Stormy Weather (1943)

Réalisateur:

Andrew L. Stone

Scénaristes:

Jerry Horwin (story)
Frederick J. Jackson (screenplay)

Date de sortie:

17 novembre 1943 (Sweden)

Genre:

Musical

Intrigue:

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

Plot Keywords:

African American | Dancer | Singer | Beautiful Woman

Récompenses:

1 win

Avis des utilisateurs:

My Review for the Totally Confused

Ensemble

Lena Horne	...	Selina Rogers
Bill Robinson	...	Bill Williamson
Cab Calloway	...	Himself
Katherine Dunham	...	Herself
Fats Waller	...	Himself
Fayard Nicholas	...	Himself (as Nicholas Brothers)
Harold Nicholas	...	Himself (as Nicholas Brothers)
Ada Brown	...	Herself
Dooley Wilson	...	Gabe Tucker
reste de la distribution par ordre alphabétique:
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	(scenes deleted)
Zutty Singleton

Durée:

USA:78 min

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Noir et Blanc

Rapport de forme:

1,37 : 1

Son:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Classification:

UK:U | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #9101)

Société:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Anecdotes:

When the film was made Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was forty years older than Lena Horne.

Goofs:

Audio/Video non synchronisé: 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.

Connexions De Film:

figure dans AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs (2004) (TV)

Bande son:

MOPPIN' AND BOPPIN'

My Review for the Totally Confused

OK, I admit it. I have no cultural class. I don't recognize any of the performers in this movie except for Dooley Wilson (who played/sang the role of "Sam" in Casablanca) and Lena Horne whom I had the rare treat of seeing in Philadelphia when I was a tot. So I can't give you an educated critical review of this film.

But I can tell you there's some GREAT talent showcased. There are some tap dancing scenes that would make Fred Astaire hang up his hardshoes in shame. And for those of you sticklers who always stare at the musicians' fingers to see if they actually know how to play, THEY DO.

Sure, the plot is weak and cursory. But since when are musicals supposed to have a plot? The story was just enough to chain these performances together while not distracting from the show. And that's what this movie is all about; consider it an early American version of "American Idol" except with talent.

Most of all, it's just a fun ride. Lotta smiles throughout. It's a highly nostalgic trip through a sadly-overlooked corner of early American music (blues, ragtime, jazz). And from a cinematic standpoint, the presentation is very nice. The scene of trombonists with their long shadows cast against the stage walls is very memorable to me, as is the rousing title performance of "Stormy Weather" which, in Picasso-like cubist fashion, passes through 3 different planes of existence: the stage, the backstage, and the backstage dream. Very artistic.

If you weren't totally confused when you began reading my review, I hope you are now. Go watch the film already, you dork.