SNMR 2.1: "Cabin in the Sky"

The first film in the second series of SNMR
is "Cabin in the Sky" (1943, B&W, NR, 98 minutes), starring Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, Rex Ingram, The Hall Johnson Choir, and Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli.

This is a classic film that was introduced to me when I was in a Film Critique class in college. Otherwise, I'd probably have never even heard of it. Be warned, it's a comedy but it's also a musical. Some people could care less about musicals and I used to be one of them. Good thing for me that I've come to my senses.

From the DVD's dust jacket:

Hollywood's first all-black film since The Green Pastures tells the vibrant fable of rascally Little Joe, torn between the love of his good wife Petunia and the wiles of good-time bad girl Georgia Brown.... and caught in a tug-of-war between emissaries from the Lord and Satan. How can virtue triumph over evil? Well, as Petunia says, "Sometimes when you fight the devil, you gotta jab him with his own pitchfork."
Debuting movie director Vincente Minnelli (An American in Paris, Gigi) and stars Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington are more than a match for the devil in this musical treasure. With a soundtrack of dazzling standards including Taking a Chance on Love and Happiness is a Thing Called Joe, Cabin in the Sky is a joyous classic.

From Martin & Porter's DVD & Video Guide 2006, p. 167:

One of Hollywood's first general release black films and vincente Minnelli's first feature. Eddie Anderson shows acting skill that was sadly and too long diluted by his playing foil for Jack Benny. Ethel Waters, as always, is superb. The film is a shade racist, but bear in mind that it was made in 1943, when Tinsel Town still thought blacks did nothing but sing, dance and love watermelon.

For all it's worth, despite the era in which it was made, this is a great film. Overall the basic story is compelling and well written. The acting is excellent and the cast is talented. The soundtrack is great. I found myself humming along with it without even realizing it. This is a film you should definitely see but not readily available in stores as far as I can tell. I bought my copy on ebay for around $12.00. I'll give this film 4 1/2 out of five stars.