Papitou, a woman from the Antilles, saves a young French engineer from attempted murder and falls in love with him. With no means to support herself, she follows him to Paris and rises to become a celebrated star of the revue scene – only to realise that he loves somebody else. The film blends exoticised representations with Baker’s extraordinary stage presence and remains an important early cinematic representation of Black actors.

With Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker (1906–1975) created her first roles as a jazz dancer with the Dixie Steppers from 1921. She became a star in Europe, where she had a 50-year career as an entertainer. From 1925, Baker established herself as a dancer in music hall shows – first in Paris, then worldwide – with her unique brand of comedy and eroticism. She also worked in film from 1927. She later used her fame to campaign against racism and for civil rights in the US.

Films with Josephine Baker (selection)
Fausse alerte 1945 |Princesse Tam-Tam 1935 |Zouzou 1934 |La folie du jour 1929 |Les Hallucinations d’un pompier 1928 | La revue des revues 1927