Cabin in the Sky
US (1943): Musical/Dance
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." Busby Berkeley served as an uncredited director of the "Shine" sequence. Cast also includes Rex Ingram, Kenneth Spencer, John W. Sublett, Oscar Polk, Mantan Moreland and Butterfly McQueen. (MGM) (Amazon.com)
1 nomination
· Music Best Song 1943: "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe" Harold Arlen - Music, E. Y. "Yip" Harburg - Lyric