Stormy Weather

Even more so than today, in the 30s and 40s tremendously talented black thespians were frequently relegated to cartoonish bit parts in the studios' musicals and comedies. A perfect example is Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, frequently the tap dancing sideshow to Shirley Temple's pixieish mugging. The true breadth of most black actors' talent was thus only evident in the few features in which they were given center stage, such as Cabin in the Sky, Carmen Jones, and especially 1943's Stormy Weather, which features a veritable all-star team of black talent, headlined by Robinson. While Stormy Weather may be thin on plot, it trumps studio musicals of the era in terms of vigor in the same way that Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle made the gross-out comedies it was spun from look tame.

Stormy Weather is told almost entirely in flashback as Bill Williamson (Robinson) reminisces to a group of eager tykes about how he courted Selina Rogers (Lena Horne) as they each forged successful musical careers in the wake of World War I. Each recollection, however, essentially serves as a vehicle for a couple of vibrant musical numbers that, to the film's credit, occasionally underscore their burgeoning romance (the best example is Horne mournfully singing the title track after an extended period of separation).

Director Andrew L. Stone (Julie) and cinematographer Leon Shamroy (Porgy and Bess) wisely use extended, largely static shots that lend a fluidity to the performances. And it's those performances that command your attention, ranging from Horne belting out the title track in an ambitiously staged number to the Nicholas Brothers performing a literally showstopping dance number that blows away anything else I've ever seen. There are also terrific contributions by the likes of Ada Brown, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller, who slyly sings both "That Ain't Right" and "Ain't Misbehavin."

Ironically, in a film that was to be his showcase, Williamson is the weakest link. At age 65, he looks far too old in the flashbacks, his romance with the then 26 year-old Horne is a bit disconcerting, and you can tell that he's lost a step or two in his dance numbers. That said, he infuses every seen with a contagious verve that covers these flaws.

This disc features a picturesque black and white transfer with the 77-minute film's original 4:3 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital mono sound. The lone special feature is a commentary track by USC Critical Studies Professor Dr. Todd Boyd that places the film in its historical and sociological context, but is far too repetitive and intermittent. -- Colin Miller