A slight story, sure, about the fictionalized life of Bill `Mr. Bojangles' Robinson, and his on again/off again romantic relationship with a woman (played by Lena Horne, who strangely hasn't aged a minute by the time WWII begins at the end of the film), but I found it to be one of the single most entertaining and exhilarating films I've ever seen. This all black film may not be a masterpiece in terms of its cinematic technique, but it captures more than a dozen performances, each of which can itself be termed a masterpiece. Horne is one of the most beautiful singers who ever lived, not to mention that she herself was a stunning beauty. Her rendition of Stormy Weather is singularly, powerfully erotic. Robinson is great and has several fantastic numbers (he's obviously getting old, but he still has a ton of energy). Many other great black performers grace the screen, among them Fats Waller Katherine Dunham, Ada Brown, and the Nicholas Brothers, who deliver a dance that equals anything either Astaire or Kelly accomplished. Dooley Wilson does not sing, but he has a very funny supporting role (the film delivers big time in laughs, including a very amusing blackface scene). As many hugely entertaining performances there are in the first three-quarters, the film shifts into high gear when Cab Calloway shows up. I absolutely love this guy, one of the weirdest and most original stylists that ever existed in America. But it's not just his appearance that ups the ante. The film has an amazing sense of pace, and it builds steadily to a musical finale which can only be described as orgasmic. Stormy Weather is a testament to black art of the first half of the 20th Century, and the achievements must not be forgotten. This may very well be the best place to go if you want to discover them.
Review of Stormy Weather
