CABIN IN THE SKY

US, 1943, 99 minutes, Black and white.
Eddie `Rochester' Anderson, Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, John W. Bublett.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Cabin in the Sky was the first film directed by Vincente Minnelli. It was produced by Arthur Freed (Singing in the Rain, On the Town...) and was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films featuring an entirely black cast. Stormy Weather (with Lena Horne) had appeared a year earlier.

The film was based on a Broadway production, one of those pictures of black Americans in the South, the religious fervour, moral dilemmas, belief in God and the Devil - and a fantasy about dying and judgment.

The film has strong leads with Ethel Waters as Petunia, Eddie `Rochester' Anderson as Little Joe and Lena Horne as Georgia Brown. Louis Armstrong is momentarily glimpsed as one of the ideas devils and Duke Ellington appears with his band.

1.A movie of 1943, America and the '40s, the war - and the allusion to devils and ideas in Europe? Traditions of black cinema - and becoming mainstream? A stage play for the screen? The stars and their reputations? Music?

2.The beginning of the career of Vincente Minnelli, Arthur Freed and the quality of his musicals at MGM?

3.Black and white photography, the sets, the town, the homes, workplace, the bars? The American South?

4.The musical score, the range of songs, their being absorbed in the plot, performance, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington?

5.The title, religion, the dream of judgment? Title song?

6.Religion for black Americans, the opening with the church, the women going, Petunia and Lily, persuading Little Joe to repent and go to church? Their worry, the congregation, the Reverend and the Deacon going to persuade Joe to come? The song in the church, the repentance, Joe leaving and being tempted to go back to gambling?

7.Joe and his gambling, the pressures by his friends, his being shot, sick, dying?

8.The fantasy and Joe dying, the devoutness of Petunia's prayers? Petunia and Joe as characters - with some of the cinema stereotypes of black characters and black life?

9.The arrival of Junior and the devils? The contrast with the General and his angels? Their argument, the comic writing about Heaven and Hell? Tempting Joe? His dilemma, his promises, his being a test case, getting six months to reform - but not remembering his dream?

10.Joe and his reforming, recovering, Petunia and her shrewdness with the dice and his friends? The singing of the title song? Joe at work, buying the fridge, songs at work? The General and his helping him? Junior and the plot of the devils to give him money, send Georgia Brown to him and send him to Hell? At home, with Georgia Brown, Petunia arriving and misunderstanding? The money?

11.Lena Horne as Georgia Brown, at the bar, her style, the devils tempting her, finding the letter, going to Joe's house - and Petunia finding them?

12.The devils and their arguments, ideas - the best devils in Europe for the war? Presence of Louis Armstrong? The personalities of the devils, the memories of Egypt and the plagues? The plan, Junior ringing his father - and the jokes about Lucifer? With Georgia? The angels helping?

13.Jackson coming out of jail, the meeting with Georgia? Petunia's arrival - the contrast with her niceness and happiness, the clothes, the dance, spurning Joe? The jealousy?

14.The tornado, the shootings? Petunia and Joe dying - arguments of Junior (and his being demoted) and the General? Georgia and the list, going to Heaven? Joe and the balance - with Georgia converting? The stairway to Paradise?

15.Waking up, the ordinariness - and Joe's reform? Petunia back to her happy and prayerful self? The dream and its perspective on behaviour in the dream?

16.The musical score - title song, `Happiness is Little Joe', `The Little Sheep' - and, especially, with the ending `Taking a Chance on Love'?