It was quite a shock to learn of the passing of 93-year-old James Earl Jones on Monday, September 9. The Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner (he also has an honorary Oscar) has a career that extends through multiple generations and across several franchises in television, film and Broadway, and that is nothing short of remarkable (his last projects being Obi-Wan Kenobi and Coming 2 America.)
While some will look at his extensive resume ready to name some of his more popular roles as their favorite, I may be going against the grain in saying his best work as an actor is in the under-the-radar movie Claudine.
Yes, I'm bypassing his phenomenal performances in the Coming to America movies, his Oscar-nominated work in The Great White Hope, his performances in Field of Dreams and his iconic voicework in the Star Wars franchise as Darth Vader or The Lion King as Mufasa. However, Claudine ticks boxes for me that not only sees Jones shine as a performer, but the story at the heart of the drama makes the movie a classic.
Claudine follows a single mother named Claudine Price in 1970s Harlem doing her best to ensure the survival of her family. She makes a meager income as a housekeeper, relies upon government assistance to help make ends meet and is hard-pressed to find "me time" raising six children. Yet, despite her full plate, she manages to find love with a garbage collector named Rupert 'Root' Marshall. Their romance is complicated, but their passion and love keep them committed.
I love a good rom-dram, and considering the movie was released in 1974, the plot was fairly nuanced. There weren't many movies of that day that featured two Black lead actors in a story of this capacity. It managed to escape being relegated to the genre of "blaxploitation" movies.
Beyond the plot, there is also phenomenal acting from Jones as Rupert and the legendary Diahann Carroll as Claudine. Both were nominated for Golden Globes for their roles, with Carroll also receiving an Oscar nomination. Their critical acclaim was more than well-deserved.
Focusing on Jones, his brash, yet, romantic portrayal of Rupert was brilliant. On one hand, he was this tough, no-nonsense New Yorker, and on the other, he was attempting to be this endearing guy wanting to win Claudine's heart, and those of her kids. Jones as Rupert bouncing between the juxtaposition of these two sides of his personality was incredibly entertaining to watch.
If I managed to talk you into wanting to see Claudine for yourself, I have some good news. The movie is available for free on YouTube thanks to Black Media TV, a page dedicated to bringing "entertaining content that is uplifting and informative." If you need any more convincing, watch the trailer for Claudine right here:
Now should you watch that movie and are looking for some other lesser-known movie from James Earl Jones that earns top marks, check out A Family Thing for free on Tubi. He stars opposite Robert Duvall, and together the two attempt to navigate the shocking revelation that their biological brothers.
