Product: Stormy Weather [VHS] (1980)
Rating: 2.0
Let's be truthful
Let's be frank: This is a terrible movie. Racial stereotypes, as one might expect from 1943, abound, and they are demeaning to say the least. The plot is so weak it barely exists. The acting is dreadful. The choreography is lousy. And the heart of the love story is between a 65 year old man and a 25 year old woman. As for Robinson's dancing, well, the Nicholas Brothers are the stars in this regard. And what exactly were Cab Calloway's talents? There is a positive side to the movie: It is Lena Horne. She's a delight, and there are three standard songs in this film. Horne deserved better, and in time her great talents would be recognized. Stormy Weather should be seen in its historical context: Blacks were needed in the war effort, and this was a very rare nod to some of their entertainers by a major studio.