- Category
- Films
SLAM Cinema—Princess Tam Tam
St. Louis–born dancer, singer, and actress Josephine Baker stars in this 1935 French film as a Tunisian girl who is introduced to Parisian high society. The screening will be preceded by brief introductory remarks by Denise Ward-Brown about the film’s connections to the exhibition Roaring: Art, Fashion, and the Automobile in France, 1918–1939. In French with English subtitles. Not rated. 77 minutes.
About the speaker
Denise Ward-Brown is a filmmaker and Professor of Art at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, Washington University in St. Louis. Her films reframe moments in history from an African American point of view in order to ensure that the narratives in the American historical record and public memory are infused with multiple voices and perspectives.
Connections to Roaring
Baker was an avid car collector, commissioning custom luxury automobiles from France’s leading coachbuilders. Film footage of Baker presenting her Delage D8 at the Concours d’Élégance Automobile, a Parisian car and fashion show, is featured in Princess Tam Tam. Roaring includes a similar Delage D8 and a gouache, ink, and crayon maquette by French illustrator Émile Deschler capturing Baker in the distinctive feather hat and collar she wore at the Concours and in Princess TamTam.
Racism in the film
Princess Tam Tam contains racist language and depictions of racist stereotypes. In advance of the screening, a speaker will discuss racist elements of the film in the context of Josephine Baker’s performance and career.
Ticket information
Tickets for this program may be reserved in person at the Museum’s welcome desks or through MetroTix. All tickets reserved through MetroTix incur a service charge; the service charge is waived for tickets reserved at the Museum.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
