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Two Dollars and A Dream
| Length: | 55 min |
| Released: | 1989 |
| Ages: |
High School College Adult |
Buy Online Streaming
Two Dollars and a Dream is a biography of Madame C.J. Walker, the child of slaves freed by the Civil War, who became America's first self-made millionairess. By interweaving social, economic, and political history, the documentary offers a captivating view of her life and of black America from 1867 to the 1930s.
Walker built her fortune on skin and hair care products. She parlayed a homemade beauty formula into a prosperous business, marketing her products from coast to coast. Her daughter, A'Leilia Walker, was an important patron of the Harlem Renaissance, and the two women lived in royal style, complete with a mansion and chauffeured limousines.
This little-known story is both entertaining and informative. It combines interviews, historical stills, and unique film footage including scenes from Harlem's famous Cotton Club. The film is punctuated with the music of Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and other masters of the era to craft a well-rounded vision of a cultural maven.
Walker built her fortune on skin and hair care products. She parlayed a homemade beauty formula into a prosperous business, marketing her products from coast to coast. Her daughter, A'Leilia Walker, was an important patron of the Harlem Renaissance, and the two women lived in royal style, complete with a mansion and chauffeured limousines.
This little-known story is both entertaining and informative. It combines interviews, historical stills, and unique film footage including scenes from Harlem's famous Cotton Club. The film is punctuated with the music of Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and other masters of the era to craft a well-rounded vision of a cultural maven.
"This film is a great story for everyone who loves a winner, especially one with long odds against them. Recommended."
‒Media & Methods
"The film is a major contribution to Americana on celluloid."
‒Variety
"This biography of a pioneering business woman, while useful to social studies classes, would entertain and interest the general audience as well."
‒Landers Film Reviews
‒Media & Methods
"The film is a major contribution to Americana on celluloid."
‒Variety
"This biography of a pioneering business woman, while useful to social studies classes, would entertain and interest the general audience as well."
‒Landers Film Reviews
Best of the Decade, Black Filmmakers Foundation, 1989
CINE Golden Eagle, 1988
Bronze Apple, National Educational Film Festival, 1989
Second Place, Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Oakland, 1989
CINE Golden Eagle, 1988
Bronze Apple, National Educational Film Festival, 1989
Second Place, Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Oakland, 1989
