SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Uriah43 "Tracy Chambers" (Diana Ross) lives in the south side of Chicago and works as a secretary at a large department store during the day and attends a fashion school at night in the hope of one day being a fashion designer. While commuting one day she meets a young man named "Brian Walker" (Billy Dee Williams) who dreams of empowering the impoverished people in the area to attain a life of dignity. Both of them soon become attracted to one another and Tracy agrees to help Brian in his run for local councilman. However, things change when Tracy meets a famous photographer named "Sean McAvoy" (Anthony Perkins) who entices her to Rome to become a fashion model which could greatly help her in her initial dream of becoming a fashion designer. Although she is somewhat sad about leaving Brian when he needs her the most, she places her ambition ahead of everything else and accepts Sean's offer. What she doesn't realize is the price she will eventually have to pay for her chance at success in that particular industry. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film contained some decent drama here and there and Diana Ross performed in an adequate manner in the starring role. However, I honestly didn't feel any real chemistry between her character and that of Billy Dee Williams—or any of the other male characters for that matter. Likewise, I also thought that the ending was a bit too corny and predictable. That being said, while I don't consider this to be a great film by any means, I also didn't think it was necessarily that bad either and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

museumofdave This is a fashion immersion, a star-promoting vehicle, rather like watching snakes at the zoo: fascinating but deadly. I didn't actively dislike it, and I did watch it all the way through. Mahogany is totally rooted in it's time, and in many ways--script, acting, music--it's fairly dreadful. Diana Ross, who has accomplished much of value in her lifetime, probably would rather erase this tacky romance from her resume, but there you are. And if you're reading this review, you are halfway to being trapped. The Big Question is: should Diana choose her aging lover in Paris, including the promise of fashion immortality and unimaginable riches--or should she fly back to Chicago for the love of a good man and cook his dinner on a regular basis? After all, it is Billy Dee Williams. And Tony Perkins is around too,, probably strung out on something dangerous, making the film a few years after Psycho, still cruising on Norman Bates, so there's the added attraction of watching his shifty eyes never know quite where to land. This is one of those films that might be defined as one "for a very special kind of audience." I do believe it lacks general appeal.

matt_tawesson-1 I never even saw this movie at all until I got it on DVD a few weeks ago. The only thing I knew regarding this movie was the title theme that Diana sang (Do You Know Where You're Going To). She sang this song quite well, and it is one of my most favorite songs of hers. Her acting was quite remarkable. She plays a ghetto girl who dreams of being a fashion designer. The movie starts out with the Asian fashion show thing; what is surprising is that the costumes glowed in the dark at the beginning. Anthony Perkins plays Sean McAvoy, the fashion photographer who tries to take advantage of Tracy's career (he gave her the nickname Mahogany). Anthony's character in this film is as equally crazy as his Norman Bates character in Psycho from 15 years earlier, but, of course, he doesn't have his mother's shell in a house up a hill. The craziest thing in the film is toward the end, where Sean and Tracy are shooting a commercial in an Italian sports car, and then he starts taunting her, to where the car goes out of control, Tracy gets nervous and tries to get control of the car, but the car crashes and Sean is dead. She survives. Billy Dee Williams is great as the politician boyfriend of Tracy's. Beah Richards plays Tracy's aunt Florence. Her role was great as well, even though her screen time was limited. I was so happy to get this movie on DVD, because I never saw it before--not even on TV. A must have for any fan of Diana's. The scenes in Rome are beautiful as well. The music in the film is brilliant also, especially the title theme song in instrumental form. If you have the soundtrack album, check that song out too.

Brian W. Fairbanks The fashionable word for Mahogany is "kitsch." It's a guilty pleasure that you know is bad, but you just can't help enjoying it. Casting Diana Ross as a fashion model was truly inspiring since it gives her an opportunity to look sensational throughout. This she does with little effort. Billy Dee Williams is fine as her idealistic boyfriend intent on changing the world rather than his clothes, but the most fun is provided by Anthony Perkins whose performance could be subtitled "Norman Bates's Greatest Hits." As the neurotic and gay photographer, he chews the scenery like never before, and gives a sensational performance.