Another film I've known about for years but haven't had the chance to see was shown this week as TCM wraps its black film series (hosted by black film critics). Diahann Carroll stars as a mother of 6 struggling to keep the welfare people at bay as she meagerly supports her family anyway she can. Along comes an honest & stand up garbage man, played by James Earl Jones, to romance her momentarily providing a means of escape from the din she endures on a daily basis but the reprieve only lasts for a short time. Carroll was justly nominated for an Oscar for her role but the film is an uneven mix of pathos & humor never really congealing just right to tell this story w/justice. Now imagine a new version being made by a prominent black director like Gina Prince-Bythewood or Darnell Martin (who kinda made the same film in the late 90's w/I Like it Like That). One can only hope. Look for Roxie Roker (Lenny Kravitz' mom) as a social worker & Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (from Welcome Back Kotter) as Claudine's eldest.
