Claudine (1974) (courtesy of Criterion Collection) ‘Claudine’ Is a Sweetly Embroidered Drama of Class Struggle John Berry's Claudine is a compelling watch featuring performances that leave impressions upon the heart long after the film is over. Claudine John Berry Claudine, marketed as an urban drama but really just a love story like any other, was released among the slew of blaxploitation films that surged during the 1970s and, as such, was distinguished from those films as an emotional and sincere evaluation of Black family life. It features alternately tender and passionate performances from a cast who play their roles with as much ease as they do intensity. On display, in particular, is a key performance from star Diahann Carroll, who would later make a household name for herself with a three-year stint on the television series,