Great costumes, fantastic choreography and sumptuous photography is the main reason to give this visual treats repeat viewings. I didn't find a really strong plot, just a series of situations and character studies and a few minor stories jumbled together in a beautiful box that give us an interesting view of a time that in reflection was filled with racism and violence, but has been romanticize greatly over the years thanks to the great music that remains behind. Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane and Lonette McKee headline this period epic that deals with the racism of the era in a truly violent manner and shows how the club, utilizing mostly black entertainers, objectified an entire race for their talents while banning black customers from entering the establishment. Even Hines, as one of the headliners, must enter from the back, that is until he rises to the top, and even then, he is subject to racist treatment.
This is one of those films that will probably be more appreciated over time, showing how Gere and Hines become successful in different areas of the entertainment business, with Gere becoming a film star, and Hines a great dancing star. This is probably the only opportunity to see the Hines brothers (Maurice appears as well) dancing together onscreen, and fellow Broadway star McKee (Julie in two Broadway revivals of "Show Boat") is striking as the light-skinned black woman who finds being beautiful isn't always easy in the entertainment world. She goes from being treated with prejudice from people who know she's black and those who can't tell (the hotel clerk thinking that she's a white girl checking in with Gregory Hines) and the discrimination of that era. Lane is very good as the life loving moll who wants a new life with Gere.
Several famous characters of the 1920's and 30's appear in cameos, the most memorable a number featuring Larry Freeman performing a great Cab Calloway imitation including his signature "Hi De Ho". It is interesting pretty much as a view of the period, and in detail as directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it is as stunning as his earlier cult musical, "One From the Heart". The passion of the musical numbers has been reflected in such big Broadway hits as "Bubbling Brown Sugar", "Eubie!", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Sophisticated Ladies", "Black and Blue" and "After Midnight", which particularly focused on the style of entertainment performed at the Cotton Club. An earlier version of that Broadway musical had been entitled "Cotton Club Parade", and the recent musical about the struggles to produce the first all black Broadway musical ("Shuffle Along") dealt with the obstacles they faced as well.
The supporting cast includes such terrific players as Gwen Verdon, Fred Gwynne, Bob Hoskins and Allen Garfield, with future stars Nicolas Cage and Laurence Fishburne in supporting parts. An early party sequence features notorious mobster Dutch Schultz as a major character and results in a particularly gruesome murder. The presence of machine gun toting mobsters shooting up the joint (several times!) adds detail to the struggles of blacks simply trying to make a living at the time. It's stunning in it's passion, making me wish I could rank it higher, but due to its lack of a strong plot, found it ambitious but unsuccessful in fulfilling its goals.
This is one of those films that will probably be more appreciated over time, showing how Gere and Hines become successful in different areas of the entertainment business, with Gere becoming a film star, and Hines a great dancing star. This is probably the only opportunity to see the Hines brothers (Maurice appears as well) dancing together onscreen, and fellow Broadway star McKee (Julie in two Broadway revivals of "Show Boat") is striking as the light-skinned black woman who finds being beautiful isn't always easy in the entertainment world. She goes from being treated with prejudice from people who know she's black and those who can't tell (the hotel clerk thinking that she's a white girl checking in with Gregory Hines) and the discrimination of that era. Lane is very good as the life loving moll who wants a new life with Gere.
Several famous characters of the 1920's and 30's appear in cameos, the most memorable a number featuring Larry Freeman performing a great Cab Calloway imitation including his signature "Hi De Ho". It is interesting pretty much as a view of the period, and in detail as directed by Francis Ford Coppola, it is as stunning as his earlier cult musical, "One From the Heart". The passion of the musical numbers has been reflected in such big Broadway hits as "Bubbling Brown Sugar", "Eubie!", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Sophisticated Ladies", "Black and Blue" and "After Midnight", which particularly focused on the style of entertainment performed at the Cotton Club. An earlier version of that Broadway musical had been entitled "Cotton Club Parade", and the recent musical about the struggles to produce the first all black Broadway musical ("Shuffle Along") dealt with the obstacles they faced as well.
The supporting cast includes such terrific players as Gwen Verdon, Fred Gwynne, Bob Hoskins and Allen Garfield, with future stars Nicolas Cage and Laurence Fishburne in supporting parts. An early party sequence features notorious mobster Dutch Schultz as a major character and results in a particularly gruesome murder. The presence of machine gun toting mobsters shooting up the joint (several times!) adds detail to the struggles of blacks simply trying to make a living at the time. It's stunning in it's passion, making me wish I could rank it higher, but due to its lack of a strong plot, found it ambitious but unsuccessful in fulfilling its goals.