Product: Stormy Weather [VHS] (1980)
Rating: 5.0
One never knows, do one?
This has to be one of the best musicals ever. So much talent packed into one film! It's like a time capsule of the 40's swing era.You like dancing? Well, watch Bill bojangles Robinson tap. Or watch the unbelievable Nicholas brothers do their acrobatic number starting out on the music stands of Cab Calloways band. Torch songs? Lena Horne. She never looked or sounded better. Jazz with a little comedy? Fats Waller with Benny Carter on trumpet doing a great version of "ain't misbehaving" and issuing his famous line "one never knows do one?" Blues? Ada Brown singing with Fats Waller spitting out funny quips between lines. And the finale with Cab Calloways big band(featuring Illinois Jacquet on sax) doing an extended version of "jumping jive" shows how exciting swing music can be. All in all,this is a wonderful tribute to the black music of the period and a great starting point for anyone curious about the swing era.