Princess Tam Tam
Encyclopedia
Princesse Tam-Tam is a 1935
black-and-white
film which starred Josephine Baker
as a Tunisia
n local girl who is introduced to Paris
ian high society. Baker sings two songs ("Dream Ship" and "Neath the Tropical Blue Skies") in the film.
in search of inspiration for his next novel. He meets a local girl named Alwina (Baker) whose personality intrigues Max so greatly that he invents a character based on her for his newest (and 'most exciting') novel. His relation with Alwina serves a dual purpose in that it also angers (or at least highly annoys) his wife Lucie (Germaine Aussey) who has been flirting with the Maharajah of Datane (Jean Galland) back in Paris. Alwina is taken under Max's wing and taught the manners and social graces of a high society princess. She is then whisked away to Paris with Max and pretends to be Princess Tam Tam, from far away India
. Lucie is only further enraged by all the attention that Alwina receives and, after her friend sees Alwina dance provocatively in a sailor's bar, calls upon her Maharajah to craft a plan which will destroy her husband's relation with "the princess." The Maharajah throws a grand party, inviting the upper crust of Parisian society. Alwina is unable to resist the exotic music, and promptly joins the large, staged dance number, embarrassing Max—until he realizes that the entire audience is on their feet, applauding Alwina. Lucie is furious. Lucie and Max forgive each other in the end and fall in love again. Alwina returns to Tunisia after the frustrating realization that, as the Maharajah puts it, "Some windows face to the West, and the others to the East." Ultimately, however, the entire European affair is revealed to be little more than an enactment of Max's novel in progress. Alwina never does go to Europe, and the primary events of the film are simply a staging of how Max has imagined them. Alwina is given Max's Tunisian estate, and Max's new novel is a success. The title of his new work is "Civilisation." When asked about Alwina while back in Europe, Max states that she is "Better where she is," and the film closes with a scene of Alwina and Dar back in Tunisia, with a newborn child, and with farm animals now strewn about Max's mansion. In the final shot, a donkey eats the title page of "Civilisation" from off of Max's (now Alwina's) floor.
set an auction record for Svend Koppel’s poster for the film at $9,000. The image, Josephine Baker / Prinsesse Tam-Tam, from 1935, was later used by the United States Postal Service on a postage stamp.
1935 in film
-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .*Seven year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.*The Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment started in order to educate the Bantu peoples.-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:...
black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film which starred Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. She was given such nicknames as the "Bronze Venus", the "Black Pearl", and the "Créole Goddess"....
as a Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n local girl who is introduced to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian high society. Baker sings two songs ("Dream Ship" and "Neath the Tropical Blue Skies") in the film.
Plot
Max de Mirecourt (Albert Préjean), a frustrated writer, goes to TunisiaTunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
in search of inspiration for his next novel. He meets a local girl named Alwina (Baker) whose personality intrigues Max so greatly that he invents a character based on her for his newest (and 'most exciting') novel. His relation with Alwina serves a dual purpose in that it also angers (or at least highly annoys) his wife Lucie (Germaine Aussey) who has been flirting with the Maharajah of Datane (Jean Galland) back in Paris. Alwina is taken under Max's wing and taught the manners and social graces of a high society princess. She is then whisked away to Paris with Max and pretends to be Princess Tam Tam, from far away India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Lucie is only further enraged by all the attention that Alwina receives and, after her friend sees Alwina dance provocatively in a sailor's bar, calls upon her Maharajah to craft a plan which will destroy her husband's relation with "the princess." The Maharajah throws a grand party, inviting the upper crust of Parisian society. Alwina is unable to resist the exotic music, and promptly joins the large, staged dance number, embarrassing Max—until he realizes that the entire audience is on their feet, applauding Alwina. Lucie is furious. Lucie and Max forgive each other in the end and fall in love again. Alwina returns to Tunisia after the frustrating realization that, as the Maharajah puts it, "Some windows face to the West, and the others to the East." Ultimately, however, the entire European affair is revealed to be little more than an enactment of Max's novel in progress. Alwina never does go to Europe, and the primary events of the film are simply a staging of how Max has imagined them. Alwina is given Max's Tunisian estate, and Max's new novel is a success. The title of his new work is "Civilisation." When asked about Alwina while back in Europe, Max states that she is "Better where she is," and the film closes with a scene of Alwina and Dar back in Tunisia, with a newborn child, and with farm animals now strewn about Max's mansion. In the final shot, a donkey eats the title page of "Civilisation" from off of Max's (now Alwina's) floor.
Cast
- Josephine BakerJosephine BakerJosephine Baker was an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. She was given such nicknames as the "Bronze Venus", the "Black Pearl", and the "Créole Goddess"....
as Alwina - Albert PréjeanAlbert PréjeanAlbert Préjean was a French actor, primarily in film. He served in World War I, and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre and the Legion d'honneur...
as Max de Mirecourt - Robert ArnouxRobert ArnouxRobert Arnoux was a French actor.-Reference:...
as Coton - Germaine AusseyGermaine AusseyGermaine Aussey was a French actress. She was at one time married to John Ringling North.-Reference:...
as Lucie de Mirecourt - Georges PécletGeorges PécletGeorges Péclet was a French actor, film director and screenwriter.-References:* at "Ciné-Ressources"...
as Dar - Viviane Romance as Lucie's Friend
- Jean GallandJean Galland-Selected filmography:* The Barber of Seville * Le Scandale * Princesse Tam Tam * The House of the Spaniard * Savage Brigade * Entente cordiale * La Fugue de Monsieur Perle...
as Maharajah of Datane
Poster
On February 4, 2010, Swann GalleriesSwann Galleries
Swann Galleries is a New York auction house founded in 1941. It is a specialist auctioneer of antique and rare works on paper, and it is considered the oldest continually operating New York specialist auction house....
set an auction record for Svend Koppel’s poster for the film at $9,000. The image, Josephine Baker / Prinsesse Tam-Tam, from 1935, was later used by the United States Postal Service on a postage stamp.