Stormy Weather (1943)

Directed by Andrew L. Stone. Starring Bill Robinson, Lena Horne, Emmett “Babe” Wallace, Dooley Wilson, Cab Calloway, The Nicholas Brothers, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller, Ada Brown.

Musical loosely built around the career of star Bill “Bojangles” Robinson served as a showcase for a lot of the prime African-American talent of the era; there’s a certain lack of plot and it has more than its fair share of corny dialogue and uncomfortably “problematic” aspects, but the pic’s trim running time is packed with enough song-and-dance numbers to keep it entertaining almost all the way. Robinson was in his sixties when this film went into production, but that didn’t stop him from playing a much younger version of himself (as “Bill Williamson”), a talented dancer returning from the Great War and looking to pursue a career as an entertainer. Along the way he sweet talks singer Horne and butts heads with producer and romantic rival Wallace, but mostly just does what he does best by letting his spry feet do the heavy lifting. Inarguable highlight: the closing “Jumpin’ Jive” number with The Nicholas Brothers’ jaw-dropping dance moves. Final film for both Robinson and Waller.

73/100