Stormy Weather [VHS]

Stormy Weather [VHS]
by Andrew L. Stone

Stormy Weather [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Katherine Dunham, Lena Horne
Director: Andrew L. Stone
Cinematographer: Leon Shamroy
Producer: William LeBaron
Writer: Frederick J. Jackson
Writer: H.S. Kraft
Writer: Jerry Horwin
Writer: Seymour B. Robinson
Writer: Ted Koehler
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, HiFi Sound, NTSC
Running Time: 78 minutes
Release Date: 1993-04-21
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Studio: 20th Century Fox

VHS Movie Reviews of Stormy Weather [VHS]

Movie Review: An uneven classic
Summary: 3 Stars

Remembering this as a true period piece in film, "Stormy Weather", nonetheless is both delightful and difficult to view. It's standard black stereotyping does nothing to enhance a miserable plot and bad acting. Yet, performances by Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and the impressive Nicholas brothers are wonderful. Lena Horne, sings her signature piece, "Stormy Weather", of course. If one can get past the dialogue, there is much merit in the film.

Movie Review: A Historical Treasure! A Larger than Life collection of Black Entertainment!!!,
Summary: 5 Stars

Stormy Weather is a larger than life collection of an all-singing, all-dancing biographical showcase of the very best of black entertainment in 1943- promoting music & dance & how the related importance & contribution is significant to the American Culture at large. It is classified as a historical treasure, & undeniable agreed to be within the top 5 of all-time best Black Films. Filmed & produced during World War II when segregation was pretty much legal in most cases- the movie represents a "time capsule", emblematic as a historical archetype with its problematic stereotypical racism indicative of the society of the time with its dehumanizing representation of Black People as an accepted tradition. The comical representation (of people) , conniving personalities, minstrel entertainment "Miller & Lyles (i.e.-"Amos 'n' Andy type mentality), hyper obese (jolly) individuals, "forced Africanism", & vaudeville entertainment, were strictly addressed (& denoted) only to Black Folks.

Stormy Weather is an All Star Cast showcasing quality black performers. The narrative of the film is to set up the performances of the stars. The scene set-up is only secondary to the performance showcases themselves, so instead of only snippets of great Black music & dance- the movie offers a plethora of excellent Black art. It may be understood that Stormy Weather perhaps may be viewed as a "music video within a video", thus the narrative is the vehicle to aid in the music videos only, & thus the plot is essentially unimportant. Accordingly then, the story is a bit illogical whereas the film set-up is from the perspective of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson looking back & sharing his life, career & accolades on his porch with the neighbor children, or perhaps (it might be) a love story between the characters on screen played by actors Bojangles & Lena Horne.

There were more than 20 musical numbers in the film, undoubtedly a "gem of a musical" offering such a wonderful range of performers of different genre. Notably- the divine Lena Horne, Mr. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (Fred Astaire called Mr. Robinson the greatest dancer of all time {additionally in four minutes eight seconds Robinson tapped 1,984 taps- that's eight per second a noted record breaker}), Cab Calloway & his Band is a major contributor to the quality of this movie (Mr. Calloway {IMHO} has more charisma than Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, & Armando Desante TOGETHER {some of Cab's most brilliant archival footage is right in this film!!!!!}), The Nicholas Brothers did an incomparable stereo & synchronized tap dance # to Cab's "The Jumpin; Jive" including "leap-frog" full splits (almost raggedy-Ann like) & returns (across dining tables, throughout the bands tables, down a staircase) in a brilliant artistic fashion (smiling nonstop), right into a chorus finale of 55 men & women dancers/singers doing "My My, Ain't that Somethin'" (Reprise). Other notables are Thomas "fats" Waller "Ain't Misbehavin'," (he's got real cool {and exaggerated} facial expressions on film), Ada Brown singing "That Ain't Right" to Fats Waller Bluesy Piano Band. Katherine Dunham's dance troupe of 10 doing "Stormy Weather Ballet" (Katherine Dunham led a world-famous dance troupe) was graceful & spectacular. Of Course Lena Horne doing "Stormy Weather", is a hit, but she did 3 other numbers that included some smooth & beautiful dance steps.

Stormy Weather is just what it was intended to be- diverting entertainment in a wartime world. Perhaps the stereotypes are bothersome, the story a bit illogical, but the talent and passion of the performers and the caliber of the music make it all worthwhile- then & now. So much of quality is lost in today's world. It was a pleasure to view this movie 10 times this week. :-)

Movie Review: Entertainment Is The Name Of This Tune
Summary: 4 Stars

Music, not story, is the name of the game here.

"Stormy Weather" 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 people 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.

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.

Movie Review: Disappointed
Summary: 2 Stars

I bought this DVD because I missed seeing it at a local theatre that features old films, but I was disappointed in that the story wasn't good or interesting. However, I wanted to see the dancers, the Step Brothers - I think they were called, where they did that fantastic dance down the stairs. That was unbelievable! Also wanted to see beautiful Lena Horne, but disappointed that they didn't have her in beautiful gowns. So, other than the Step Brothers dancing, I was bored.

Movie Review: Stormy Weather? Not with all this Sunshine!
Summary: 4 Stars

"Stormy Weather" is a musical extravaganca that still enthralls today after more than 65 years after its' intial release.This picture also has turned into a valuable musical historical treasure,showcasing some of the best black talents of the 20th Century.It is like an animated museum piece but there's no dust or relics here,brother.This film is still alive and vibrant and each performance still gives out and has as much to say now as it did in 1943.
The plot is a trifle to be sure.The star Bill Robsinson is sitting on his front porch with some young relatives reminiscing about his career,which is told in extended flashbacks.Each flashback is filled with various musical numbers by his co-stars and/or himself.This continues unabated until the pictures' closing moments.
The producer and director give all acts ample time to showcase their talents throughout and in most cases are given at least two numbers each;in Bill Robsinsons'and Lena Hornes' cases it is multiple numbers.Of course we all know the legend of Bill Robinson,his superior terpsichorean abilities and the inspiration he gave(and still gives)to so many dancers throughout the years,both black and white.Lena Horne was just coming into her own and she is showcased beautifully throughout the film with several numbers to her credit.Each song is sung in her intimitable style along with the famous title song.
Several other acts appear here,some well known others not.The vaudeville team of Miller and Lyles puts in a funny appearance doing their broken down car sketch.The background group of dancers are the Katherine Dunham Dance Troupe.Katherine herself sings and leads the troupe visibly in every number.Legendary Fats Waller drops by to sing a song with famous songstress Ada Brown and one with his band.After witnessing Bill deck a rival for Lena's hand,Fats utters his famous line"One never knows do one".It's a delight.Cab Calloway is on hand to lend some "jumpin' jive'" to the proceedings in his patented zoot suit and his band is definitely hot.Near the end of the film come the dancers with no peer The Nicholus Brothers.And as usual they absolutely astound with their acrobatics on the dance floor.A phenomenon and a force of nature;when they're on they literally stop the picture.Throughout the film Dooley Wilson, fresh off his high profile appearance singing "As Time Goes By" in Casablanca,is on hand as Bill Robsinsons' old friend.
Technically the print used in this transfer does have its' flaws and in some spots more than others and could have used a bit better clean up.But all in all it's more than adequate.
Included with this is an audio commentary and two things you are not told about elsewhere.First is a folded insert by tv writer Sylvia Stoddard on the film and four 5"X7" repro lobby cards,a nice touch.
In concluding this is a film that will appeal to many,many different people on several differents levels.If you are a dancing fan you will love Katherine Dunham and her troupe along with the Nicholas Brothers and its star Bill Robinson.If you like good music there is Lena Horne,Cab Calloway,Ada Brown and Fats Waller.If you like musicals this has everything you could ever want."Stormy Weather" is 77 minutes of pure dynamite and a lasting testament to the talent involved.Get yourself a copy and bring some real sunshine into your life.

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