Claudine

One of the best pictures by formerly blacklisted director John Berry, Claudine stars the late, great, Diahann Carroll as a single mom in Harlem living on welfare with six kids. Her life is one of daily negotiations with “the system”—both comical and frustrating—as even a low-paying job or marriage to her boyfriend (James Earl Jones) could impact her benefits due to government program rules. Claudine was produced through Hannah Weinstein’s Third World Cinema, dedicated to creating films about the black experience for a broad-based audience. Curtis Mayfield wrote the score, which features vocals by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Carroll was nominated for an Oscar for her performance.