Claudine (DVD, 2003)

Sadly, few major studio films since this 1974 release have portrayed the triumph of romance and family in the lives of African Americans the way that Claudine does. Uniting the legendary James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll in a powerful love story, Claudine tackles the flaws of America's social services system, the frustrations of parenting, and the awkwardness and jittery excitement of single parent dating.

Screen writers, Tina and Les Pine, created beautifully complex characters while successfully weaving together love, struggle and humor. Their story moves viewers as well as entertains us.

As noted in the commentary by George Tillman Jr. (director, Soul Food, 1997), Claudine has the rare distinction of a soundtrack recorded entirely by one artist. Gladys Knight and The Pips perform the film's music which was written and produced by Curtis Mayfield. Claudine was directed by John Berry.

For those of you who have never heard of or seen Claudine, you are sure to enjoy this wonderful film about a woman doin' all she can to do to make ends meet, raising, I believe, 5 kids alone.

This film is set in the late sixties to early seventies, so it's definatly got a lot of negative undertones that were common with a lot of African American films of that time, but given the circumstances, the characters were doing what they thought was acceptable.

You definately have to watch this one with a open heart and mind and if you are not used to seeing a film that is really real concerning the African American experience of that generation, it may be a little uncomfortable for you.

The soundtrack to this film was scored by the amazing Curtis Mayfield and has wonderfully soulful music Featuring Gladys Knight and the Pips. This film wowed me when I first saw it for the music alone!!!!

You can kind of get a jist of the times with songs Like " Mr. Welfare", "To be Invisble" and "The makings of You to Name a Few". Just a fantastic film!!!!

This is a classic Movie with an excellent soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield and Gladys Knight and the Pips. James Earle Jones was surely ahead of his time depicting the struggle of a Black man for the love of a Black woman( Diahane Carole)with a ready made family. This is the Brady bunch on the Black side of things. Although the Welfare Dept. has changed since the making of this movie it was quite sad as well as funny to see what changes welfare single mothers had to go thru after being abandened by the childrens natural father. hiding the toaster and rolling up the rug in order not to be penalized by the social worker for having what now is understood to be nessessity. We've come a long way!! This movie is a memory of the way we were.A Militent son, a pregnant Teen daughter,A son who wants to grow up to be invisible,a young gambler,and of course the baby girl all make up this Maid's family of 6 kids. All who marry a Garbage man who makes up for being a dead beat dad to his own two kids from a previous marrage and former baby momma drama. The film is truly something to cry and laugh and rejoice about.

I absolutely love Claudine! The Gladys Knight soundtrack is deep, passionate, and moving. Everyone adores the musical and lyrical aspects, but I love it all. Claudine is my favorite childhood movie. It is virtually a simple, yet complicated story of the trials and triumphs of black love. The scene, in a lower middle class in the 70's, depicts Claudine (Diahann Carroll) and her newly found beau (James Earl Jones), two people who struggle economically, emotionally, and physically to survive from day to day. He is a smooth talking garbage collector by day, while she cleans for white people to maintain a half way decent life for her children. They happen to meet and hook up; generating the happiness that they both so desperately seem to need. Yet they are systematically driven worlds apart by their personal despairs and private turmoils. Claudine has some somber, disappointing moments and many joyful ones. They journey to elevate their love and family to a place of pure happiness.

I purchased this film because I absolutely love movies from the 1960s and 1970s. I particularly like Claudine because it is so different from the stereotypical "blaxploitation" films that were released during that time period. With a comedic twist, the cast portray the hardships experienced as a result of our government's domestic structural adjustment policies per se. The release date in congruence with the setting, came at a time when sociopolitical movements were prevalent. The movie covers what it was like to be a poor, single African American mother with lackluster housing, numerous children and lastly, a need for love. I really like this film.