La sirène des tropiques [Siren of the Tropics] (1927)

(On Cable TV, April 2022) Considering my unenthusiastic attitude toward silent-era drama, you would have been surprised to learn that La sirène des tropiques was one of my most anticipated DVR recordings of the month – something that popped up as a must-see when perusing TCM’s April line-up and that I watched as soon as possible. What could possibly explain this enthusiasm for a 1927 French silent film? Well, to keep it simple: La magnifique Joséphine Baker. I’ve written about Baker elsewhere, but to sum up: A poor black American girl emigrates to Paris in 1925 and, within a few years, becomes not only a celebrated signer/dancer, but the sex-symbol of the Art Deco era. I’ll leave out the most amazing elements of her later biography to focus on one thing: Cinema history records Baker as the first black woman to star in a major motion picture, which is… La sirène des tropiques.  The plot isn’t necessarily a shining beacon of progressivism, as a French engineer is sent to a Caribbean colony by a romantic rival arranging for a violent conclusion to his trip – but the intervention of a beautiful young woman (Baker) saves him and she falls in love with the Frenchman, stowing aboard a ship bound for Europe in her quest to be with him. Once in Paris, she eventually discovers that she’s ideally suited to music halls, allowing Baker to perform (and for the film to document) several of her best-known early routines. (Amusingly enough, the romance peters out, but it’s still a happy ending because our heroine finds contentment becoming Paris’ newest sensation.)  From a modern perspective, Baker’s character is squarely shown as exotic according to the prejudices of the time – she’s a happy-go-lucky kind of girl, speaks in primitive French and her wildness manifests itself in uninhibited dancing with very few clothes. (This may be one of the very few 1920s films with casual nudity –hers.)  That kind of role would be unacceptable today – but back then? It merely fuelled Baker’s fame. Indeed, she is the reason to watch the film: her performance is delightful, funny, likable, fresh, and energetic to the point of being athletic. It’s amazing that it captures Baker’s early performances at that stage of her career, not even three years in her European stardom. For Baker fans, La sirène des tropiques is a must see – and if you’re not a fan, it just may make you one.