Tuchergson Truly the worst movie I've ever seen in a theater

Wordiezett So much average

Flyerplesys Perfectly adorable

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

SnoopyStyle It's the 1955 Academy Awards in NYC. Dorothy Dandridge (Halle Berry) is the first colored nominee for best actress despite rampant racism. She flashes back to the 40s as Dorothy is performance in the Dandridge Sisters at the Cotton Club. She, her sister Vivian (Cynda Williams) and mother Ruby (Loretta Devine) are all managed by the cruel dictatorial 'Auntie'. She marries fellow performer Harold Nicholas (Obba Babatundé). Their daughter is mentally handicap which ruptures their marriage. Earl Mills (Brent Spiner) becomes her loyal manager. She wins over director Otto Preminger (Klaus Maria Brandauer) for the lead of Carmen Jones.This is a pretty straight forward biopic of a tumultuous life. It's a worthwhile movie about a fascinating period of history. This could be another TV movie but Halle Berry delivers a terrific performance which raises this above most other TV biopics. It feels personal to her and that adds importance to her work here.

funkyfry There is a lot to recommend here -- audiences unfamiliar with the history of African American entertainers in Hollywood will get a good introduction to Dorothy Dandridge, and a decent introduction to other figures of the era such as the Nicholas Brothers. Halle Berry was born to play Dandridge -- the physical resemblance is remarkable, and her acting skills are top notch. The production values are good enough that it probably could have, and should have, been released to theaters instead of cable. Many scenes manage to distill the indignity of life as a black entertainer in that era -- and some (think: Dixie Cup Bathroom) even manage to do so with a good dose of dark humor.Although Brent Spiner is a very good actor, and his character is engaging, I think that the presence of an approving and sympathetic white character in almost every scene is a weakness for the film. I was not surprised to see that the film was based on Spiner's character's memoirs, because his character appears as a sort of white saint -- an apology, if you will, and a sop for white audiences who might otherwise feel alienated by the negative portrayals of white characters (particularly Klaus Maria Brandauer's excellent performance as sadistic director Otto Preminger).Another minor problem is the pace of the film; by attempting to show the entire life of Dandridge, the later parts where she is burdened by depression and drug addiction come too swiftly. It makes the whole aspect of her story seem a bit cliché, although Berry really plays "strung out" pretty convincingly.So, it's not a masterpiece, but it's a lot better than a made-for-cable movie has a right to be. It will be of great interest to those who enjoy Hollywood history but have not discovered the joys of "Carmen Jones" and such. And it's a triumph for Berry, who would go on of course to win the famous Academy Award that Ms. Dandridge was the first black woman nominated for.

sddavis63 Admittedly, it's probably unfair to call Dorothy Dandridge unknown, as I've just done in the title. She was, after all nominated for an Academy Award and had a fairly long resume of parts, even if the majority of them were small ones. Many probably know her. I, however, aside from this movie, have no knowledge of her whatsoever. I've never seen any of her movies and was not familiar with the name until I came across this bio-pic. The title of this movie would seem to suggest that I'm not alone - she has to be introduced to us, after all. And - what an introduction!Halle Berry was absolutely perfect in this role. To me, she became the character with all the right moves and all the right emotions and presented a fascinating portrait of her subject. I find it hard to believe that so much was introduced in a little under two hours. Dandridge's problematic relationships (especially her relationship with the great director Otto Preminger) were interesting; her troubled upbringing being abused by whoever "Auntie" was supposed to be to the family was sad; her devotion to her mentally retarded daughter; the subtle look at the reality of racism in the era (she dips her toes in a hotel swimming pool, and the pool has to be drained and scrubbed as a result); her growing drug and alcohol dependence; her ultimate tragic death. In some respects she's portrayed as a black Marilyn Monroe, who does pop up from time to time in this movie. You would think that trying to show so much in so little time would lead to a shallow presentation, but it didn't. The movie leaves you wanting more, but not because it hasn't given you a lot.The secondary characters were also interesting: from Dandridge's first husband (Obba Babatunde) - who is captivated by her beauty but can't agree with her on what they want out of life, to her manager Earl Mills (Brent Spiner) - who quietly falls in love with her, to Preminger (Klaus Maria Brandauer) - who also seems to love her, but who finally turns away from her, possibly because she wanted more of a commitment than he wanted to give or perhaps because he felt that creating personal distance between them would help him to further her career.I'm shocked that this movie doesn't have a higher rating here. I think this was absolutely marvellous. 10/10

SheShines3 I recently watched the movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge with Hally Berry acting the part of Dorothy. The movie touched me deeply & I would like to learn more on her life story & talk with others who are deeply affected by her amazing life & all she endured. This movie will stay with me always. For that I am thankful. She was an amazing women! I am a white female who will never understand the mistreatment, pain, etc. of black people. Thank you Dorothy for your incredible story! Such an inspiration.