Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington

Okay, so Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs was not nominated for an Oscar, but when I watched the movie Claudine, I found myself saying Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington every time he was in a scene.

Diahann Carol was the one that garnered a nomination for her role as Claudine.  A single woman with six children trying to provide for them while on welfare.  She has a relationship with a garbage man named Roop, played by James Earl Jones.  The movie deals with many social issues and stereo types of the African American community.

Probably the best example of this was during Roop and Claudine's first date when they each discuss their kids.  They each get angry with the other and launch into rants about the specific stereotypes of African American women and men.  It is clear from the beginning this movie is going to discuss tough issues.  All back in 1974 well before The Cosby Show or Spike Lee.  I personally think this movie as a social commentary is far better than anything Spike Lee has done or can hope to do.  Maybe I am a bit biased because I think Spike Lee is a tool.  Though that may be getting sidetracked and you will have to wait until I get to Do The Right Thing before I will elaborate on why I feel that way.

Another scene that stood out to me was one in which Claudine is dealing with her eldest daughter Charlene, played by Tamu Blackwell.  Charlene is probably in her mid to late teens.  Clearly she is of the age that is typical of a daughter butting heads with her mother.  While I will maintain children feel they know more than their parents from birth, it does get worse as they get older, and Charlene and Claudine do not agree on anything!

Charlene returns home after sneaking out to spend time with her boyfriend to find her mom waiting up for her and an argument ensues.  When her mom asks what she was doing while she was out, Charlene responds, "meeting people and learning to hold my liquor."  We quickly learn how well she can hold her liquor when she becomes sick.  Her moms biggest fear that she will become pregnant at a young age, which of course by the end of the movie she does, thus perpetuating a stereotype.

Diahann Carroll is definitely worthy of her nomination.  She does a fine job playing the role of a woman trying to do her best to provide for her six children all the while railing against the system.  She is especially effective in showing the shortcomings of the welfare system.  While being one of only eight African American women to be nominated for a Best Actress award, she did not win.  In fact, Halle Berry is the only African American to have that honor.

Diahann did have some stiff competition that year.  She was up against

• Gena Rowlands as Mabel Longhetti in A Woman Under the Influence
• Valerie Perriene as Honey Bruce in Lenny
• Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Cross Mulray in Chinatown
• Ellen Burstyn as Alice Hyatt in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

Ellen Burstyn took home the Oscar for her performance.

I don't want to seem like I am a person who isn't critical of movies, because that certainly is not the case.  I felt this movie did have an important message and was for the most part entertaining.  James Earl Jones performance was also very good.  However, the movie was slow moving at times and in the end I found it to be somewhat predictable.  I don't think you will be disappointed if you rent this movie, I also would not qualify it as one of the greatest movies I have ever seen.