BLACK LOVE Classics Series - "Carmen Jones"

A unique project from Otto Preminger, Carmen Jones is a modernized (as of 1954, anyway) take on the classic Georges Bizet opera Carmen. In this version, Carmen (Dorothy Dandridge) is a flighty, flirty factory worker who gets in trouble and has to be delivered to jail by a military guard, Joe, (Harry Belafonte). He falls for her, which Carmen finds appealing, if funny — and which his fiancée, Cindy Lou, emphatically does not. If you’re familiar with the opera, or opera in general, you know this turns out poorly for all involved. A vivid and lively musical with a timely and humanistic flavor, Carmen Jones is a one-of-a-kind mashup of themes and emotions that are timeless in every way.

Guests are invited to stay after the screening for the film talk “The Staccato Notes of Identity in Carmen Jones,” led by Taylor Raye Curry, Associate Professor of Film at University of Tampa.

The Black Love Classic Movie Series is presented by Tampa Electric (TECO) in collaboration with the City of Tampa’s Community Engagement & Partnerships Department. Post-show Film Talks are sponsored by Hungry Bull Productions and the Restaino Family Foundation. Promotional support provided by WEDU PBS.