Film You may Have Missed (#15)

Stormy Weather (1943)

 

I’m not a fan of musicals but there are a handful (‘SweeneyTodd’, ‘Cabaret’, ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’) I enjoy; ‘Stormy Weather’ being one of them. Forget the plot- boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again. It’s all about the music. Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller and the Nicholas Brothers, if these names mean anything to you then you’ll love this film.

 

Bill Robinson with Lena Horne and Cab Calloway

 The Nicholas Brothers

Lena Horne gets to sings the haunting title track along with four or five other numbers, Bill Robinson shows off his dancing skills, Cab Calloway and his Orchestra belt out several numbers and Fats Waller tickles the ivories and sings a couple of songs including his signature ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’ but it is the Nicholas Brothers who steal the film with their incredible acrobatic tap-dancing. Even if you never watch the whole film, please spend 3 minutes watching this Youtube extract showing them dancing to Cab Calloway’s Jumpin’ Jive.

Unfortunately ‘Stormy Weather’ was the final screen appearances of both Fats Waller and Bill Robinson.