Set during World War II, the Story focuses on the seductive Carmen Jones (Dorothy Dandridge) who works in a parachute factory in North Carolina. She lures handsome GI Joe (Harry Belafonte) away from his sweetheart Cindy Lou (Olga James) when he is assigned to escort her to court after she's involved in a brawl in her factory.

Dorothy Dandridge became the first black woman to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in this critically acclaimed and popular adaptation of Bizet’s opera.