I think it is unfortunate that in all the rewriting of this script that they didn't give Delores a love interest or make her more desirable. It stood out to me that in both versions the darker skinned sister did not have a love interest. She was not seen as desirable in the remake. She even had to point out to Stix in the remake that he hadn't acknowledged her when talking about the group. This was not necessary in the original because they all hung out together before performing as a group, so Stix already knew her.
I did not like that the dark skinned sister in both versions was the one with the off-putting attitude. In the original, the flunkie who Delores slept with even asked why her sisters were nice and she wasn't. In the remake, the sassy, unapproachable, "independent" attitude that Delores displays feeds into negative stereotypes about dark skinned black women. Her lack of a love interest in the original could have easily been rewritten in the remake. She could have found a black power brother who appreciated her afro and they both could have gone off to medical school or he could have been a doctor with a clinic in the community. They selected a beautiful actress to play the role of Delores in the remake, yet they basically ignore her beauty in the film, while Sister and Sparkle - the two light-skinned sisters played by bi-racial actresses - are constantly seen as beautiful and desirable in the film.
The writers saw fit to give everyone else more of a storybook, PC makeover for the remake. They could have given Delores a better storyline as well. Instead, we were reminded of the negative perceptions of dark skinned black women as attitudinal and undesirable as love interests. Quite frankly, I am tired of the "strong black woman" caricature as well. I am especially tired of seeing it embodied in film and television by dark skinned black women. A woman can be intelligent and assertive without giving off the whole, "I don't need a man" vibe. I wish the writers would have considered this when writing Delores' character.
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Idona1871
12 years ago
bellaalma, YES!!! I thought exactly what you posted as I was watching the movie. It's bad enough when white filmmakers create the subliminal messages about dark-skinned black women. It's worse when black filmmakers continue with the same stereotype.
"You must be someone you don't look like." -Ruby Jean from Ruby Jean and Joe
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Kelea7
12 years ago
Well said.
Rest in Peace Al Freeman Jr. An underrated talent and lovely spirit.
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kwanzaa13
11 years ago
Actually Tika sumpter exuded sexy during the movie more so than the Original Delores, did you see her dresses during the montages GIRRRRRRRRRRL so provocative. I didn't really see it as a caricature more so she was her mother's child she had the same sass as Whitney's character Emma. Plus at least this time she had a reason not to have a man the child was trying to get into Medical school. I'm happy they didn't add a love interest for her. Not everyone needs to be love sick in a movie she can meet her a cute doctor friend in med school anyway ;).
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Neptunechild87
11 years ago
@ bellaalma
are you serious?? you sound a little petty and childlike to be honest. " sparkle and sister got boyfriends so delores should get one too!" [not what u said but its how u basically sound] delores was depicted as a smart independent medical student and u are complaining about THAT?? she was the only sister with a backbone! she didnt need a man to help her reach her goals she did it on her own. sparkle was weak and couldnt get off her big sister's tit until she got locked up. and sister was a gold digging hoe who let satin treat her like crap and hook her on drugs. but u think delores got the short end of the stick in this film?? LOL!! unbelievable!! so should lite skinned women be offended by Sister and sparkle's depictions too??
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KayDrama
11 years ago
@bellaalma, I get what you're saying, however, I wanted to smack some sense into everybody in the movie EXCEPT Dee. And I was glad to see they cast a very beautiful woman in her part although it was not acknowledged by anyone in the film. But maybe they were trying to stay true to the time period by showing how stupid people were that if it wasn't clothed in yalla it wasn't beautiful. I'm light skinned so light people, don't get all bent out of shape. It's true. I have seen that bias but I do believe people are opening their eyes.
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CynE007
11 years ago
RamonathePest Diana Ross and Donna Summer aint yellow and had many black men crazy about them. Same for many black female singers in the 60's and 70's. Especially the 70's during the "Black and proud"/Black Panther movement.
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KayDrama
11 years ago
There were a few, yes. But in general, during the time, the majority of people, black and white placed a shallow value on a black woman being light. And my sister was an active Black PAnther member and many Panthers visited our home everyday and our local rec center. The Panthers were instrumental in changing how we perceived our own beauty, yes. But the context of the movie is, that was just beginning to happen. Hence, Dee's afro not being accepted by most of the characters. You misconstrued my entire point by picking two women and by the way, Donna Summer is circa 1980's, not the late '50's and 60's of this movie.
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CynE007
11 years ago
Other 60's black singers like the Sherelle's, Aretha and other Motown singers in the 60's. They were not whiteskinned and many black men loved them.
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KayDrama
11 years ago
Nobody made Aretha a sex symbol. I am not advocating the attitude. I'm glad it has changed, but it is a fact that's how it was when it came to who was cast in movies and CONSIDERED beautiful. It was a big deal when Lola Falana broke through to represent a product in commercials not geared strictly to black women and to represent beauty. The fact that she was black was a big deal, the fact that she was brown-skinned created news articles!
You can try to make it sound like I'm talking about black men, but I'm not. We're talking about the way Hollywood has depicted what THEY THINK (and thought in the past) is black beauty.
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CynE007
11 years ago
Well may be not Aretha but Motown had many women who were not whiteskinned that was seen as sexy in the 60's like the Supremes. Most of the singers signed to Motown were not whiteskinned.
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KayDrama
11 years ago
You seem to be trying to make an argument where there is none. And I never said anything about "white"skinned women.
Also, the Supremes were never considered sex symbols. I lived the era and I know.
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CynE007
11 years ago
I'm talking about the skintone of Jordin Sparks (high yellow)
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LiteraryLane
8 years ago
What made divas like Aretha, Dionne, Diana etc. appealing was the fact that they were polished and dignified. Berry Gordy hired people to polish the choreography and overall image of both the men and women who were signed with him. Back then it was about black celebrities breaking away from stereotypes. Carmen Jones made Dorothy Dandridge a star, but her role was also stereotypically sexual.
"It is rare for people to be asked the question which puts them squarely in front of themselves."
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necoleman
10 years ago
I am formerly known as HillieBoliday......Member since May 2006:
The term is "LIGHTskinned"........NOT......"WHITEskinned."
"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"
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