Product: Stormy Weather [VHS] (1980)
Rating: 5.0
You will enjoy the singing, you won't BELIEVE the dancing!
Directed by Andrew Stone, this 1943 musical is one of the few musicals by a major studio to feature an all-black cast. The storyline is merely an excuse for all the musical numbers (and there are a LOT of them). Bill "Bojangles" Robinson plays Bill Williamson who meets lovely Selina Rogers, played by Lena Horne, just after he gets back from the First World War. Unfortunately their careers get in the way of their ever settling down together. "Stormy Weather" ends with a big all-star show hosted by Cab Calloway. Along the way Bill Robinson dances to "Rang Tang Tang" and several other songs, while Lena Horne sings "There's No Two Ways About Love," "Diga Diga Do" and the show piece title song, "Stormy Weather." Bill and Lena also do "I Can't Give you Anything But Love, Baby." Fats Waller does "Ain't Misbehavin'" and sings "That Ain't Right" (a Nat "King" Cole song) with Ada Brown. Cab Colloway conducts his "Rhythm Cocktail" and "Geechy Joe" and there is also the incredible Nichols Brothers (Fayard and Harold) dancing to "The Jumpin' Jive." "Stormy Weather" is a wonderful compilation of song and dance.