<I>Cabin in The Sky</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1943
name: label: Directed by
content: Vincente Minnelli, American, 1903 - 1986
label: Subject of
content: Ethel Waters, American, 1896 - 1977
label: Subject of
content: Eddie Anderson, American, 1905 - 1977
label: Subject of
content: Lena Horne, American, 1917 - 2010
label: Subject of
content: Louis Armstrong, American, 1901 - 1971
label: Subject of
content: Rex Ingram, American, 1895 - 1969
label: Subject of
content: Mantan Moreland, American, 1902 - 1973
label: Subject of
content: Ruby Dandridge, American, 1900 - 1987
label: Subject of
content: Duke Ellington Orchestra, American
label: Subject of
content: Duke Ellington, American, 1899 - 1974
label: Subject of
content: John Bubbles, American, 1902 - 1986
label: Subject of
content: Oscar Polk, American, 1899 - 1949
label: Subject of
content: Willie Best, American, 1913 - 1962
label: Owned by
content: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
notes: label: Caption
content: Cabin in the Sky was the first 'All-Negro Musical" produced by MGM, starring Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, and Lena Horne in 1943. The film follows Little Joe, played by Anderson, as he battles a gambling problem despite the pleads and prayers of his loving wife, Petunia. Framed as a classic "good verses evil" narrative, Cabin attempts to visualize the perils of sin and temptation in order to champion for pious living. The song from the film "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.
label: Caption
content: This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
label: Description
content: A musical comedy with the title Cabin in The Sky. It consists of three (3) reels of black-and white 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
label: Description
content: The film follows Little Joe Jackson (Eddie Anderson) who has a gambling problem and is killed in a shootout with gangsters. While on his death bed, Little Joe is visited by agents of God and Satan who both entice him to heaven and hell respectively. God grants Little Joe six more months on Earth to prove himself worthy and enter heaven.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place filmed
content: Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Actors
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Hollywood (Film)
label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Musical films
label: Topic
content: Race films
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: DC Public Library Film Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.55.59.1abc
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: black-and-white films (visual works)
label: Type
content: feature films
label: Type
content: 16mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acetate film
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (Reel 1): 18 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 650 Feet
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (Reel 2): 39 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 1400 Feet
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (Reel 3): 33 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 1200 Feet