[Previous entry: "If the Hat Fits"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "May Weblog Meetup"]

05/16/2004 Entry: "If You Knew Zou Zou"

From the Seattle Public Library, Josephine Baker starring in Zou Zou! Dancer-singer Baker was born in St. Louis and worked on Broadway, but she became a star in Paris in the twenties. I picked up this VHS tape of one of her few movies off the shelf at the Capitol Hill branch, but of course you can request it online and ask for it to be delivered to your local branch. It's a backstage musical with not too much music (heavy on the soap opera at some points), but the big production number has some surprising effects! Baker is charming. I'm not sure she was really doing the high soprano singing at some points (didn't seem to match with the rest of the singing) but her personality comes across strongly. And, as Phoebe would say, she's very bendy. I liked the supporting cast (good character actors) and some clever cinematography, also. Another article on Zou Zou.