Stormy Weather (1943)

The relationship between an aspiring dancer and a popular songstress provides a retrospective of the great African American entertainers of the early 1900s.

Director:

Andrew L. Stone

Writers:

Frederick J. Jackson (screen play), Ted Koehler (screen play),

Stars:

Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lena Horne	...	Selina Rogers
Bill Robinson	...	Bill Williamson
Cab Calloway and His Cotton Club Orchestra	...	Cab Calloway Orchestra (as Cab Calloway and His Band)
Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe	...	Dance TRoupe
Fats Waller	...	'Fats' Waller
The Nicholas Brothers	...	Dancers (as Nicholas Brothers)
Ada Brown	...	Singer
Dooley Wilson	...	Gabe Tucker
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cab Calloway	...	Can Calloway
Katherine Dunham	...	Katherine Dunham
The Tramp Band	...	The Tramp Band

Storyline

Dancing great Bill 'Williamson' sees his face on the cover of Theatre World magazine and reminisces: just back from World War I, he meets lovely singer Selina Rogers at a soldiers' ball and promises to come back to her when he "gets to be somebody." Years go by, and Bill and Selina's rising careers intersect only briefly, since Selina is unwilling to "settle down." Will she ever change her mind? Concludes with a big all-star show hosted by Cab Calloway.

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Plot Keywords:

dancer | african american | singer | tap dancing | jazz | 

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Genres:

Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 November 1943 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Der Tänzer auf den Stufen

Filming Locations:

Stage 14, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two musical numbers were deleted from the release print: "Good-for-Nothin' Joe" (music by Rube Bloom, lyrics by Ted Koehler), sung by Lena Horne, who already was identified with this torch song via her 1941 Victor recording as the vocalist with Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra; and "Alfred the Moocher," a parody by Cab Calloway of his trademark "Minnie the Moocher" (music and lyrics by Calloway, Irving Mills and Clarence Gaskill). The Alfred being spoofed likely is renowned film composer and music director Alfred Newman. Only a voice track of the send-up remains. On a V-Disc of selections from the film made by Miss Horne with the Calloway band, "Good-for-Nothin' Joe" was included.

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Goofs

The first time Selena says "Bill Williamson" (in the first scene, before her character has met him) her mouth quite clearly says "Bill Robinson. Bill Robinson played Bill Williamson.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970) (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Moppin' and Boppin'"
(1935) (uncredited)
Music by Fats Waller and Benny Carter
Performed briefly by Cab Calloway and His Band at the start of the Memphis Cafe sequence

User Reviews

Entertainment Is The Name Of This Tune

Music, not story, is the name of the game here. The film provides an avenue for black singers, dancers and musicians of the mid-1940s to show off their talents. Too bad it was that way but at least putting these acts on screen in a movie format wasn't just black folks "preaching to the choir." This film gave a lot of white folks a chance to see some great talent they might never have seen and, hopefully, helped some of these entertainers in their careers.

Bill Robinson and Lena Horne are the stars of the film, or should I say the main entertainers. Robinson is wonderful to watch throughout. He's not just a great dancer but an extremely likable guy. He comes across that way, anyway, and has in every film I've seen him. Horne has a good voice and a pretty face that became famous for almost never aging, but her songs are too slow and boring for my tastes, frankly.

Since I prefer a little more up-tempo, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway and The Nicholas Brothers filled the bill nicely. They were awesome. What little story there is centers around Robinson's character trying to break into show business. En route are also some funny lines and characters.

I'm glad to hear this is being put out on DVD in a few months. I'll pick up a copy.