making babies, that makes you a man, big man, nobody's gonna tell Robert B. Marshall how to spend his shitty dollars."
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Siskoid
Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones are truly great in Claudine, a family drama and romance about the mother of six kids, on welfare, dating a proud garbage man, and the obstacle course the System tries to make them jump through as they make a go of it. This is a fine piece of naturalism, creating characters that feel real and that each have their own story and relationship to one another, even the kids. Real, funny, touching, it checks all the boxes, and is an unheralded classic about the black experience, and the working poor experience as well. A lesser film would have compromised the human story to highlight the System's absurdities, but in Claudine, it's just part of the reality and never feels like it's taking time away from the relationships. Above all, this is a human movie, showing people, as if unwritten, warts and all. The ending is particularly marvelous, both a down and an up note, incredibly satisfying and resonant. And a very cool a soundtrack by Gladys Knight and the Pips too!nbats
https://youtu.be/ebnzyK90reEEve-Lang-El-Coup
"You men have some crazy ideas about bein' a man, fighting, beating up on somebody, that makes you a man right? Screwing all the broads and making babies, that makes you a man, big man, nobody's gonna tell Robert B. Marshall how to spend his shitty dollars."