Regina Russell

Mahalia Jackson's singing caused me to give this movie a fourth star. I would probably watch it again just for that one song. She's that good. The movie addressed several issues, one of which was how some blacks wanted to pass as white. I sympathized with the young woman who longed to be white so she wouldn't have to go through many of the things blacks did in those days. The rest of the characters flowed through the too fast (at first) moving plot where people fall in love after seeing each other a handful of times and years later are counted as old family friends who once did everything together though their real relationships were very brief. There's some star-worthy acting in the movie especially by Juanita Moore and though there are a few instances of overacting by Lana Turner, mostly, she shines as she shows off her acting chops in the nuances. At times touching and dramatic, this film has had a lasting impact for many. In the end, the message that family and friends are more important than race and ambition holds as true today as it did then.