Rating: NR
Genre:
Musical
Release Date: 06/21/2005
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: French
Sound: DD2
Run Time: 77 min
Distributor/Studio: Kino
Princesse Tam-Tam is a must-see for fans of legendary African-American entertainer
Josephine Baker. Shunned by lily-white Hollywood,
Baker made a name for herself in France as a cabaret entertainer, frequently comporting in the nude--all the while letting the audience know she didn't take herself, or anything else, too seriously.
Princesse Tam-Tam is a satirical spin on the "Pygamalion" concept: An uninhibited African girl (
Baker) poses as a serene Indian princess, through the auspices of author
Albert Prejean. A romance develops between the two (a plot device expressly forbidden by Hollywood's rules against miscegenation on screen), while
Prejean's unfaithful wife fumes. Written by
Josephine Baker's then-husband
Pepito Abatino, the French/Tunisian
Princesse Tam-Tam was banned outright in the States; thanks to videotape, it is now more accessible than ever.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide