While the golden age of Hollywood cinema produced many amazing and memorable movies, it was not era that was especially good for African American actors, relegated to roles as the hired help, as maids and train porters, frequently forced to play as a caricature of what white audiences thought black society was like.
For distribution of films in the American south, even these paltry representations would be excised from movies less they offend the delicate sensibilities of dear sweet Southerners.
Which is why the movie for today's post is quite remarkable for that era.
Today's Cinema Sunday turns it's attention to Stormy Weather.
Released in 1943 by 20th Century Fox, this movie stars Lena Horne and features a predominantly African American cast. The cast includes the Nicholas Brothers with one of their most spectacular dance sequences. Also on hand are Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Fats Waller, Katherine Dunham, Dooley Wilson and Cab Calloway.
Stormy Weather takes its title from the 1933 song which Lena Horne performs half way through the film.
The movie is based upon the life of star Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Robinson plays "Bill Williamson", a young man who returns home in 1918 after serving in World War I with dreams of making it big in show biz as a dancer.
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| Left to right: Bill Robinson as Bill Williamson Lena Horne as Selina Rogers and Cab Calloway as himself |
Stormy Weather follows the template for the classic young performer wants to make it big but how much will they lose before they finally gain what they seek.
The movie is structured as a flashback as Bill Williamson recounts to a group of enthralled children of his life in show business.
Williamson's career trajectory twists and turns with steps forwards and steps back. Some of those steps back involve his perpetually broke and always hustling friend Gabe.
And caught up in the whirlwind of Williamson's life is Selina Rogers (Lena Horne), an impeccably gorgeous chanteuse. Selina is the love of Bill Williamson's life but they never seem to manage being in the same place at the same time, both physically and emotionally.
If the kids Bill is telling all this to might be questioning if any of this is true, those doubts are put to rest when Cab Calloway himself shows up to pick up Bill for an appearance at a charity benefit.
Where Bill Williams and Selina Rogers are reunited once more and forever.
And we fade out.
The "It's That Person Who Was In That Thing" Department
If Gabe looks familiar, it's because Dooley Wilson was Sam the piano player in Rick's bar in Casablanca.
Stormy Weather is only 77 minutes long but the film has 20 musical numbers. The movie features....
- Fats Waller performing his composition "Ain't Misbehavin'"
- Cab Calloway leading his band in his composition "Jumpin' Jive" accompanied by a Nicholas Brothers dance sequence,
- There's a lengthy dance sequence built around the title song, featuring the vocals of Lena Horne and the dancing of Katherine Dunham.
- Horne also performs in several dance numbers with Robinson.
This was Robinson's final film; he died in 1949.
Fats Waller passed away a few months after its release.
Also released in 1943 by MGM was Cabin In the Sky, also starring Lena Horne and an all African American cast.
With two films released in the same year that showed featuring people of color in prominent roles would NOT send America spiraling into Armageddon, racism was solved forever and nothing bad happened to black people ever again.
Or not.
In 2001, Stormy Weather was selected for the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Stormy Weather is a brief but vibrant picture that spotlights actors, dancers and singers who deserved more fame and respect than the times would allow them.
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Next time on Weekend Movies....
Cinema Saturday looks at the 2nd film in the George Clooney led Oceans series, Oceans 12.
Cinema Sunday spotlights a classic horror film, The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
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