I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

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.

I've been a fan of Dorothy Dandridge for years and when I saw that Halle Berry brought her life to the big screen, her performance was very credible. If someone other than Halle would have done that part, the movie wouldn't have been as great as it was. It takes a hell of a lot of talent to pull off someone else's life and that couldn't have been very many actress in Hollywood. So, any old' actress wouldn't have done the job that Halle did. There were some aspects of Dorothy's life that weren't covered, but those weren't as important as the one's capture in the movie. When I saw Halle Berry playing Dorothy Dandridge, it was like I was seeing the real thing, because Halle Berry was very convincible. Plus, I see Halle and Dorothy Dandridge having a lot in common within their lives, and what Halle gave off wasn't anything rinky-dink, but the real thing. And it gives others who knew nothing about Dorothy Dandridge an insight on her life. Of course there were going to be things left out, of course there were going to things exaggerated, it wasn't going to be perfect, if you want to know how Dorothy was in temperament, read books on her, because those are where the real information comes from. Movies don't always tell everything, but Halle's performance wasn't based on looks, but how she gave off the image of Dorothy Dandridge on screen. So, Halle Berry did work hard to that story to life, and her I found it amazing that she went to such lengths and did it.

This was a great movie. Mind you I don't know much about Dorothy so I don't know how Hallie Berry faired. But I did'nt see the movie for her. I saw it for Brent Spiner. He is one of the most talented actors I have seen on the big screen. I wish he was in bigger roles like this. Besides him the movie itself was great. Good acting, good story, wonderful Brent. lol, sorry.

Halle Berry shines in her role as the tragic Dorothy Dandridge, for which she received her well-deserved Golden Globe and Emmy. Great supporting cast,(Brent Spiner, Klaus Maris Brandauer,Tamara Taylor), intelligent and witty script, beautiful production values. Takes on Hollywood and racism in an entertaining and insightful way.