Princesse Tam-Tam (1935)

Josephine Baker: Alwina

Photos 

Quotes 

• Max de Mirecourt : What's your name?

  Alwina : Alwina.

  Max de Mirecourt : Alwina?

  Alwina : Yes. Alwina.

  Max de Mirecourt : Alwina!

  Coton : It's Arabic for "small source." But she's a source of trouble!

• French Tourist : Smelling musk makes me lose my appetite.

  Alwina : What is musk?

  Max de Mirecourt : The smell of wild animals.

  Alwina : So, I'm a wild animal?

  Max de Mirecourt : Maybe you're wild, but you're no animal.

• Alwina : Why is he always near us?

  Max de Mirecourt : He's my slave.

  Alwina : I didn't know you people had slaves.

  Coton : I am a negro, my dear.

  Alwina : You? I don't like you. You're always making fun.

• Alwina : It's a strange house. I can't eat with my hands. I can't lower my head. I can't sit on the floor.

  Dar : If the birds eat from the hands of men, they lose their freedom.

  Alwina : Yes, but the foreigner is so nice. He speaks so nicely. His words are like honey.

• Alwina : [singing]  Dreams. The wind rises from afar. The wave carries us off. Our eyes lose the beach. Our hearts beat harder. The sea responds to our efforts. And tomorrow will make us strong.

• Alwina : I love the ocean.

  Dar : Because it leads to the unknown. For you, the unknown is happiness.

• Alwina : You love the lady? You love me, too?

  Max de Mirecourt : You're a lovely girl, Alwina.

• Max de Mirecourt : You're charming! Remember, tonight you'll have to dazzle everyone!

  Alwina : Why pretend I'm a princess?

  Max de Mirecourt : To show up those pretentious snobs!

  Alwina : But, they'll always think I'm a wild animal.

  Max de Mirecourt : Wild animal to wild animal! Better a tigress than a frightened deer!

• Alwina : [singing]  Under the African sky, each moment seems better than anywhere else. And for us it's all desires, pleasures. In the enchanted land...

• Alwina : [singing]  A voice rises in me and tells me constantly, 'You mustn't look for your dreams far from the sky of your own land." Under the African sky...