Product: Stormy Weather [VHS] (1980)
Rating: 5.0
This picture will take you by storm!
The plot of this story might be thin about the fictionalized life of Bill `Mr. Bojangles' Robinson, and his on again/off again romantic relationship with a love interest but I found it to be one of the single most 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 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. It was thrilling to be able to see the talent actors and all the skills offered through their dancing and singing abilities. All of the dance numbers and costumes really represented the time period. The way the dancers moved were both creative and unique, especially indisputably impressive Nicholas Brothers."Stormy Weather" is a testament to black art of the first half of the 20th Century, and the achievements must not be forgotten. Twentieth Century Fox really broke the mold with this movie in response to FDR's urging. It finally gave actors of color the chance to show off their tremendous talent also allowing them to have more of an equal role in society. Although there still were laws restricting the interaction between whites and blacks in films, it certainly brought them out the repetitive demeaning roles of slaves and servants. This may very well be the best place to go if you want to discover them.