16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The powerful story of a groundbreaking artist, April 19, 2003
"Introducing Dorothy Dandridge," directed by Martha Coolidge, tells the story of the first African-American woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Halle Berry turns in a powerful, multifaceted performance in the title role. The film moves back and forth in time to explore Dandridge's career as singer and actress, her troubled personal life, the racism she battled, the personal demons that tormented her, and her relationships with significant figures in the entertainment industry.
Although a bit soap opera-ish at times, this is a compelling and well-made film. It is full of excellent production values--great sets and costumes really help tell this tale. Musical numbers are skillfully woven into the overall story.
But it's the fine performances that really make this biopic special. Berry is superb in the challenging title role. Fiery and vulnerable, Berry creates a full-bodied cinematic portrait of this compelling woman. She gets solid support from a superb supporting cast that includes the versatile Loretta Devine as Dorothy's mother. Klaus Maria Brandauer brings elegance and gravitas to his role as director Otto Preminger. I was especially impressed by Brent Spiner in the pivotal role of Earl Mills, Dorothy's manager; if you only know Spiner from his role as Mr. Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," you are in for a revelation in this film.
There are some powerful scenes in this film, and it really holds together overall as a unified whole. "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" is a fitting tribute to Dandridge herself, and is a compelling slice of African-American history and Hollywood history.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Introducing Dorthy Dandridge, February 1, 2000
Hale Berry gives a stellar performance in a film that fairs slightly higher than your average TV movie. For this reason, Berry's performance makes this a must see film. Although HBO has taken many liberties with Dandridge's true-life story, the TV film accuretly captures the period, not all bright and colorful. Racism is the focus of a career that was cut short due to bigotry... The musical numbers are first rate as are the dance numbers, it's just the ho-hum soap opera approach that boggs the story down....
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dandridge, March 5, 2001
This movie was spectacular from a "made for t.v." movie stand point. Halle Berry was an exceptional choice to play the role of Ms. Dandridge. All my life, I have been a fan of Dorothy dandridge and I was happy to see a film depicting her life. It was very well put together but focused little on what Dorothy was known for, her movie career. Dorothy Dandridge was the first black woman to be nominated for an Acamedy Award. She had many stellar and standout performances including "Porgy and Bess", "Island in the Sun", and "Carman Jones". I would have liked to see more of the film cover her outstanding film career. The film did however show her fight against racism in the music as well as film inmdustry. She was a one of kind woman and this film is definitely worth watching if not owning.
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