I had difficulty connecting with this movie. Dorothy Dandridge gives an excellent performance, and both she and Harry Belafonte sing Oscar Hammerstein II’s musical versions of George Bizet’s energetic melodies quite well; however, the presentation lacks a certain flair. This might be because the setting shifts from sophisticated 19th-century Seville to a stark portrayal of 20th-century North Carolina, which diminishes much of the original story's energy and color. Instead, it presents more as an account of African Americans striving for advancement amidst hardship and injustice, and I felt that altered the initial feeling somewhat. The storytelling also feels disconnected at times. It wasn’t intended to be a simple romance: "Carmen" isn't really a sympathetic character—and her romantic interest, "Joe," is mostly something she uses to get what she wants, abandoning his fiancée, “Cindy Lou” (Olga James), in what amounts to a rather disheartening love triangle. Otto Preminger certainly took a risk with this – it was hard to know if 1950s America would accept it; but that doesn't make the film better than it is—a thoughtful examination of social climbing and romance in America, utilizing Bizet as its means; nothing more, nothing less.

Source on TMDB