Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Movie Review 1999

Beautiful, sexy singer/actress Dorothy Dandridge (Berry) was the first African-American woman to be nominated for a best actress Oscar for her title role in 1955's "Carmen Jones." Ten years later, at the age of 42, she was dead from an overdose of antidepressants after suffering a lifetime of tragedies--an abusive childhood, two failed marriages, a brain-damaged child, tumultuous affairs, limited career choices, and bad financial decisions. Based on the book by Dandridge's loyal manager, Earl Mills.

Distribution

HBO, 1100 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, Phone: (212)512-7400, Fax: (212)512-7498, URL: http://www.hbo.com, Remarks: Online sales through www.store.hbo.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 115 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Showbiz Dramas, Biopics: Showbiz, African America, Women, Behind the Scenes, Period Piece: 1950s, Tearjerkers

Screenplay

Scott Abbott, Shonda Rhimes

Cast

Halle Berry, Brent Spiner, Obba Babatunde, Loretta Devine, Cynda Williams, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Tamara Taylor, Klaus Maria Brandauer, D.B. Sweeney, William Atherton

Cinematography

Robbie Greenberg

Director

Martha Coolidge

Music

Elmer Bernstein