Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather


20th Century-Fox, 1943, B/W, 78 minutes, ****

Released July, 1943


Corky (Bill Robinson) is reminiscing about his life and experiences as an entertainer. The story is told as a series of flashbacks showing his struggles in the entertainment business. Shortly after World War I, he meets nightclub singer Selina Rogers (Lena Horne) and falls in love. But when he asks her to marry him, she refuses, because she is not ready to settle down.



Many years have passed, and now as he talks to the group of children gathered around him, Cab Calloway drives up and invites him to attend a show for the G.I.s. But the whole thing is a setup by Cab, because at the show, Bill meets up again with Selina, and they both realize they are still in love. A true classic featuring such legends as Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Dooley Wilson... Lots of great musical numbers!



This one is guaranteed to wear out your foot! The music is non-stop from beginning to end. The dancing is sharp and spectacular. Definitely one of the best musicals ever!



Statement at beginning of film: "Celebrating the Magnificent Contribution of the Colored Race to the Entertainment of the World During the Past Twenty-Five Years."



Produced by: William LeBaron

Assistant to Producer: Irving Mills

Directed by: Andrew Stone

Screen Play by: Frederick Jackson and Ted Koehler

Adaptation by: H. S. Kraft

From an Original Story by: Jerry Horwin and Seymour B. Robinson

Dances Staged by: Clarence Robinson

Musical Direction: Emil Newman

Art Direction: James Basevi, Joseph C. Wright

Set Decorations: Thomas Little, Fred J. Rode

Costumes Designed by: Helen Rose

Supervised by: Fanchon

Makeup Artist: Guy Pearce

Special Photographic Effects by: Fred Sersen

Sound: Alfred Bruzlin, Roger Heman

Director of Photography: Leon Shamroy

Film Editor: James B. Clark



Cast: Lena Horne [Selina Rogers], Bill "Bojangles" Robinson [Corky], Cab Calloway and His Band [Themselves], Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe [Themselves], Fats Waller [Himself], Nicholas Brothers [Themselves], Ada Brown [Ada], Dooley Wilson [Gabe Tucker, the angel], Additional Cast: Emmett "Babe" Wallace [Chick Bailey], Mae E. Johnson [Mae], Ned Stanfield, Johnny Horace [The Shadracks], Ernest Whitman [Jim Europe], Zutty Singleton [Zuttie], Taps Miller [Trumpet Player], Coleman Hawkins [Saxaphone Player], F. E. Miller [Miller], Johnny Lee [Lyles], Robert Felder [Cab Calloway, Jr.], Nicodemus Stewart [Chauffeur]



Musical Program: [0:00] Stormy Weather (instrumental arrangement played by Orchestra behind credits); [0:01] Rang Tang Tang (danced by Bill Robinson and Children with Harmonica and vocal by Bill Robinson); [0:02] Over There / March medley (played by "Jim Europe's 15th Infantry Band" onscreen); [0:04] Linda Brown (?) (played by band at "Welcome Home 15th Regiment" ball); [0:08] Moppin' and Boppin' (?) (instrumental arrangement danced by Lena Horne, Bill Robinson and Chorus at nightclub); [0:11] There's No Two Ways About Love (sung by Lena Horne, Babe Wallace at the Piano); [0:14] At a Georgia Camp Meeting / De Camptown Races (instrumental arrangement cakewalk by Chorus, joined by Lena Horne and Bill Robinson. Great number!); [0:17] Dah, Dat, Dah (sung and danced by The Tramp Band, joined by Bill Robinson); [0:20] That Ain't Right (played by Fats Waller and the Beale Street Boys, Vocals by Fats and Ada Brown, at "Ada Brown's Beale St. Cafe"); [0:24] Ain't Misbehavin' (played by Fats Waller and The Beale Street Boys, vocal by Fats); [0:29] Diga Diga Do (sung by Lena Horne, danced by Lena Horne and Chorus; instrumental segment danced by Chorus dressed as African natives and animals); [0:30] The Low Beating of the Tom-Toms (?) (sung by Babe Wallace, danced by Chorus dressed as African Natives, Bill Robinson dances on big drums); [0:35] short segment with Bill Robinson dancing with a little girl; [0:39] I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City (sung by Mae E. Johnson, danced by unidentified male dancer); [0:44] comedy car sketch by two unidentified men in backface in Minstrel tradition; [0:49] I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby (sung and danced by Lena Horne, Bill Robinson and Chorus); [0:44] Geechy Joe (sung by Cab Calloway with His Band, Calloway in zuit suit); [0:58] Stormy Weather (sung by Lena Horne, extented instrumental bridge danced by Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe); [1:07] There's No Two Ways About Love (instrumental intro danced by Bill Robinson, sung by Lena Horne); [1:09] My My, Ain't That Somethin' (sung and danced by Bill Robinson and Chorus with Cab Calloway and His Band); [1:11] The Jumpin' Jive (Cab Calloway and His Band, danced by the Nicholas Brothers); [1:16] My My, Ain't That Somethin' (sung and danced by Cab Calloway, Lena Horne, Bill Robinson and Chorus)