Original subtitles

Have you ever caught sight of yourself by accident

and you see yourself from the outside?

That's who you really are.

Excuse me. I'm supposed to pick up a dress.

- Nothing owed. Your lady must have paid.

- Thank you.

No, Geri.

Girl, I'm not talking crazy,

and I don't need you to come over.

I just...need you to stay on the phone, okay?

I can't sleep, and I want to talk.

- Ma'am.

- My lady's going out for the evening.

- May I have my room key, please?

The stars continue to arrive

at the 1955 Academy Awards here in New York

and out in Los Angeles.

- This is it, Dottie.

- This is it.

Tonight in New York City.

Ladies and gentlemen, the first-ever colored nominee

for Best Actress, Dorothy Dandridge,

star of "Carmen Jones."

She's arriving tonight with her sister Vivian Dandridge.

Dorothy, can we talk to you for a moment?

Dorothy, the world is watching.

How does it feel?

It feels like Christmas!

- Thank you. - Thank you.

- There she goes, Dorothy Dandridge,

nominated for Best Actress in "Carmen Jones."

The other nominees are Judy Garland,

Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly...

We love you, sugar.

- We love you, Dorothy!

- Hi. Thank you.

- Dorothy!

Dorothy!

- Come on, Dottie.

Come on!

Dottie!

Would you please come on?

- I can't do another!

- Dottie, how many times you gonna get the chance

to take another call at the Cotton?

- We've done ten already, and my feet are swollen!

- Oh, would you make her? - One more time,

The Dandridge Sisters! - Come on!

♪ That's your red wagon ♪

♪ That's your red wagon ♪

♪ So keep draggin' ♪

♪ Your red wagon ♪

♪ Along, along ♪

♪ Along ♪

1940's freshest faces,

the lovely Dandridge Sisters!

- Hey! Heh!

First rule of dancing offstage is landing on your feet.

- You weren't there a second ago.

- But I'm here now, and here I plan to stay.

- Well, aren't you easy on the eyes?

I'm Harold. - And I'm Fayard.

We're the Nicholas Brothers.

- Everybody knows the Nicholas Brothers.

- You're famous.

- Hey, Fayard, did you hear that? We're famous.

- Who's famous? - We're famous.

- We're famous? - That's what she said.

- Yeah? Well, nobody told me.

- We held the record

for the most calls at the Cotton Club.

Well, till tonight.

You sisters got us beat by two.

- Oh, no, we're not sisters.

Well, we are. - But not me.

- It's just our stage name.

- Ladies. Got to go, Harold.

- Yeah. Cool your taps, Fayard.

I say my brother and I hit the lucky 13 tonight.

- What's so lucky about 13?

- We hit it, you go with me

to the picture show Friday night.

- What makes you think

I want to go anywhere with you?

- I don't think. I know.

There's no place like home.

Ladies and gentlemen...

- So what do you say?

- You hit 13, you pick me up Friday night.

- Friday night. - The one, the only,

the Nicholas Brothers! - Let's go.

- Oh!

- Oh! - Aah!

- What did I tell you about getting your skirt snipped?

- He's just being nice.

- Ain't no such thing as nice to a fox in a henhouse,

even if it is a famous fox. You're here to work!

Change your clothes, get your coats on.

I want you in bed by 1:00.

Mean old snake.

Made us call her "Auntie."

Remember that? Hmh!

She wasn't nothing but Mama's special friend.

Hmm.

But that night,

I barely even knew she was there.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the Nicholas Brothers!

Hey!

We hit it. Lucky 13.

- Congratulations.

- So where do I pick you up Friday night?

- Los Angeles.

- L.A.?

- That's where I'm gonna be come Friday night.

Move it!

- You know, a bad boy like you

don't want to mess with that girl, Harry.

She's a good girl, sweet as pie.

- Hmm. That ain't bad, either.

- Thank you. - Ma'am.

- Is Mama home?

- No, she's where she always is, working.

Excuse me.

If I remember correctly,

I was promised a date for Friday,

and this is Friday.

That's...if it's all right with you, ma'am.

And might I say you are looking lovely today?

The sunshine agrees with you.

- Is that your car?

- It's a beauty, isn't it?

Cost a pretty penny,

but it's only money.

- Now, that is a man.

Hmm?

- Mm-hmm.

Ooh!

Hey, honey, you gonna sleep in this room

with all them microbugs crawling all over you?

I don't think they'll bother me, Hyacinth.

Oh. Oh. Now...oh!

You know, Dottie,

I got a thing for you that just won't leave me alone.

- Shh. Watch the movie.

You know what I've done?

I sprinkle him with Egyptian Nights,

and when he come to, we was living on 110th,

overlooking the park.

Of course, I had to pay the rent.

Hey.

Come on, let's go. I mean...

I got better things I can think of doing

than sitting watching some old plantation mammy.

- That plantation mammy is my mother.

Yeah...

- You really ought to try some. It never fails.

- Dottie. Dottie.

Dottie, I didn't know.

Dottie, I'm sorry. I didn't know.

- She didn't have a choice, you know.

After my daddy left, she had to feed us,

and playin' a maid is a world easier than bein' a maid.

- Of course it is. Listen.

I didn't mean any disrespect.

Please don't be sore.

- I'm not sore. - Yes, you are.

It's your mother, and what I said was stupid.

Believe me, I know about being poor.

- We were so poor,

my mama put us on the Chitlin' Circuit.

- We were on the Chitlin' Circuit, too,

only we were so poor,

we couldn't afford the chitlins.

- Well, we were so poor, we had to sleep

four to a bed everywhere we went.

- Dottie, we were so poor

that my mother had to sew all of our costumes,

and she couldn't sew.

One pants leg was always coming out shorter

than the other one.

Fayard and I used to have to tap with one knee bent.

See, that's where that step comes from.

When you see us doing this...

- That's where it comes from.

- You're so crazy.

- I'm only crazy

when it comes to you.

- You know what time it is?

- We went for ice cream after the movie.

- What else you go for?

- Where's Mama?

- Night shift.

What you let him do to you?

You let him stick it in you?

- I need to get... - I'm talking to you.

- It was one kiss. That's all, one kiss.

- You let him stick it in you.

- No. - I know you did.

I can smell the sex on you.

And I'll be damned if I raise your brats

after I wasted all this time raising you!

Take off your drawers. I'm checking you.

- No.

I said take 'em off.

- Get up here!

Auntie! No! No!

- Vivian! Oh!

- You mind your business, Vivian!

- Oh! - Spread your legs!

- Vivvy! - Spread 'em!

- Stop it! Stop!

- You're still a virgin.

- What is wrong with you?

- Yeah, you better hold her! Hold her!

Next time you better be in this house when I tell you to!

Dottie, come on.

Are you all right?

Auntie, she's just crazy. She's crazy.

But that, what she did, it don't mean nothin'.

It don't mean nothin'.

Didn't nothin' happen.

Didn't happen. You hear me?

Didn't happen.

I can't wait to get out of here.

When I'm rich and famous, she ain't gonna see

a dime of my money, you hear me?

- Yeah, I hear. - Ain't gonna see a dime of it.

Look at Daddy.

Harold look just like him, don't he?

Yeah.

What are you two doing still up?

I bought us some pie.

It's still hot.

Everything all right?

- Everything's fine, Mama.

- We just wanted to say good night.

- Oh. My babies.

Have your pie tonight.

You know, Auntie does the best she can by us.

I mean, she tries really hard.

You do understand, don't you?

Oh, well, good.

You save me a piece. You know how I love pie.

♪ Dinner in the diner ♪

♪ Nothing could be finer ♪

♪ Than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina ♪

- ♪ When you hear the whistle blowing ♪

♪ Eight to the bar ♪ - ♪ Then you know ♪

♪ That Tennessee is not very far ♪

♪ Shuffle all the coal in, got to keep it rollin' ♪

- ♪ Whoa, whoa, Chattanooga, there you are ♪

♪ Chattanooga choo choo ♪

♪ There you are ♪

- Whoo!

- All right, Harold. Pick it up now.

- I got it now. I got it, I got it.

- Ha ha ha! - Whoo!

Ha ha!

Wait. That ain't in the number.

Honey, hold this for me.

Hat dance!

All right,

all right, enough.

My wife'll kill me if I let you two

dance me into my grave.

Hey, Geri.

- Get back out there.

You missed the last tap on your turn.

- Oh. You know, that hurt.

- Fayard.

- Geri, every day you sit here,

bossing little Fayard around,

reading some old boring thing.

- I boss Fayard because he likes to be bossed.

And I read Frederick Douglass because I am trying

to learn something about my people.

Want to borrow it?

- I'll tell you what you need to learn.

You need to learn how to have some fun.

Now, you and Fayard need to come out

with me and Harold more often.

Besides, we need a chaperone.

Last night, he asked me to touch it.

- You guys haven't...Harold!

Hey!

I made him take me home.

Harold Nicholas took you home?

Girl, what kind of spell are you puttin' on him?

- Says I'm the most beautiful girl in the world.

- I'd rather be smart than beautiful.

- Mmm, I'd rather be beautiful.

- Oh, beauty fades. A woman gets old.

- Mm-mm. I'm not getting old.

I'm staying young and beautiful

till the day I die.

Besides, being smart doesn't get you

an engagement ring from Harold Nicholas!

- Oh, my God! Ha ha!

Hey, hey, hey!

How are we supposed to get any dancin' done

with y'all making all that noise over there?

- Oh, hush now. - Oh, quiet.

♪ Love ♪

- Congratulations.

♪ Love ♪

♪ Love is the reason ♪

Will you stop all that preenin' and fussin'

before I mess up this hem?

- I think Harold'll marry me with a torn hem, Mama.

How do I look, Vivvy? - Perfect.

- I make a beautiful bride.

- Like an angel.

Can you believe our baby is gettin' married?

- I wish I had a daddy to give me away.

- Cyril Dandridge was a fool, a no-good...

- Mm-mm, mm-mm. Not today.

Today is a happy day. Cyril is gone.

Same as bein' dead,

and that's the way I like to think of it.

Dead, with God and the good lamb.

- And anyway, Harold is not Cyril.

- Honey, any man with 5 cents'll pay

a colored woman's fare all the way to nowhere.

You know what the chorus girls say about Harold?

They say he's broken in every bed

from here to New York City.

- That's right. They do say that.

- And I don't care.

- Sugar pie, don't you have somewhere you need to be?

- Harold Nicholas is the richest,

most famous colored man in the world.

He could have any girl he wants,

and he wants me.

- Mmm.

- Harold Nicholas wants me.

Mm-hmm. - ♪ Love ♪

- ♪ Love ♪

- ♪ Love ♪

- ♪ Love is the reason ♪

You were always lecturing us, Geri,

about there being a war on.

Remember?

Who cared about all of that when there were

so many parties to step out to?

Look at us.

We were somethin'.

- Dottie?

What are you doin'?

Will you come to bed?

Dottie, you need any help?

- No, I'm...I'm fine.

- Then come on out and bring my beautiful wife with you.

- Okay, I'm comin'.

Ooh. I can't see.

♪ Just follow the sound of love ♪

I love you.

I love you so much.

- I love you, too.

- Dottie, you gotta relax, baby, okay?

Just relax, okay?

- Okay.

- Spread your legs.

- Spread your legs! - Aah!

- No. Don't. - Spread your legs.

- No! Don't.

Stop it!

I said no.

- Hey, we're married now. It's okay.

Dottie,

is there something wrong?

You can tell me.

- No. I just don't want to.

- Dottie, you're... you're my wife now.

What in the hell did you think

marriage was gonna be about?

It's about intimacy,

and without it, we've got nothing.

Dottie, without sex,

marriage goes right down the drain.

Okay?

Come on, now.

Don't be scared.

You're gonna enjoy it, I promise you.

I guarantee it. - Mm.

No. No, Harold, I can't.

No! No! No!

Get off of me! - Dottie.

- Get off of me! - Hey.

- Get off of me! Get off of me!

- What the hell am I doing? Am I crazy?

You don't want me.

Fine.

Then it's over.

We'll get the whole thing annulled.

It's over.

Good night.

Harold.

I'm sorry.

I don't want an annulment.

I just want you to understand

that I had a different kind of life, that's all.

Can you give me another chance?

Hmm? Can I try it again?

Please?

We try it again.

- You have got to let us get you to a hospital.

- No, no.

Harold's coming. - Where in the hell is he?

- Couldn't miss his golf game.

- Vivvy, get her purse.

This little one is not waitin' for him,

and neither can you.

Come on. - No, Geri!

- Come on. - No, Geri! I'm not going!

- No, we've got to go. - No!

- Come on. - I'm waiting for Harold!

Hmm.

- Mama, you're gonna wear a groove in the floor.

- Is it a boy or a girl?

- She waited for you for hours...hours.

- Everything's all right, isn't it?

Dottie? Everything's okay, isn't it?

It's a girl.

And she's fine.

- No thanks to you.

Go ahead. Have a look at her.

6 pounds, 2 ounces.

I named her Harolyn,

and we're going to call her Lynn.

Harold wanted to send her to finishing school

in Switzerland.

Thought she could learn to speak French.

French.

He always had big dreams.

Bigger than us.

Lynn, honey?

Can you speak to Dr. Carrington?

Hmm?

Lynn?

Can you say Mama? Hmm?

- Say Mama.

- I guess some children are just slow to speak.

- Mrs. Nicholas, I know this is very difficult for you,

but she will never speak.

- No. No, no, see, I...

I've been to all these doctors

and I have all these medicines.

One doctor said that she needed sedatives,

another one said stimulants, and I've been massaging

her forehead every morning just like Dr. Gray said.

And Dr. Matthews said that he thought it was hot baths,

so I've been giving her hot baths every night.

And then we had, um, these tests done on her

and they injected fluid in her spine,

and that doctor said he thought

that she just needed to eat a little bit more.

- Mrs. Nicholas. - They were good doctors.

- If they were such good doctors, why are you here?

- Because nobody's told me

how to get my baby to call me Mama.

- Dorothy, Lynn is mentally retarded.

She has what we call anoxic brain damage.

There wasn't a sufficient supply of oxygen for her

during delivery.

- I was late getting her to the hospital.

Do you think it...it was my fault, wasn't it?

No.

No one knows what causes it,

but I'm sure that that had nothing to do with it.

- Well, what's the treatment, Doctor?

Because if it's money, that's not an issue...

Dorothy.

Her brain will never develop.

She'll be four years old forever.

- But, I mean...but they... they said that...

- I'm sorry.

I'm a mother myself.

My advice to you is to put her in an institution

where she can get the best possible care.

- I can't do that.

- You're a young woman. You can have other children.

- Lynn?

Lynn, honey, try another note.

Come on, sweetie.

There are other notes for you to play.

- Dottie, we should take the doctor's advice

and put her in an institution.

She knows best.

The state'll pay for it.

- The state pays for what?

It's our child. She belongs with us.

- We belong in Paris. That's where we belong.

- Paris?

What are you talking about?

- Dottie, it's a whole different ball game over there.

See, they don't know the difference

between black and white, and when they do,

it's because they're treating us better than they do their own.

- I can't go live in Paris.

Lynn is gonna need special care.

- Get special care.

- Not in an institution!

- She doesn't even know that we're here.

- I can't even believe this is what you're saying.

- When will you join me?

- I'm her mother, and you are her father.

- And I married you,

not this.

- Well, I am this. What are you?

- I'm Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers,

and maybe that's all I'm supposed to be.

I'll send you money from Paris.

The best part was she didn't know he was gone.

So she never even missed him.

How many times did I tell you, Geri,

that the next man would be different?

It's funny.

You never notice the good ones when you should.

- Listen, so, uh, we're just taking a cigarette break?

- All right. - Ha ha!

Not ready to leave yet, are you?

Oh, no, no, no.

- Welcome to Fillmore's Ring-a-ding swing-a-ding.

- Thanks.

Ring-a-ding much.

Where is Swing-a-ding Phil, anyway?

- Coo-chee-cooin' the elephant.

- Hmm? - You know.

Ticklin' the ivories.

- Funny, in my day, we used to call it

playing the piano.

- When was your day? - Preceding thy genesis.

- Huh?

- Before you were born.

Sorry. 'Scuse me.

'Scuse me.

'Scuse me.

Nice party, Phil.

- Earl.

Have a drink. Have a couple.

Oops!

Ha ha ha!

- I didn't come for a drink, Phil,

and I didn't come for a party.

I left a meeting because you said there was a girl

I just had to hear.

- Aw, Earl, don't be mad.

- I manage your music career, Phil, not your harem tryouts.

- Oh, well, uh,

girl's around here somewhere.

- Good night, Phil.

♪ I can only give you ♪

♪ Country walks in springtime ♪

♪ And a hand to hold ♪

♪ When leaves begin to fall ♪

♪ And a love whose burning light ♪

♪ Will warm the winter night ♪

♪ That's all ♪

♪ That's all ♪

♪ There are those, I am sure ♪

♪ Who have told you ♪

♪ They would give you the world ♪

♪ For a toy ♪

♪ All I have are these arms ♪

♪ To enfold you ♪

- All right. Who was that?

- Just legs from my harem.

- Which one of you was just singing?

- Why do you want to know?

- Because whoever sang that song,

I'm gonna make her a star.

- Well, we don't even know your name.

- I'm Earl Mills. I'm a music manager.

- Well, Earl Mills, the music manager,

I'm Ava Gardner.

- My name's Marilyn Monroe.

- I'm Dorothy Dandridge.

- You got a face like an angel, you know that?

You sang that song.

- I'm not a singer, Mr. Mills, I'm an actress.

- Of course you are, but, uh,

maybe between movie roles you'd like to sing a little bit.

- No, I'm a serious actress. I'm studying at the Actors Lab.

- Ooh. My, my. Actors Lab.

Look, forgive me, but things'll go better for you

in this business if you're a singer.

- I've got a major role in a major motion picture.

Starts shooting next week.

- Hey.

What's the big role?

- Queen Melmendi.

- Ah.

- Geez! - Cut!

Look, will somebody please pre-cut the ropes?

I mean, Lex is fumbling all over the place!

Yeah, okay, do it!

- Yes, sir, yes, sir. Right away.

Tommy? - Excuse me.

- What? - I was wondering.

Queen Melmendi is queen of the jungle, right?

Well, if she lives here, then why does she need Tarzan

to help her find her way through it?

- What's your name? - Dorothy.

- Dorothy. Okay. Dorothy, sweetheart?

Can you do something for me, please?

- Mm-hmm. - Good. Would you go lie down,

let me see more skin than cloth,

and keep the queen of the fucking Congo quiet?

Jimmy, fetch me a Coca-Cola!

Coming up, sir.

- Look, I want to see more skin, okay?

I don't care what we have to do...

- Hey, Sammy, got a smoke? - Sure thing.

- Boy, that was, uh...

What happened to your face?

- Guess I wasn't black enough to lead the tribe.

- Go ahead, say it. You were right.

- I was right.

But you were right, too, you know.

Queen Melmendi would definitely know the way

out of her own jungle.

I'm willing to bet...

She still does.

Come on. Just give me one last hug.

Come on, sweetheart. Thank you.

Oh!

- Dottie Mae, honey, let's go.

You're gonna miss your plane.

- Mmm.

Okay, sweetheart, listen.

Your nurse, she's very nice, honey.

She's even got a piano. Ha!

You're gonna like living here.

I know you will. Look, look.

Remember the locket

I gave you, huh?

This means...

- That I belong to you

and you belong to me, okay?

And when you miss me, you just grab it,

you just hold on to it real tight, okay?

And I'll be there.

Okay?

Come with me, Lynn.

- I don't know, Mama.

Maybe I should stay here and help her or somethin'.

- Now, Dottie Mae, we talked about this.

You're not gettin' enough from your divorce settlement.

You don't work, you're not gonna be able to pay that nurse.

I'd take care of Lynn myself, I would,

but I gotta work, too.

I'm always at the studios.

Now, you got to think of your career first.

Dottie Mae, that child don't even know who you are.

- It's so hard for me just to leave her, Mama.

I know, baby, I know,

but you got to pull yourself together, honey.

We cannot keep Miami Beach a-waitin'.

Take her in the house, honey. Take her on in the house.

It's great to be back here in Miami Beach...

- Uh...

we're gonna be staying at a hotel.

It's, uh, just outside the city limits.

- Mm-hmm.

- And, uh, I...I think we should probably use

the service entrance when we come in here,

- don't you think? - Mm-hmm.

- Oh, and don't...don't talk to any of the patrons...

- Earl, just say it.

- What?

- You think I've never been to the South?

I can't stay in Miami Beach,

I can't use the front entrance,

and I can't speak to the patrons, right?

This isn't a tan, Earl.

I'm a Negro, a colored girl.

You did happen to notice that, didn't you?

- I noticed.

- Now, listen, if we're going to work together,

you can't tiptoe around me.

You have to say it straight out.

- Yes, ma'am. - Good.

Now, come on, honey.

Zip me up so I can run to the bathroom.

Come on.

- This is your bathroom.

You told me to say it straight out.

Angel face.

- I think President Truman's

done a lot for the country.

For one, he moved to the city.

You're a wonderful crowd, and this is a classy joint.

- Dorothy, wait.

They even have midget waiters here.

- What?

- Look at this place.

- I asked one waiter to put a phone on my table,

but he couldn't get the booth off the wall.

Boy, can the people drink here.

One guy stumbled out of here last night,

bumped into a uniformed man outside.

He say, "Hey, buddy"...

- I can't perform here.

- I've seen worse. At least they paid.

- You go find the owner, and you tell him

I'm not performing inside this disaster area!

- Oh, really? There's the owner right there.

You want to ruin your career, you can tell him yourself.

- Fine. I will.

- Dorothy, wait, wait.

I was kidding. Let me handle this.

- Mr. Scott? - No. Dorothy.

- Mr. Scott? - I'll handle it.

- Dandridge. Good. You're on right after this joke.

- I'm the manager. She's not going on after him...

- Because I'm not performing! - Shh!

- What did you say? - She won't work in a place

where she has to enter stage rear, sleep outside the city...

- Or use a Dixie cup!

- Quiet. Or use a Dixie cup.

All right. - What?

He says, "Don't worry. I'll see you on Friday."

- You see that man sitting at table two?

That's the city building commissioner.

When he found out I was opening a club

where colored acts share dressing rooms with whites,

he held up my construction permits until tonight,

and most of these people are his friends.

You see that busboy there?

His name is Corey Williams.

He earned the Silver Star at Guadalcanal,

came home, got his degree on the GI Bill.

But no one would hire him

except me.

Now, I tried to get as many of my friends here

to support what I'm trying to do,

but tonight my friends are few and far between.

So if you don't wanna perform,

I don't blame you,

but don't blame me.

- Well, it's been a pleasure

playing the Miami Beach Mortuary.

May you all rest in peace.

Good night, ladies and gentlemen.

- Hey. Hey, hey, hey.

- Oh. Got any advice?

- Yeah. Kill 'em.

- Thank you.

- Good evening.

I'm Dorothy Dandridge.

♪ What care I for fortune or fame? ♪

♪ They never mattered a lot ♪

♪ I don't have a right to complain ♪

♪ As long as I've got ♪

♪ What I've got ♪

♪ I've got rhythm ♪

♪ I've got music ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ I've got daisies ♪

♪ In green pastures ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ Old Man Trouble ♪

♪ I don't mind him ♪

♪ You won't find him 'round my door ♪

♪ I've got starlight ♪

♪ I've got sweet dreams ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ I've got rhythm ♪

♪ I've got music ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Don't need no more ♪

♪ Daisies in green pastures ♪

♪ Same man as before ♪

♪ Trouble never finds me ♪

♪ Life's a beautiful thing ♪

♪ 'Cause I've got rhythm ♪

♪ It makes me happy ♪

♪ Music that makes me wanna sing ♪

♪ For I've got a man ♪

♪ Ooh, what a man ♪

♪ A beautiful man I adore ♪

♪ Who could ask for ♪

♪ Anything ♪

♪ Anything ♪

♪ More ♪

♪ I've got rhythm ♪

♪ I've got music ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Don't need no more ♪

♪ Daisies in green pastures ♪

♪ Same man as before ♪

♪ Trouble never finds me ♪

♪ Life's a beautiful thing ♪

♪ 'Cause I got rhythm ♪

♪ It makes me happy... ♪

- Mmm.

Audrey Hepburn's playing Sabrina.

Mm-hmm?

- And Ava Gardner,

she's got another film now... - Vivvy.

- I can't help it if your name's not in here.

- I'll get another role soon.

- Oh, yeah, I see right here where Hollywood's

just begging Negroes to star in their films.

- Why do you have to be so gloomy?

- Because I haven't worked in two years,

and let's not mention your last big role.

- "Bright Road"? That was a very important film.

- Important to who?

It's practically breaking records

for the lowest box office in the South.

- Thank you, Vivvy.

That was the cherry on the pie of my week.

- I am having a really great day.

Okay, I'll tell ya.

Fox is doing a film of Bizet's "Carmen."

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein.

- Whoop-de-doo.

- Oh, that's right. I didn't say.

They're using an all-Negro cast.

Yeah.

- Do you know how many colored actresses want this part?

Every colored actress:

Lena Horne, Eartha Kitt, everybody.

"Carmen Jones" is the best part

for a Negro actress in years. Ever.

Hey, she is Carmen.

- You should have seen her run at La Vie en Rose.

They were literally handing out the "Kinsey" sex report

at the door, she's so hot.

- Okay, that was New York, not Hollywood.

That was a nightclub and not high drama.

And I've seen her last two pictures,

and that's all, folks.

- Oh, come on, she's been shoved into nothing but banana hats

and curled slippers for a year, and you know it, Joey.

Now, come on.

Joey, just get her a reading with Preminger.

That's all I'm asking.

- Just a reading?

Just Otto Preminger?

Do you know what I do every morning, Earl?

- No, Joe.

- I get up every morning at 5:00 am when it's still dark,

and I drive all the way from the Valley to the studio,

and along the way, I see faces.

Faces on billboards, faces on bench ads.

Familiar faces.

Famous faces.

The faces of movie stars.

The faces that I see out of my car window

are the faces for whom I get readings with Otto Preminger.

And not once, in all my drives,

have I ever seen the face

of Dorothy Dandridge.

Now, good night.

- I wonder, why did Joey Young decide to get me a reading?

- Apparently he saw you from his car window one morning.

No kidding?

- No kidding.

- Mr. Preminger will see you now.

- What?

- I just realized this is the moment

I've always dreamed of.

- Your reading with Preminger?

- A chance.

- Oh...

let me handle this, will ya?

Mr. Preminger?

- Mr. Preminger,

I'd like you to meet Carmen Jones.

- Ooh. Ha ha ha.

Carmen Jones?

No.

I will give her a reading for the role of Cindy Lou.

- Cindy Lou?

Isn't that the sweet girl

that gets dumped for Carmen?

- There must be a misunderstanding.

- 'Scuse me?

- I said there must be a misunderstanding.

Miss Dandridge is here

to read for the part of Carmen.

- You have come into my office,

but you have not brought Carmen with you.

You have brought yourself with you.

Good little girl, nice gloves...

asking for a reading for the role of a wild woman.

You are not Carmen. You're Cindy Lou.

- But Mister... - Dorothy is an actress,

Mr. Preminger. - She is Cindy Lou.

- I'm sure if you'd just give her the opportunity...

- This is final.

- You know what you are, Mr. Preminger?

- Dorothy. - You're a bulldog.

You're a big, fat bulldog!

That's what you are.

- What did you call me?

- A bulldog.

She's...nervous.

Thank you for your time.

Cindy Lou.

We'll look at Cindy Lou.

Oh, she's on every page.

Look at this! - What part?

Who's gonna play this part? I can play this part.

They'd never see me, though, would they, Mama?

- I'm not going back to read for Cindy Lou.

Don't know why you're still lookin' at that.

- You should be grateful he's considering you for a part.

I couldn't get an audition if I tried.

- I don't want to be Cindy Lou.

So that's what you gonna do?

Just give up?

- He won't give me a chance, Mama.

- Well, if you're waitin' for them to give you a chance,

you're gonna have a hard row to hoe.

Honey, you have got to take your chances.

Now, you think about Carmen.

This girl is all about sex.

She looks like sex.

She smells like sex.

She even moves, you know, she moves like sex.

- Mm-hmm, that's the way.

Use the equipment Mama gave you.

You got to walk in there like Carmen.

- But that old bulldog won't even let me read for Carmen.

- Honey, we're not talkin' 'bout readin'.

We're talkin' 'bout walkin'.

Now, you can get this part.

- By walkin'.

Have you seen my man?

That Carmen Jones snatched him from me,

and I'm lost over what to do about it.

Can't decide

if it's better me follow him up to the Windy City...

Or should I wait...

For him to come back to his happy hearth and home?

Tell me what to do.

I'm Cindy Lou.

- The hell you are.

- Girl, I was Carmen.

"Miss Dandridge, can I get you this?"

"Miss Dandridge, can I get you that?"

Remember, they hired that opera singer

to come do my movie singin' for me?

Mm-hmm.

They did.

Then one morning I woke up,

and I just couldn't breathe.

- What are you telling me? She won't make the picture?

I start shooting tomorrow! Wonderful!

Where is she? - She won't do it.

I've talked to her three times.

She won't do it.

She doesn't want to anger the Negro community.

- "Anger the Negro community." That's ridiculous!

The first all-Negro film!

First released by a major studio!

- Yes, in which she plays a Negro whore.

- It's not a whore! It's a woman, not a whore.

- Otto, Otto. A critic suggested

that Hollywood depicts all Negro women

as either mammies or prostitutes.

- Yeah, but this is... it confuse me.

First the studio won't approve the film

because it's all-Negro.

Then they will do the film,

but only if the NAACP also approves.

Now Miss Dandridge won't make the film

because even though the NAACP

and the studio approve...

one man who writes one article does not.

She's scared, yes?

- Yeah. Terrified.

Otto.

You're not really the asshole you seem to be, are you?

- This, little gentleman, is something neither you

nor anyone else will ever know.

- Earl, go away!

I've already made up my mind!

It's not Earl. Open.

Miss Dandridge.

- Call me Dorothy.

Most...directors that barge in my house usually do.

- You decline to play Carmen?

- I've already proven I could get the part.

No real reason for me to play it.

- Hmm.

Maybe you are not good enough to play the role.

Maybe you have no talent.

- I've got more talent than anybody in this town.

You won't find a better Carmen than me.

- So, you know you can do it, I know you can do it.

That's not your fear. It's the gamble.

- What would you know about that?

- I, too, am taking big gambles on this picture.

If it doesn't work,

then everybody will say Otto Preminger is a fool

thinking he can make a all-Negro musical.

And if I succeed, then I will be a genius.

You know how I know it will work?

Because I have my Carmen.

I have you.

- What if they don't like me?

- They will love you.

I will make them love you.

I may be a...old bulldog,

with a bald head, but this is what I can do.

- I didn't mean to say that.

- No, no. It's all right. I know I'm ugly.

My gift is to bring the beauty

to the world.

I know women.

I know how to light them, to shoot them,

to create them for the screen.

And if you let me,

I will seduce the audience for you.

I will make sure

that they will never forget the name Dorothy Dandridge.

I will make the name shine brighter

than all the lights here

in our city.

- Otto...

You're not so ugly.

- Sir, we're ready to go. Are you?

- Are we ready? Really? I don't think so.

I mean, this has to be here. Move it.

The food has to steam, steam!

It's...it's hot, not cold.

What about here, the flowers?

That's ridiculous! Get rid of them.

We are not in a restaurant. We are in a mess hall.

What's here? That's red.

I said no one wears red. Put a...a blue scarf...

- You know what? Forget about it. - I'll take that.

- Put that to the back.

And where's my coffee? Is that too much to...

- Right here, sir. - Cup of coffee?

Where's Miss Dandridge?

- Still in her dressing room, sir.

- Oh, that's fine.

Well, please let her know that we are ready

and she should join us.

Not bad.

She's late for the first shooting day.

Who else is late here?

- Otto... - Who the hell are you?

- I'm Earl. - Get just out of my way.

Good day, Miss Dandridge.

- Good day, Mr. Preminger.

Oh, this is ridiculous.

I'm gonna lay it out.

- I have to tell you,

rule number one:

never be late on a set.

- Okay, folks, quiet down, settle down.

Okay, this is gonna be for picture,

ladies and gentlemen. Let's make it a good one.

Folks, just like I said, just like we rehearsed.

Okay? Nice, comfortable meal. - Thank you.

Nice conversation. No extra noise.

No silverware clattering, none of that, okay?

We'll do that later. Okay! First positions, everybody.

You look as good as me.

- Roll 'em.

- Roll 'em!

Speed.

- Scene 30, take one. Marker.

- Background!

- Action!

- Hmm. Congratulations, Corporal.

That Airs Corps sure was smart in pickin' you out

of this whole outfit for the officers' flying school.

Thanks.

- Hi, Carmen. - Hi.

Well! Get a load of this hip-swingin' floozy

rollin' round to work in time for lunch.

- Prune puss,

you make sounds I don't like.

- I'ma tell the foreman you was late again.

- You do that, and I'll scratch out

the one good eye you got left.

- Hey, Carmen, why don't you come to Pastor's

with me tonight?

I can dance those other boys off the floor.

- T-Bone, you're too little and too late.

- I don't waste no time. Dig me, baby?

- Wasting your time right now, Sergeant.

The wind's blowin' me in another direction,

and it ain't no use arguin' with the wind.

- Hey, how about going out with me tonight

instead of playin' the field?

Yeah, Carmen, pick out one.

That'll release the rest of 'em.

♪ I won't pick out a man ♪

♪ And he won't pick out me ♪

♪ It don't go that way ♪

♪ You can't ever know ♪

♪ Where your crazy heart ♪

♪ Wants to go ♪

♪ Love's a baby that grows up wild ♪

♪ And he don't do what you want him to ♪

♪ Love ain't nobody's angel child ♪

♪ And he won't pay any mind to you ♪

♪ One man gives me his diamond stud ♪

♪ And I won't give him a cigarette ♪

♪ One man treats me like I was mud ♪

♪ And all I got dat man can get ♪

♪ Love's a baby that grows up wild ♪

♪ Dat's love ♪

♪ And he don't do what you want him to ♪

♪ Dat's love ♪

♪ Love ain't nobody's angel child ♪

♪ Dat's love ♪

♪ And he won't pay any mind to you ♪

♪ Dat's love ♪

- Cut!

♪ But if you're hard to get, I go for you ♪

♪ And if I do, den you are through ♪

♪ Boy, my baby ♪

♪ That's the end of you ♪

♪ The end of you ♪

♪ So take your cue, boy ♪

♪ Don't say I didn't tell you true ♪

♪ She told you true ♪

♪ I told you truly ♪

♪ If I love you ♪

Voila.

♪ Dat's de end of you ♪

♪ You go for me and I'm taboo ♪

♪ But if you're hard to get, I go for you ♪

♪ And if I do, then you are through ♪

♪ Boy, my baby, that's the end of you ♪

♪ The end of you ♪

♪ So take your cue, boy ♪

♪ Don't say I didn't tell you true ♪

♪ She told you true ♪

♪ I told you truly ♪

♪ If I love you ♪

♪ Dat's de end of you ♪

- What is it?

- Nothing. Go ahead.

- Hmm? "Go ahead."

Where could I go in our bed without you?

Hmm?

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

- The truth.

Don't cry.

- I just never...

Really much liked sex, that's all.

- Should have told me.

- It's okay. I don't mind.

- I mind.

If you never liked sex,

then probably

you never had sex.

You're still untouched...

inside.

Deeply inside...

in your heart.

We will discover your heart and open it together.

There's no hurry.

Not at all.

We have all the time in the world to do this.

All the time in the world.

- I love you.

So, Dorothy, listen to me.

I saw that Tarzan picture you were in.

What a stinker.

But I gotta tell you,

in the middle of all those monkeys,

and all that monkey shit, you were the one thing

that made my troop salute.

Is that why you asked to see me, Mr. Zanuck?

- You know, this is my studio, and when I see an entertainer

with such extraordinary assets,

I want to make sure that 20th Century Fox

further explores that entertainer.

- Could we...I thought we were here to discuss a deal.

I have seen the "Carmen" dailies.

And you're on fire.

And I felt the heat.

- I hope you don't think

we colored girls drop our panties

every time one of you white boys pays us a compliment.

Dorothy, I...

I don't think Mr. Zanuck is say...

Well, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

That's the trouble with you people.

The colored race

is always focused

on the treatment you expect to get

instead of the treatment you're getting.

I'm trying to offer you a three-picture contract here.

- We're listening.

- The public isn't ready for a colored leading lady.

- Well... - Not yet.

But I know she's a star,

so I got a plan.

We're gonna smooth the way.

We're gonna let people get to know you.

- Won't they already know her as Carmen?

Carmen's just the beginning.

I'm gonna do a remake of "The Blue Angel,"

with you as a Negro girl.

Then I'm gonna have you play an Italian girl

in a foreign legion picture,

then a Mexican girl.

By this time two years from now,

the public's gonna love you so much as the Mexican lead,

as the Italian lead, that they'll beg to see you

in any white role.

You're gonna be a huge star, Dorothy.

Just huge.

- So what kind of deal are we talking about?

- 30,000, escalating to 75.

- 50,000, escalating to 100.

- 75, escalating to 125.

- That's a lot of money.

- We won't accept a penny less.

- That's not what you said to Ava Gardner.

- Well, Ava Gardner's the number-one box office girl

in the business.

- Not after "Carmen" comes out, she isn't.

Okay. All right. Here you go.

Come on, come on.

- Ava Gardner's salary?

- Her manager's percentage?

- Where did you learn to horse-trade like that?

- Otto coached me.

- The Last Frontier Hotel is proud to welcome

Miss Dandridge as their first Negro guest.

We look forward to her performances.

The chefs are at her disposal.

Meals will be delivered to her room.

She can have any dish she likes.

- You're saying she can't use the dining room.

- What about the restrooms backstage?

Can I at least use the restroom?

- She can, right? - Well, uh...

- Oh, now, look,

I was told Dorothy would be extended every courtesy.

- She will be, in her room. - Oh, here we go.

- The casino and the restaurant are obviously off-limits.

The club too except, of course, when she is performing,

and the pool.

- I can't use the pool?

- I don't believe this.

- If she got in the pool, it would have to be drained.

- Drained?

- Health reasons.

Listen, this is Las Vegas.

Mr. Mills?

I tell you what, I can take

one of the smaller bathrooms backstage,

mark it, uh, "Coloreds Only."

Now, won't that be nice?

- Swell.

- Don't forget your key.

Have a good stay.

Jerk.

Can I get you something?

Coffee?

Tea?

Baseball bat?

- Go ahead, Earl. Make jokes.

Tonight I'll take my bows and exit stage rear,

go through the kitchen, past the casino,

around the pool

that I'm apparently too dirty to swim in,

up the service elevator,

into my luxurious penthouse suite,

sip my complimentary champagne,

and pee in a brand-new Dixie cup!

- I take that walk with you every night, you know.

- But the difference is, Earl, you don't have to.

- That's true. I don't.

- I'm in a big picture.

Somehow, I thought this time,

things would be a little bit different.

- I know, I know.

You're right.

You're right.

But, Dorothy,

you're the first Negro to play here.

You're the first, the first.

You're the first to stay in this hotel.

You're the highest-paid ever.

Angel face...

you make it possible for it to be different

next time for somebody else.

Now, come on.

Hmm?

I know you got the moxie to do this.

- How do you know what I've got?

- Because...

Because I love you.

- Why, Earl Mills.

Well...

- So now what do we do?

- Whatever you want.

There's one over there. - Yes.

- Excuse me.

Uh, can I help you?

- Uh, yes, actually, you can.

The mints on my pillow were stale.

Could you take care of that?

- Perhaps Miss Dandridge would be more comfortable

in her room?

- Miss Dandridge is quite comfortable, thank you.

- Are you sure? - Very.

What a lovely pool you have here.

- Miss Dandridge, please.

Oh! Oh, my.

- Oh, my gosh.

The water's quite cold,

but lovely nonetheless.

- I hope you're happy.

- No.

I'm not happy at all.

Negroes cannot swim in this pool!

- Fantastic, as usual.

Thanks.

- Good night. - Night.

Good night.

Ladies and gentlemen, Dorothy Dandridge

here at the New York premiere of "Carmen Jones."

And here's Robert Wagner...

- Thank you.

The mayor of New York City.

You look beautiful.

- Miss Dandridge. - Oh.

- May we have you take some pictures with Mr. Belafonte

for the press, if you wouldn't mind?

Congratulations on the film.

- Harry.

- Nice big smile.

- How wonderful you both look. Yeah, this is good.

Otto Preminger, director of "Carmen Jones."

- Here's Mr. Preminger.

Mr. Preminger.

May we get some photos of you, sir, with your cast?

And your wife, too, of course, if she wouldn't mind.

Pearl Bailey.

Miss Bailey, would you say a few words to the press?

All right, everyone smile, please.

Close together, please. Tighter.

- How dare you parade her in front of me?

- I didn't know she was coming.

- It was my night, Otto.

You won't be seen with me in public, but then I have to

watch you traipse around with her.

- She's my wife.

- Tell her to leave.

You have an understanding, remember?

She openly makes the rounds, Otto, with another man,

and you don't complain about it.

So why couldn't you spend the evening with me?

- There's not just you and me.

There are others to take care of,

there's a movie to take care of...

- I don't care about the movie.

- You do.

This is America, land of opportunity,

but it's America.

If it got out that we were together...

the movie would never open.

And I want you to be a star.

I want you to have everything.

What you deserve.

My...

our movie...

will change everything.

- I won't just be a mistress.

Everything.

We will be together

when the time is right.

- So we're getting married?

- When the time is right.

You were always reminding me

of my responsibility, Geri.

You were so aware.

I thought things would just fall into place.

If I wanted something badly enough, it'd just happen.

- Latest box office reports through the roof.

- Mmm, and when that reporter asked me

why I thought whites were flocking

to see an all-Negro picture, you know what I said?

What?

- I guess people just like to look at me.

Yeah, you know it.

I'm getting offers. From studios.

With love scenes.

- They've just realized that colored folk

have sex like everybody else.

- What's important is how well the picture's doing down South.

It's a big step. I'm telling you,

integration can't be far behind.

With that, another bottle of champagne.

- Hear, hear! - Waiter.

- Yes, sir? - Two more bottles, please.

- No more for you, Vivvy.

- Viv.

- Well, I want to know what you're wearing

to the Academy Awards.

- Geri, can't ask me that.

- Why not? - It's bad luck.

- You think you're queen of the fuckin' world, don't you?

Everybody's talking about "Carmen,"

the film industry's colored whore.

- Lower your voice, Vivvy.

- You think just because you become a big film star

by shaking your tail that people aren't

gonna treat you like you're colored?

- Vivvy, why don't you let me take you home?

- No. Well, I'm somethin', too.

I'm somethin', too!

I'm more than Dorothy Dandridge's big sister!

- Shh, shh, shh.

- You ever notice that?

Do you ever notice that, any of you?

- Why don't you go home with Earl?

- I don't wanna go! - Come on, come on.

- I don't wanna go. - Get in the car and go, Vivvy!

- No! - Let's go. Come on.

Shh, shh.

Vivvy, Vivvy.

- You're not gonna win an Oscar, Dottie.

They already gave us one.

- All right, let's go, Vivvy.

Let's go.

No!

- Go. - No! No.

- You want her to play...Tuptim?

Who is Tuptim?

That's not the lead role.

- Dorothy, look,

listen to me.

Sometimes you do a picture just because it's big.

"The King and I" is going to be huge.

It'll be seen by millions and millions of people,

far more than ever saw "Carmen,"

and I'm telling you, Tuptim is a good role.

- She'll be paid her regular salary?

- Of course. - And it fulfills

one of the three pictures she's committed to doing here?

- Yes, Earl, absolutely.

- I...we have to think about this.

I'll let you... - I'll do it.

- Dorothy. - I'll do it.

- She says she'll do it.

- Actually, I think a toast is called for,

ladies and gentlemen.

Toast... - Toast.

- To the first colored woman

ever nominated for an Oscar as Best Actress.

To Dorothy.

- Hear, hear.

- Yeah. - Oh, baby.

- Mama. Thank you.

- Congratulations. Yeah. - Thank you.

- Congratulations to you.

- Thank you.

For the last three days,

I haven't been able to eat waiting for these nominations

to come out.

And, Mama, you know I'm tellin' the truth.

But now, who wants some chitlins?

- Oh, she's beautiful, isn't she?

Oh, I have no idea what I'm going to wear.

- I don't think you should do

the Tuptim part after all.

- But I already said I would.

- That was before you were

an Academy Award-nominated actress.

- Well, but I'm not exactly being offered anything else.

- You sing...nightclubs

until a real role comes along.

And I will make a movie soon.

- Zanuck said that Tuptim was a good part.

- Mm-hmm. - And he really thinks

it's something I should do.

- None of the other nominees have to play slaves.

- Wait a minute. What are you saying?

She's already agreed to play the part.

- I've changed my mind.

I don't think I should have to play a slave.

- You can't change your mind.

You shook hands with Zanuck.

- You don't see Audrey Hepburn playin' a slave.

- Well, you're not Audrey Hepburn.

- No. Hmm!

She's Dorothy Dandridge.

- Oh, excuse me, Otto, but Zanuck's not going

to stand for this, and you know it.

She'll be dead at Fox, she'll be dead

at every other studio in town.

Dorothy... - I will not play Tuptim.

Who is this talking?

Is this you?

Is this you or is this Otto?

- I make my own decisions.

- Dorothy, please, please, listen to me.

Don't do this.

If you do what Otto wants...

I won't be able to protect you this time...

- And when exactly did you protect me?

When I was peein' in the cup

or when they were drainin' the pool?

- All right.

All right.

Well...

congratulations again...

To both of you.

Earl? Earl, where are you going?

- It'll be better without him.

Is here tonight in New York City...

Dorothy Dandridge,

nominated for Best Actress in "Carmen Jones."

The other nominees are Judy Garland,

Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly,

and Jane Wyatt.

- Thank you, Bob.

If I seem a little nervous...

this is as big a moment for me

as it will be for the winner of this award.

For Film Editing...

In Hollywood,

"On the Waterfront," Gene Milford.

Now, ladies and gentlemen,

here's the Academy Award

for Best Actress of the Year.

- Well, time is running short again,

so the award for the Best Performance

by an Actress...

Grace Kelly for "The Country Girl."

- I knew they wouldn't give it to one of us.

I did win

because I won in my heart.

Vivvy never did understand that.

Did I tell you Mama finally found out

that she moved to Canada?

Says she's got a little boy

and that she's happy.

I hope so.

You never realize

the last time you see somebody...

that it is the last time.

Few minutes, Miss Dandridge.

- Thank you.

Otto.

You made it.

So, what do you think of your choice?

Hmm? - Ah...

It's a wonderful dress.

Make a good team.

- After we're married, we'll make an even better team.

- Be patient.

You said...

when the time was right.

Well, the time is now right. It's 1957.

The world is changing.

If not here, Europe. We could work in Europe.

- Europe.

- You do love me, don't you?

- I will always love you.

- I want a honeymoon in Paris.

I'll get fat

and have lots of babies.

Boys, a house full of boys.

- Boys and girls.

- Okay.

- Beautiful dream.

- It's not a dream.

One minute, Miss Dandridge.

- You have to go onstage, and I have to get to my seat.

- The best seat in the house, table 15.

What?

- It's German.

Uh, break your leg.

Ladies and gentlemen,

the Mocambo welcomes back the delicious,

the divine, the delightful

Dorothy Dandridge.

- ♪ You do ♪

♪ Something to me ♪

♪ Something that simply ♪

♪ Mystifies me ♪

♪ Tell me ♪

♪ Why should it be ♪

♪ You've got the power ♪

♪ To hypnotize me? ♪

♪ Let me live ♪

♪ 'Neath your spell ♪

♪ You do that voodoo ♪

♪ That you do so well ♪

♪ You do ♪

♪ Somethin' to me ♪

♪ That nobody else ♪

♪ Can do ♪

♪ You do somethin' ♪

♪ Somethin' to me ♪

♪ Somethin' that simply mystifies me ♪

♪ Tell me, tell me why should it be ♪

♪ You've got the power to hypnotize me? ♪

♪ Let me live 'neath your spell ♪

♪ You do that voodoo that you do so well ♪

♪ Oh, you do ♪

♪ Somethin' to me ♪

♪ That nobody else ♪

♪ Can do ♪

♪ You do ♪

♪ Somethin' to me ♪

♪ That nobody else ♪

♪ Can do ♪

♪ Everybody needs ♪

- Thank you.

♪ To care ♪

♪ For somebody ♪

♪ All your dreams were meant to share ♪

♪ With somebody ♪

♪ Someone to have ♪

Who is it?

- Jack Denison.

I'm the manager here at the Riviera.

- Yes?

- I wanted to tell you what a thrill it is

having you here with us.

- Thank you.

Um, if you don't mind, Mr. Denison,

I'm a bit tired, so, uh...

- Oh, no. I just came by to bring you these.

Daisies.

- Compliments of the hotel.

I hope they're all right.

- Yes, they're...they're lovely. Thank you.

Just an unusual choice, that's all.

Someone very special to me loved daisies.

She died.

Childbirth.

- Childbirth?

She was a lovely woman.

We were to be married.

She went into labor early. We were on vacation,

and no white hospital in the area would take her.

- She was a colored girl?

- Try to put flowers on her grave every week

and on our child's.

- That's lovely.

Um...

Have...have a seat. Stay if you want.

Go on.

- Please,

let me do that for you.

- Thank you.

Dottie Mae, I'm tellin' you,

don't marry that man.

He ain't no good.

I can feel it all in my bones.

- I'll tell you one thing Auntie was right about.

A man and 5 cents'll pay a colored girl's fare

all the way to nowhere.

- Miss Dandridge, I've been looking for you.

They brought in a new director.

- Who is it? - Miss Dandridge!

Mr. Poitier and I have been ready to shoot

for some minutes now.

- I've only just arrived myself.

- I have seen the rushes.

Your performance is not credible,

almost ridiculous.

- I don't think that was necessary.

- Would you care to direct the picture, Mr. Poitier?

Would you?

So,

in the scene,

you have just been raped, right?

You are supposed to be upset, broken.

Instead, you have been prancing around

like a queen on her throne,

using glycerin tears

because you are too lazy to make yourself cry.

- I'm not lazy. - You are pathetic!

What happened to you?

You used to be a beautiful thing.

Now you're nothing, and if you're going

to mess up my picture, you little sniveling brat,

then I will make sure that you will never work again.

Good.

Places, everybody!

Move!

- Real tears, finally.

Page?

Roll 'em.

Roll 'em.

- Speed. - Rolling.

- Do you think he ever really loved me?

Hmm?

Dorothy,

you're not even over Otto.

Now, I'm your friend

and I'm telling you, now is the time

to concentrate on your career,

not on another white man.

- Jack?

- He had a child,

but she died with the mother

after he left them in a motel to starve.

He's a con man.

I hired a private investigator, and he told me.

Denison isn't worth the dirt under your feet.

- Sometimes you stand on the edge of a cliff

and you jump.

You jump because you're tired of being scared.

Sometimes you jump

just to see what it feels like to fall.

Jack?

Hi, honey.

It's 4:00. Do you think maybe

you should get yourself dressed?

- I am dressed.

Dressed for the work I do, which is nothin'.

When I get my club back, I'll get dressed, all right?

- Okay, fine.

Not tryin' to start a fight here, honey.

Can I get you somethin' else to drink?

- You said get dressed. What am I gonna get dressed for?

- Your day, your night.

Whatever.

- What did you mean by that?

Do you think I lost my club

sittin' around all day in my robe?

- No, honey.

You want to stay in your robe, then stay in your robe.

- I lost my club listenin' to you sing

in front of an empty house.

You're supposed to know people in this town,

but you don't know nobody.

- I lost most of my income singin' there, remember?

You never paid me a dime... - Are you saying that singin'

in the club hurt your career? - For any one of those dates.

- Is that what you're saying, that I hurt you?

- No! - What are you saying?

- I'm saying you need to calm down, honey.

- Remember... - I can't remember anything

with you bitching at me all night about my robe!

No, Jack, no!

No, Jack, don't! No!

No, Jack.

Don't, Jack! Don't do it...

Ah! Oh!

Jack! No!

No! Jack, no!

- Miss Dandridge, when did you find out

you owed over $127,000?

Were you responsible for the bank loans,

credit debts, and bad investments,

or was that your ex-husband?

- You declared bankruptcy, but what about the back taxes?

- She's not answering any questions.

- Is it true Mr. Denison pawned all your jewelry?

- Dorothy, give us a statement.

- Miss Dandridge, you have stated

your child is a danger to herself and others,

that you are unwilling to care for her,

and that you will relinquish parental rights?

- Well, I hired a caretaker,

but I haven't been able to make the payments

because I haven't had any...

- Yes, we've all heard the testimony.

Are you willing to relinquish parental rights?

- Yes.

Very well. Harolyn Nicholas

shall henceforth become a ward of the court.

Care will be provided by the state institution

in Camarillo, California.

- The Mocambo is proud to welcome back a woman

who has graced our stage many times.

Her star first rose here

a little over ten years ago in '51,

and her star hasn't stopped streaking our skies with light

ever since.

Dorothy Dandridge!

- ♪ Everybody needs ♪

♪ To care ♪

♪ For somebody ♪

♪ All your dreams were meant to share ♪

♪ With somebody ♪

♪ Someone to have ♪

♪ A midnight cup ♪

♪ Of tea with ♪

♪ To have and hold... ♪

The nation suffered a loss today,

as an apparent overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol

claimed the life of a treasured singer and actress,

Marilyn Monroe.

- In Switzerland.

Mm-hmm. They'll teach her to speak French there.

I have to go.

Somebody at my door, okay?

Hmm.

Why, Earl Mills.

- I heard, uh,

Queen Melmendi was looking for a way through the jungle.

- Oh...

Geri worries too much about me.

- Well, she's not the only one.

Nice place.

- What do you want?

- I want to know how you're doing.

- I'm fine.

- I can see that.

I heard about your show in Puerto Rico.

- Which one?

- Well, you know, the one where

you were slurring your words onstage.

- Oh. - Or was that every show?

- Earl,

if you came here to start trouble,

you might as well just keep on going.

- You shouldn't mix booze with pills.

Didn't your doctor tell you that?

- You don't manage my act. - No, your act is all your own.

- And you don't manage my life!

Why don't you get out of here?

I'm busy.

I got things to do.

- What do you have to do, Dorothy,

write more suicide notes?

Geri found this.

I wrote this because I don't want anybody to see me.

I don't want 'em to see me like this, Earl.

If I go, cremate me right away.

Don't let anybody look at me.

Don't let 'em just stare at me, remember me like this.

- Okay, okay, I promise.

- I don't want anybody to look at me.

My hands are shaking.

- All right, all right. Let me hold them.

- I'm so glad you're here.

- Yeah, me, too. - I'm so ugly.

- No, you're not. You're beautiful.

- I need my pills. - No, you don't.

- My pills are right over there. If I could just get my...

- I'll keep you from shaking. - If I get my pills...

- Come on, come on.

You all right?

Hmm?

- You got so old.

When did you get so old?

- This morning.

- Well, I would sing for you, but I think my syncopation

might be a little off.

- ♪ I can only give you love ♪

♪ That lasts forever ♪

♪ And a promise to be near ♪

♪ Each time you call ♪

♪ And the only heart I own ♪

♪ For you and you alone ♪

♪ That's all ♪

That's all.

That's all.

Look at you.

What, you go for a run?

- About ten yards up at the front desk

to pick up this telegram,

confirming a run at the Mocambo,

two movies in Mexico,

and a booking at Basin Street East in New York.

- Oh!

Oh!

You know the first thing I'm gonna do?

- Hmm? - I'm gonna hire a lawyer.

I'm gettin' my baby back. That's the first thing.

You want to celebrate? - Hmm.

- Let's get all dressed up tonight,

and you can take me dancing.

- Hmm, can I? Thank you.

- Well, just this once.

- Uh, well, actually, I can't dance.

- That's okay, honey, 'cause tonight

I'll dance enough for both of us.

Hmm.

It's Tofranil. My doctor prescribed it

for my depression, remember?

You want to see the bottle?

- No. I know you're better.

- I am better.

Now, let me go put on something festive...

Oh! Oh!

- What'd you do? - Oh!

Oh, Earl! - All right.

Don't move, don't move. - Okay.

I think I broke it. - Shh, don't move, don't move.

Mm-hmm.

Well, the sun's comin' up now, so...

No, I can't.

I'm leaving for New York with Earl today.

You know I got my shows to do, remember?

Well, if the cast doesn't bother them,

it certainly doesn't bother me.

I think you should get to bed now.

Geri,

I love you.

Thank you for everything.

Okay.

Hello?

Why, Earl Mills.

I was just thinkin' about you.

No, really, I was.

What time are you gonna pick me up?

Ooh, can we make it later?

How about 10:00? A girl has to pack, you know.

Okay.

I'll see you then.

Dorothy?

Dorothy!

Dorothy?

Angel face?

Angel face.

Angel face?

You know this could have been the fractured ankle?

Flakes of bone marrow get into the bloodstream,

cause an embolism.

- How many times do I have to tell you,

the easy answer is usually the right answer?

There's a bottle of Tofranil on the dressing table.

More than likely, she just overdosed.

- Excuse me.

Excuse me!

Could you please ask these officers to leave

or cover her up?

She wouldn't want people staring at her.

Guys, wait outside.

- Come on. - All right.

- I don't see any evidence... - No, no, no.

- Here at all. - We have a suicide note.

- No, no, no, no, no.

She wrote that note months ago.

- Suicide notes don't exactly expire, you know.

- Oh, wait a minute.

She didn't kill herself. We were going to New York.

- Mr. Mills, could you wait

in the other room, please? - We were going to New York.

She didn't kill herself! - Mr. Mills, please.

- She didn't kill herself. - Mr. Mills, please.

- I'll be damned, Richard.

Wasn't she some kind of colored singer?

Hollywood mourns the passing

of Dorothy Dandridge.

A nightclub singer and actress,

Miss Dandridge is perhaps best known

for her Oscar-nominated role as Carmen Jones.

The L.A. County Coroner's Office

ruled that Miss Dandridge died as a result

of an overdose of the prescription drug Tofranil.

However, they declined to determine whether the death

was an accident or a suicide.

She is survived by a daughter, Harolyn.

Miss Dandridge was 42.

- ♪ What care I for fortune or fame? ♪

♪ They never mattered a lot ♪

♪ I don't have a right to complain ♪

♪ As long as I've got ♪

♪ What I've got ♪

♪ I've got music ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ I've got daisies ♪

♪ In green pastures ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ Old Man Trouble ♪

♪ I don't mind him ♪

♪ You won't find him 'round my door ♪

♪ I've got starlight ♪

♪ I've got sweet dreams ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Who could ask for anything more? ♪

♪ I've got rhythm ♪

♪ I've got music ♪

♪ I got my man ♪

♪ Don't need no more ♪

♪ Daisies in green pastures ♪

♪ Same man as before ♪

♪ Trouble never finds me ♪

♪ Life's a beautiful thing ♪

♪ 'Cause I've got rhythm ♪

♪ It makes me happy ♪

♪ Music that makes me wanna sing ♪

♪ For I've got a man ♪

♪ Ooh, what a man ♪

♪ A beautiful man I adore ♪

♪ Who could ask for ♪

♪ Anything ♪

♪ Anything ♪

♪ More ♪