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From Amazon.com
The first film directed by Vincente Minnelli (who directed the original Broadway version), this musical offers its pleasures, but also may make you squirm at the racial stereotypes that were considered both acceptable and entertaining in 1943. A story of the struggle between good and evil for the soul of a man named Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson), the film plays with the same kind of racial notions that made Stepin Fetchit a star. Still, there's much to recommend it, particularly performances by some of the greatest musical stars of the day: Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington, among others. The film also includes a terrific score, a combination effort by Ellington, Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, and E.Y. Harburg that includes the song "Taking a Chance on Love." --Marshall Fine
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Classic Film,
By A Customer
This review is from: Cabin in the Sky (VHS Tape)
With today's "political correctness" this film doesnt stand a chance of being watched as it truly deserves. Its too bad, because this film is a VERY entertaining and heart warming experience. I wasnt sure what to expect and I have to admit i was surprised when i found myself laughing at the humor in the film (no, it is NOT racist humor at ALL! ) For such an old 'period' film to be so entertaining, all the while keeping in line with the story and music, is a rare thing these days. Being a BIG Duke Ellington fan I had to buy this Video. Ellington and crew put on a fine show, along with the supporting role by Louis Armstrong, (a funny role! ), and some great tap dancing and a swing dance piece with one of the several featured Ellington tunes. (Great Trombone solo by Lawrence Brown also. In addition to Brown, if you are sharp you can also catch Harry Carney(?) and Johnny Hodges in the Ellingotn Line up.) I never imagined Lena Horne was so beautiful in her youth, but i must say "WOW" This is a great movie with a STRONG message that each of us can learn from. You will be happy to have this in your collection!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great music, great cast, Ethel Waters at her best,
By chandy123@aol.com (cleveland, ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cabin in the Sky (VHS Tape)
This is a delightful film. The Broadway score, already one of the finer scores for its time, with the classics "Taking a chance on love" and "Cabin in the sky", was further improved with the addition of "Happiness is just a thing called Joe". There are several other wonderful numbers, including the Duke Ellington number with some great dancing, and "Bubbles" singing "Shine". The cast was the finest black talent of the day, and the movie demonstrates why Ethel Waters was considered the greatest singer and entertainer of her day. In this movie, she also demonstrates that she is a fine actress and a fine dancer. It's a pity that the racial climate of the time didn't allow her more films - she's as magical on screen as she was, by all reports, in person. The remainder of the cast includes a stunning young Lena Horne, surely one of the most beautiful women ever to appear on screen, and who is here allowed to be smolderingly sexy, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who's an endearing Little Joe, Rex Ingram as Lucifer Jr, and smaller but memorable appearances by Louis Armstrong, Butterfly McQueen, and "Bubbles" of Buck and Bubbles. Seeing Waters sing "Taking a chance on love", "cabin in the sky", "Happiness is just a thing called Joe" and her wicked reprise of "Honey in the honeycomb", complete with some dance steps that will floor you, is more than enough to recommend the movie, but all performances are delightful, and the songs and background music are great. If we take it as a "fable", as we are counseled to do at the beginning, then I don't see it as a racist or dated film. The characters are almost all well delineated and believable within the "fable" context, and are no more stereotypical in this context than numerous films of white people at the time that were also fantasies.It's a pleasure to watch from beginning to end - clearly a timeless classic, especially valuable for archiving for all time the classic Waters performance and the superb acting, singing, dancing and comedic skills of some of the greatest black talent pre-World War II.
1.0 out of 5 stars
What a disappointment!!!!!,
By Dorothy L. Sayers "railbirdbc" (Vancouver, B.C., Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cabin in the Sky (DVD)
When we opened the DVD and popped in the player, it turned out to be a blank DVD!!! I went to the menu button and all was listed on this particular disk. But I think we will give any Amazon partners a miss for awhile.
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