Hot off her turn as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues", singer Diana Ross is cast here as Tracy, a secretary in the fashion business who yearns to make it big as a designer. She falls in love with Brian (her "Lady Sings the Blues" co-star Billy Dee Williams), an earnest, well-meaning aspiring politician. But she's focused on her career, which gets a big boost when she hooks up with Sean McAvoy (Anthony Perkins), a flamboyant photographer; she's on top of the world after she makes a splash as a model, but Sean ultimately reveals himself as a vindictive, sleazy, creepy type.
Ross does well in this decent soap opera from music industry mogul / debuting filmmaker Berry Gordy (who stepped in after firing original director Tony Richardson). In fact, she and Williams are quite engaging as they depict all of the various ups and downs in the Tracy / Brian relationship. Offering fine support are Jean-Pierre Aumont, Nina Foch, Marisa Mell, and Beah Richards, but it's Perkins that gives this entertaining trash an effective shot in the arm, playing the kind of role that he was clearly born to play. There's a memorable scene where Sean shows Brian his collection of photographs - and guns.
Making good use of Chicago and Rome locations, "Mahogany" tells a patently predictable yarn (scripted by John Byrum, based on a story by Toni Amber), where the audience is never in much doubt as to how things will develop. Tracy will eventually have to decide what's really important in her life, while Brian finds himself unable to fit into this new world of hers.
"Mahogany" is overall slight but likeable enough, managing to go a fair distance on the strength of the performances. Ross also is credited with actually creating some of the costumes.
Six out of 10.
