Carmen Jones - Definition and Overview

Carmen Jones is a musical which is a modern look at the Georges Bizet opera Carmen from an African-American viewpoint. It was later made into a film. The Broadway musical was produced by Billy Rose, using an all-black cast, and was an instant hit. The music is based on Bizet's original music.

In the 1954 film, parachute maker Carmen Jones (Dorothy Dandridge) makes a play for a soldier named Joe (Harry Belafonte), who is in love with sweet Cindy Lou (Olga James). When she goes after him, it gets them both more trouble than they can deal with. It also stars Pearl Bailey. Like the stage version, the movie's songs are based on Bizet's original work. The movie was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II and Harry Kleiner from the 1846 novel by Prosper Mérimée. It was directed by Otto Preminger.

The motion picture won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture—Musical and Ms. Dandridge was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, the first African-American so honored.

The film has also been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.