Cabin in the Sky (1943) User Reviews

Was quite risky

[Kathryn-ashe · 8/10 · 18 April 2018]

My grandfather, Arthur Freed, (and Louis B Mayor) took great financial risks bringing the Broadway play to the big screen. At the time this movie was made, 'black' films were made by black producers, with black directors, and only appeared in black only cinemas. This was the very first movie of its kind to be made for white audiences.

My grandfather brought many talented people to Hollywood including Minnelli and Gene Kelly.

For me the greatest joy is seeing such wonderful performers.

"An acre or two of heavenly blue"

[Steffi_P · 8/10 · 18 September 2008]

Cabin in the Sky marks the debut of director Vincente Minnelli, one of cinema's greatest and most prolific directors of musicals. Already an experienced stage director, pianist and perhaps most importantly of all a painter, Minnelli came to Hollywood as the protégé of lyricist-turned producer Arthur Freed – one of the most significant names in the development of the screen musical.

Although this is one of his cheaper productions (as evidenced by the simplicity of the sets and the use of borrowed footage) Cabin in the Sky is no exception to the typical Freed pattern of assembling a wide variety of musical talent. Here we get to enjoy virtually all the biggest names in black entertainment of the day – the gorgeous singing voice of Ethel Waters, the musicianship of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, the dancing of Bill Bailey and John William Sublett, to name just a few. With this line-up, Cabin in the Sky was bound to be a great show, but it was also likely to fall into the same trap as many of the Freed musicals – that you might have a great variety show, but not a unified, coherent musical.

This is somewhat the case here, especially as the story is rather flimsy and clichéd. What saves it is Freed's firm belief in the integrated musical (every song woven into the plot) and Minnelli's inventive direction. Freed more or less gave Minnelli free rein over the staging of the musical numbers. Whereas in many of the earlier musicals there is a very conscious break in style whenever a song begins, in Cabin in the Sky each number flows seamlessly into the action. For example, in "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe", Ethel Waters' singing begins with no prior cues to the audience that a song is about to start. The narrative then leaps ahead to her hanging out the washing while the song continues. The number finishes with Rex Ingram and his Buddy appearing from behind a sheet, leading us into the next scene. The narrative has not taken a break for the song – it has continued alongside it.

Also in evidence is Minnelli's graceful visual style. Minnelli, with his painter's eye, delicately frames his subjects with doorways and overhanging branches. You can also see his developing talent for movement flowing in and out of the frame, particularly in the "Li'l Black Sheep" number in the church. Perhaps the most typical "Minnelli" moment is in the large group shot that he puts together for the title song, the camera pulling out to reveal the whole crowd as the singing reaches a crescendo. For all its beauty though, it does seem to be a rather strained effort, and in his later pictures he would stage sequences that were far more complex and yet looked far more effortless.

A quick word about the actors. While most of the cast were hired more for their ability to sing or dance than anything else, those of them taken on purely as actors are nevertheless a joy to watch. Rex Ingram gets to do what he does best in an extravagant performance as "Lucifer Jr.", and is almost as scene-stealing as he was as the genie in Thief of Bagdad. And Butterfly McQueen's role may be small, but at least she really gets to act here, rather than appearing as a comic relief funny voice.

The songs too are wonderful. The Arlen/Harburg numbers which were written especially for the film version are not as good as anything they did for Wizard of Oz, but then what is? The real highlights though are the original Vernon Duke/John La Touche songs, especially the sublime "Taking a Chance on Love", and it's a shame these two barely made a splash in musicals.

In spite of all this, Cabin in the Sky is still best enjoyed as a series of performances. It is wonderful to watch, not least because it is a showcase for the talents of a whole group of entertainers who made far too few screen appearances, but it doesn't stand up as a musical in its own right.

This may shock some, but it's a really good film.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 5 February 2010]

This is the sort of film that you'd certainly NOT see being made today and I am sure that "Cabin in the Sky" might make a few out there cringe--with its rather stereotypical characters--including several quite shiftless folks. However, if you can hold on to the politically correct voice welling up inside and just accept the film for what it is, then it's well worth seeing.

This is a highly unusual film for its time. Despite the leading character being a dice-shooting no account, the fact that White Hollywood would produce a film with an all-Black cast is amazing--even if the characters are all either non-threatening "good Negroes" and the rest are "shiftless"--a rather two-dimensional view (at best). Still, if this film hadn't been made, performances by such greats as Ethel Waters, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong never would have been seen and appreciated by a wider audience. Sadly, when you watch and see Kenneth Spencer in the film, you think of what a loss it was that Hollywood never gave him much of a chance and that he died so young--he had an absolutely beautiful voice.

The film's plot is highly unusual. It's a religious allegory about the soul of one particular shiftless fool (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson). Anderson is given one last chance by God and the angels try to steer him towards good while the devils try to lead him down the path of destruction. And even more unusual is that the film is a singing and dancing musical. Some of the more hilarious performances are by Lucifer, Jr.'s imps. Sure, they are walking stereotypes, but seeing Louis Armstrong, Mantan Moreland and Willie Best acting is very entertaining--the dialog is very funny and original.

Overall, the film is very entertaining and a wonderful showcase for some of the best Black entertainers of the day. Well made and certainly not a movie you'll soon forget.

Outstanding Movie!!!

[ernieswanks_757 · 11 April 2004]

I would like to take the time to express what an OUTSTANDING MOVIE "Cabin in The Sky" is. As an African-American Male, I must say this Movie is really ahead of it's time in the way it depicted that whole setting with the "Soldiers of the Lord's Army", & "The Devil" (Lucifer Jr.), & his "followers".

That whole theory as it pertains (Biblically), to Men & Women "grappling" with their conscience to do the "Right Thing", dealing with the "forces" of "good vs. evil", really comes to light here.

You actually see "Lucifer Jr." arguing with the "General" of God's Army about the "rules" & regulations on how to get "Little Joe" (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson), to commit sin & do the wrong things.

I've been raised in the African-American Baptist Church, and for me, it just seemed as if these characters came to life just like it was taught in Sunday School & Church!!!

I'm also amazed at the "ethnic insight" of the Director Vincente Minnelli. He picked the "RIGHT" Black Actors to portray the various characters that had the ability to get the point(s) across effectively.

Considering this Movie/Musical was being shown to an audience in 1943 America, (WHICH WAS STILL VERY RACIST), Director Minelli seemed to make the "connection" without any problem at all.

Of course, the cast was an All Star, All Black cast which was good for the Actors/Actresses because it gave them much needed work. I could relate to the part of "Petunia" played by Ethel Waters. She reminded me of a really nice Woman who currently attends my Church.

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Rex Ingram, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, & a host of others, came together to make this Movie one of the "Great Ones" in my opinion. These Actors/Actresses are all gone now, but their talent will remain in the hearts & minds of many fans as well as movie history which I'm sure will be kind to them.

"Cabin in The Sky!!" A great Movie that I would highly recommend for the entire Family.

"Who gave you orders to incinerate this man?"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 21 June 2009]

Just a delightful and still fresh film after sixty plus years, with an all black cast that does a great job with the material. I remember the principal players from TV variety shows of the later 1950's, and who can forget Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson from the Jack Benny Program? I'd only seen Anderson in minor movie roles before (1938's "You Can't Take It With You" and 1939's "You Can't Get Away With Murder"), so to see him in the lead here with Ethel Waters was a nice treat. It was also cool to see him display an all around talent with his singing and dancing, something you rarely got during his association with Benny. Still, the scene where he and Waters sang the title song left me wondering whether he might have been dubbed, as it didn't feature his unique gravelly voice, although his rendition of 'Consequences' later in the story and the duet with Lena Horne surely did.

And Lena Horne - modern day viewers might compare her to Halle Berry in the looks department, but if truth be told, Ms. Horne had it all over Berry in terms of talent. I did more than one double take as well when her character Georgia Brown appeared almost topless from the back and with midriff exposed upon securing that sexy halter top. Then when she got a leg up on Little Joe (Anderson), I had to wonder how he contained himself.

As a musical, the picture really got into high gear during the second half, with virtually number after number showcasing a variety of talent, not the least of which was the legendary Ethel Waters. As the 'terrific prayin' wife of Little Joe, Ms. Waters was a stand-out in every one of her scenes. Throw Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong into the mix, and you have a veritable lock on virtually all the black talent in Hollywood at the time.

As for the comedic interludes, it was great to see some of my all time favorite black actors of the era as part of the Lucifer Jr. bunch - Mantan Morelan and Wille Best, a duo that appeared somewhat regularly in the Monogram run of Charlie Chan films during the late Forties. As Lucifer Jr., Rex Ingram had one of the picture's most telling lines when he remarked that he was stuck with a bunch of 'B' idea men because all of his 'A' men were over in Europe. Released in 1943 during the height of World War II, that reference presumably related to Satan's cultivation of future citizens of Hell, namely Hitler and Mussollini. Considering that type of company, there was just no way that Little Joe Jackson would ever fall victim to any trap set for him by the devil's minions.

Enjoy the DVD... Beware the commentary!

[benoit-3 · 10/10 · 20 January 2006]

This exquisite first film by Vincente Minnelli just came out on DVD along with another all-Black musical of the period starring Lena Horne, "Stormy Weather". As delightful as both those films are, and although they are produced by two different companies, their DVD presentation is marred by audio commentaries by the very same Dr. Todd Boyd, Professor of critical studies at USC. To call the man a pompous bore would be to imitate him by stating the obvious. These commentaries, which are all about painfully deconstructing every single aspect of the racial clichés and supposedly harmful depictions of Black people contained in those films and are full of precious profundities like "Notice how the dancers smile too much, which is a hateful racial stereotype", were evidently put together in a commendable spirit of political correctness. Unfortunately, the good Doctor has a tendency to repeat every worthwhile point he makes at least five times and is totally blind to the wonderful qualities of those films, with the end result that he robs the viewing experience of all joy, discovery, wonderment and spontaneity. He also fails to point out the qualities and positive aspects of each production and is totally unreliable when it comes to identifying wonderful performers (and performances) who will otherwise remain eternally nameless, undocumented and unpraised. The harm done is less pronounced on the "Cabin in the Sky" DVD, where his debunking and killjoy duties are somewhat mitigated by the presence of his colleague Prof. Drew Casper, who is at least knowledgeable about the films of Minnelli, and relatives of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who do a good job describing the human side of the real star of the film. "Cabin in the Sky" is one of the best fantasy-comedy-musical films ever made and boasts some of the best stage and recording talents of the XXth Century. When you watch it, do yourself a big favour: Enjoy it for what it is - a masterpiece - and turn Professor Boyd's platitudes off!!!

Excellent MGM musical fantasy...

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 20 December 2022]

From director Vincente Minnelli. Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) is an inveterate gambler who is desperate to change his ways almost as much as his wife Petunia (Ethel Waters) wants him to. Little Joe has a run-in that leaves him on the brink of death, and the demonic Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram) can't wait to take his soul to Hell. However, an angel called The General (Kenneth Spencer) appears and gives Little Joe six more months of life in order to clean up his act. Little Joe tries to take the straight and narrow road, but temptress Georgia Brown (Lena Horne) may be his undoing. Also featuring John William Sublett, Louis Armstrong, Mantan Moreland, Willie Best, Butterfly McQueen, Oscar Polk, Bill Bailey, Juanita Moore, and Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.

Based on a stage production, this movie marked the first credited feature directing assignment for Minnelli, who does a terrific job. Some extra sensitive viewers may see this movie as pandering to outdated stereotypes, but I think it avoids that trap, despite the broad nature of the characters. The cast is a fantastic assemblage of many of the best black performers of the day, and Waters, Anderson, Ingram and Horne are all tremendous. The petty bickering among the angels & demons is a trope continued to this day in fantasy storytelling. I'm not generally a musical fan, but I liked this one. It received an Oscar nomination for Best Song ("Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe").

Something that all ages can yet relate to...

[hopeh33 · 10/10 · 2 November 2005]

I must admit, as a support to the Harlem Renaissance, I show this film to my students. No child has ever been left unaffected at seeing this film. What a wonderfully touching film. It addresses real issues of today in a yesterday atmosphere. The cinematography is somewhat lacking, but for the 1940s that is of no diminish to the beauty of this film. In addition, it is yet a marker to the contribution of the African American to the film industry and well worth the title of one of life's best kept African American secrets. The actors in the film also warrant acclaim for this. This all person-of-color film is so lovely, emotion filled and real, who would not want to spend their time evaluating its worth? As a 7th grade Language Arts instructor who is greatly proud of her heritage and the contributions my ancestors and friends have made, I am indeed proud of this cinematic star-studded glimpse of the past. And, I still cry every time I watch it today...

Wonderful celebration of talent

[jem132 · 7/10 · 22 October 2008]

Genius director Vincente Minnelli's debut remains a wonderful celebration of the talent of his all-black cast. It's also interesting showcase of the technique he would fully use later in his career in integrating musical numbers with plot seemingly effortlessly. While I do think the plot, the fight for the soul of Little Joe by the Devil and God, is a little thin and takes a while to heat up, there is plenty to enjoy in this film. Ethel Waters is quite astonishing as Joe's good wife, Petunia- what a performer! And Lena Horne sizzles (how often in the 40's did we get to see the back of a woman's bra? OK, it's hardly a big deal now, but I can't recall seeing anything like it in a 40's movie) as bad girl Georgia who could lead Joe into sin. Curious to see the DVD comes with a disclaimer that apologies for the racist attitudes prevalent in the time, and apparently evident in the film. Well, I do not question the prevailing attitudes of the age, but where are they present in this movie? I actually saw this film as a great celebration of African-American talent, not as a way of demeaning them or anything. Racist would be replacing the talented cast with white performers...and they didn't. I thought every cast member was portrayed with intelligence, even if the plot was simplistic.

Absolutely delightful

[dancopp · 10/10 · 19 January 2006]

Take the film only for what it is, a spoof, farce or light comedy. Serving that purpose, the cast is delightful with required over-the-top performances by one and all. Ethel Waters is a dream throughout; I only wish Minelli had let her sing "Takin' a Chance on Love" without the unwelcome distraction of the tap dance sequence. Besides Waters, Lucifer's team steals the show, and of course today one wishes that Louis Armstrong could have been given a chance to demonstrate his unique vocal style. But this is nitpicking. The film is an absolutely delightful period piece with a superb cast and memorable vocals. I try to watch it at least once a year and may purchase the DVD to share with friends. (I've already purchased two of Ethel Waters' CDs.)

Warm, Diverting Musical.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 16 July 2008]

Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) is a warehouseman in a small African-American town, married to Petunia (Ethel Waters), who falls ill and dreams the Lord and the Devil are testing him by allowing him to win the Irish Sweepstakes and sending him a tempting visitor in the form and person (what form, what person!) of Sweet Georgia Brown (Lena Horne). He more or less proves himself, pulls through, and he and Petunia carry on with their poor but happy lives.

It's directed by Vincente Minelli and produced by Arthur Fried, without a white person in the cast. Some of the songs have become familiar standards -- "Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe," "Shine," "Takin' a Chance on Love," and snatch of Duke Ellington's orchestra playing "Things Ain't What They Used to Be." The plot and dialog are folksy, unsophisticated, and without pretense. Eddie Anderson and his gravelly voice are amusing in themselves. Ethel Waters has a brilliant smile that changes her features into something benign, although she was apparently not easy to get along with. She disliked Lena Horne intensely here, and later developed a fully blown hatred between herself and director John Ford in "Pinky." Lena Horne is exquisitely feminine, singing, "There's honey in the honeycomb. There's jelly in the jelly roll," as she caresses her bare arms and shoulders.

I suppose it's possible to read racism into a film like this but it got past me entirely. The actors and musicians were probably overjoyed at the chance to appear in a major film. (There was a kind of parallel cinematic universe of all-black films at the time, but they rarely had the budget or skill of mainstream movies.) Further, it's difficult to imagine a cast of any color giving better musical performances. Louis Armstrong has a few minutes on screen as a devil's assistant and is given a chance to toot out one or two choice phrases. And Ellington's orchestra was one of the best in the business.

It's all very rural and cornball, of course, just as "Young Mister Lincoln" is, and "State Fair," in which a love song is sung to a hog.

Relax and spend an enjoyable hour and a half with the simple, but not simple-minded, folk of this neighborhood. It's a pleasant diversion.

Thank the heavens for this gem of a movie!

[funkyfry · 9/10 · 4 October 2002]

Fabulous first film from director Vincente Minnelli (who went on to become one of America's best directors, and had previously produced stage revues including star Waters) with an all black cast headed by the magnificent Ethel Waters. She sings classics from the musical and interpolated songs -- fortunately MGM had a good songsmith on hand in Harold Arlen, who added tunes which were, for once, the equal of the show's originals. Lena Horne also makes a sensational screen debut as "sweet" Georgia Brown. Loose comedy plot about Rochester saving his soul only holds the songs together, but the whole thing is done in a spirit of fun and shows off the great cast in full flavor. An experimental movie that passes its mark with an A+! May offend some modern tastes, but those who are offended should consider questioning their hangups and just kick their feet up and have a good time with it! Ellington and crew appear in a wonderfully photographed "shack dance".

Heaven and Heck in a Nice Little Musical

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 15 April 2013]

A compulsive gambler (Eddie Anderson) dies during a shooting, but he will receive a second chance to reform himself and to make up with his worried wife (Ethel Waters).

What I find odd about this is that MGM's DVD has a warning before it starts that what you see might be considered racist today. This might be the case. However, having seen countless films from the 1930s and 1940s with black actors, I can confidently say this is far from the worst depiction you will see. In fact, the film has an all-black cast, which has to be something of a milestone in itself regardless of how it is interpreted.

There is nothing too shocking in the picture as far as the plot is concerned. You can reasonably predict where it will go. But there is the now timeless theme of a good angel and a bad angel fighting over a man's soul... and their battles might be of interest. I liked it.

I didn't like it

[preppy-3 · 4/10 · 15 August 2005]

Spiritual (I guess) tale of a man named "Little Joe" (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) who is saved from the Devil by the prayers of his wife. But the Devil's son (Rex Ingram) has 60 days or something to get him back.

Sorry about the confusing synopsis...but I had trouble staying awake through this. I was VERY bored and it's beyond me why this is considered a great musical. For starters, the story is just silly and the script is pretty bad. Also the acting is bad. Ethel Waters OVERacts all over the place; Anderson's idea of acting is bugging out his eyes (I got tired of it after the 20th time); Lena Horne is given nothing to do and most of the other actors either underact or overact. Only Rex Ingram and Kenneth Spencer give out decent performances.

As for the songs--I didn't enjoy one of them. Not one. And what's all this about Waters' being such a great singer? Her voice was OK--that's all...and Anderson's singing was downright painful. Only Horne really put a little life into her numbers. And the "dancing"--it was good in the pool hall sequence, but there's a tap dance bit in Little Joe and Petunia's kitchen that was SO bad and clumsy that I couldn't believe it stayed in the film. And it is VERY racist. Some people can ignore it but I couldn't. Actually, after 70 minutes, I turned it off. I was bored and sick and tired of the overacting and lousy script.

I give this a 4 because of Horne and Minnelli's direction. Aside from that I hated this film.

Ethel Waters in Superb Form

[bowiebks · 25 December 2003]

This wonderful musical has a LOT going for it: a great cast of noted black actors from stage and screen, songs by Vernon Duke and Harold Arlen, the directorial debut of Vincent Minnelli, etc. But above all, you have a chance to see and hear the matchless singer/actress Ethel Waters in top form, and perhaps begin to understand why many consider her the greatest and most influential jazz/pop vocalist of all time...yes, every great singer who came later, including Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. had a style which came out of Ethel Waters...and that goes as well for her beautiful co-star in this film, Lena Horne. A must for fans of musicals, jazz, and great music!

Happiness is just a thing called Ethel

[marcslope · 7/10 · 18 January 2006]

Despite some formidable competition, this is Ms. Waters' film from start to finish. She had played Petunia on Broadway, opposite Dooley Wilson, and while the material was reworked (clumsily) for the screen, her freshness, seeming spontaneity, and miraculous way with a song dominate. She even gets to jitterbug a little. By all accounts, Ethel was not a nice woman -- insecure, demanding, downright mean to her co-stars -- but she radiates warmth and quiet religious fervor as Petunia. Some good stage songs are missing, but the new ones, by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, are their equal. ("Life's Full O' Consequences" has a particularly choice Harburg couplet: "We could be messin' 'round/ But you keeps digressin' 'round!") There's loads of talent in every frame, from a young and delectable Lena Horne to Duke Ellington's orchestra to Louis Armstrong (given practically nothing to do) to John W. Bubbles, dazzling on the dance floor. The mechanics of the self-conscious "folk tale" plot are unwieldy, and Joseph Schrank's screenplay takes a good half-hour to get going, but it's for the most part tastefully directed by Minnelli (notice how subtle the staging and camera-work are on the title number, for instance), and good to look at. But for all the first-rate singing, dancing, and acting from everyone, all Ethel has to do is wave a hankie and hum a few bars of "Taking a Chance on Love" to walk off with the picture.

I don't understand the racism charges.

[storyguy · 9/10 · 29 August 2006]

I just watched this on DVD and found myself more amused than anything by the disclaimer at the front that warns viewers that it was made in racist times and should be regarded as a historical artifact. Are they kidding? Even by the standards of today, the movie is extremely sympathetic and affectionate toward its subjects. Compare this with the Chris Rock movie "Head of State" and then try to judge how much genuine progress has been made since 1943. Many films from the first half of the 20th century were vastly more racist in tone and attitude than this one. "Birth of a Nation" this ain't. So the people in the movie gamble and fight and screw around? Who doesn't? I watched "Dead End" last week, and the thuggish white kids in that were portrayed in a much less appealing manner than the cast here.

Some gripe that the script is a little rudimentary and the acting uneven and un-nuanced. It's a little heavy on sentimentality and slow in spots. But it's a musical. You could say the same of any of the Andy Hardy movies or even many Astaire and Rogers pictures.

On the plus side, the cast is utterly stupendous. It's only a shame that Minelli couldn't shoehorn in a few more spotlight moments for all the talent that was on hand. Unlike one of the other commenters, I very much enjoyed the performances of Waters and Anderson, neither of whom I was especially familiar with previously. Bubbles of "Buck and Bubbles" was riveting for his few minutes on screen. Horne is cute as hell. Would have loved to see more of Ellington and Armstrong.

I did get the impression that Waters was holding back at times for the sake of a screen performance. She begins to let loose vocally during the dance scene in the kitchen, and Anderson humorously reins her in, seemingly making a joke of the fact that they've been told to make their performances a bit more staid for the benefit of conservative audiences in the hinterlands.

Worth seeing as just plain old entertainment, never mind the "historical interest." If you can't see its good points, it may have more to do with being unfamiliar with the idioms and conventions of the era than with any major intrinsic deficits in what's on offer.

Good, but not Great

[mikemckiernan · 6/10 · 7 June 2020]

After watching Stormy Weather (also released in 1943) first, I was disappointed with this one. Maybe it's not fair to compare them, since this came out first and Stormy Weather has more lively performances (specifically with Bojangles, Cab Calloway and the *Nicholas Brothers* in one the greatest dance finales of all time). Cabin in the Sky does have a better plot, though, and it's still worth watching for film history buffs. But for my money, Stormy Weather is the one to watch.

Oh, Little Joe

[millerbn · 8/10 · 23 January 2007]

Brilliant. Simply Brilliant. This movie appealed to me the first time I watched it. The acting is consistently good, the music is enduring, and the story is unforgettable. Little Joe is not a bad man, but he likes to make life interesting for himself. Married to a good-hearted woman and being fit as a fox, Little Joe has a pretty good life, but it takes him awhile to realize just how good he's got it, or had it as the case may be. When a lottery ticket promises to bring Little Joe everything he has ever wanted, Little Joe must decide between the straight and narrow and the prurient desires of dice, jazz, and the seductive sweet Georgia Brown. Heaven and Hell battle over Little's Joe's soul, but Little Joe must decide for himself before time runs out.

"How am I gonna reform if I don't remember what a mess I was in when I was dead?"

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 17 October 2021]

The compulsive gambler was caught cheating and took a bullet. Because of his wife's strong faith, big heart, and sincere prayer, he was given a chance to return to the living and redeem his soul within six months, so that he would not go to Hell. Of course, when he returns to life, he does not remember death and encounters with angels and devils, who now follow him and fight for his soul with various tricks.

From today's perspective, the story is quite unoriginal, but as "Cabin in the Sky" is from 1943, this cannot be taken into account. It is simple and a bit naive, but captivates with its fairytale atmosphere and a good balance of drama and comedy.

It is based on a theatrical musical, so the film, although not a musical in the strict sense, is full of song and dance. I was, honestly, a bit bored by the amount of singing in "Cabin in the Sky", but his musical quality cannot be disputed. Ethel Waters, as the leading actress, sang most of the songs, of which "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe" was nominated for an Oscar. There are also Lena Horne, Duke Ellington, and in a smaller role, Louis Armstrong, whose music was unfortunately dropped from the film.

Out of the context of the time in which it was created, "Cabin in the Sky" is a mediocre romantic humorous musical with a shabby moral-religious message that money leads to vices, and vices to Hell, while fidelity to women, devotion to family and God, hard work and sacrifice provide a ticket to Heaven. Only Ethel Waters' warmth and emotion and good music would stand out.

But in the context of 1943, it is important to note that this is one of the first films with an all-black cast. You won't even see a white man accidentally walking down the street. At the time, it was a very bold and controversial move by the MGM studio.

But as positive as the popularization of black culture is, so much the complete absence of white people in the film is, in my opinion, counterproductive, because it supports segregation as much as strictly white movies. I have the impression that it is sending a message like: "Okay, we can no longer pretend that black people don't exist, and as a sign of good will we will give you media space, but we will still not mix with you." Confirmation of that is the fact that blacks and whites had separate restaurants on the set.

Also, this is a film about black people, but it is also a film about black people and with an all-black cast, written and shot by white people. Much of the humor is based on racial stereotypes and prejudices, which also diminishes the value of initial good intentions.

Of course, I do not believe that all this was done with bad intent. Perhaps it was spontaneous racism of well-meaning filmmakers who were not even aware of all the implications of the film they are making. Simply, those were other times, segregation was in full swing, so it is unrealistic to expect MGM to prevent the above-mentioned objections. It is fairer to give them credit for the step they have taken in the right direction.

7/10.

A Tale of the Power of Love and Faith

[chemiche3 · 10/10 · 13 July 2004]

This is a timeless tale of 'Good vs. Evil' and the power of love. The film was made in 1943, and has an all black cast. It centers on the lives of little Joe Jackson (Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson) and his wife, Petunia (Ethel Waters). They are poor and live somewhere in America. A reflection of the times, their world and heaven is all black.

Little Joe doesn't deserve to have a loving devoted wife like Petunia. She's God fearing and wants him to repent and stop his gambling habits, besides that its no secret he's had an affair with town beauty, Georgia Brown (Lena Horne).

One day Petunia convinces Little Joe to go to Church. While in Church his gambling buddies Lucius (Rex Ingram), and Jim Henry (Ernest Whitman), get him to sneak out and play a game of dice with Domino Johnson (John William Sublett). Little Joe is seriously wounded when Domino attacks him for cheating.

Little Joe is taken home in a coma and even the doctor is unsure if he'll pull through. Petunia prays for Little Joe's salvation. It's during this time that the Lord's Army, led by The General (Kenneth Spencer) and Devil's from Hell led by the Devil's son Lucius Jr. fight for Little Joe's soul. Because of Petunia's 'powerful prayers' he's given another chance by God, six more months to live. There's a catch, during that time he must be good in order to get into heaven otherwise he's anxiously awaited in Hell.

When Little Joe awakes he has no memory of what happened. His wife Petunia takes care of him faithfully. Their love is highlighted by musical numbers like 'Cabin in the Sky' and 'Happiness is a Thing called Joe.'

Once Joe's able to go back to work, Georgia Brown starts having designs on him again. The Devils plot to let Little Joe win the lottery is hatched. At first it looks like its going fail. Little Joe can't read the telegram informing him about his windfall and throws it away. But Lucifer Jr. blows it in the path of sexy Georgia Brown who promptly delivers it to Little Joe at his home. Petunia's not home and Little Joe is relaxing in a hammock. Georgia Brown tries hard to tempt Little Joe to make love and a kiss is interupted when Joe's conscious catches up with him thanks to the prodding of The General who's watching over him for his six month reprieve. It's then that Georgia Brown reads the telegram and tells him that he's won the lottery. Little Joe is happy and tells Georgia Brown that he's going to buy her things like a fur coat as thanks. That's when Petunia comes back and overhears. Petunia is so enraged at Georgia Brown's presence that she kicks them both out. She is tearful and heartbroken that the man she loves has been unfaithful to her.

Cut to six month's from the day of Little Joe's injury. The great band Leader Duke Ellington and his band are playing at Jim Henry's Club thanks to Litte Joe's bankroll. Little Joe shows up in his chauffeur driven car with Georgia Brown. He's in a tuxedo complete with top hat, tails and a fancy cane. Georgia Brown is in a fancy dress that one patron says 'will still be in style one hundred years from now'. Showing her morals she exposed her fancy and expensive underwear for all to see.

Domino Johnson shows up at the Club to celebrate his release from jail

for injuring Little Joe. In a complete change of character Petunia shows up at the Club all dolled up in fancy clothes. Petunia makes it clear to Little Joe that he's going to pay for them. Little Joe is so fascinated at Petunia's beauty, saying ' he didn't know'. Petunia also tells him that he's going to hear from her lawyer to get her share of the money. Petunia even drinks liquor ordering a 'double King Kong'.

There's a showdown between Georgia Brown and Petunia for Little Joe's affection. Georgia Brown tells Little Joe to watch what he says to his wife. Petunia fires back saying that "She is still his wife and has the inside track!" The showdown gets even more interesting when Petunia thanks Domino for almost killing her husband and then dances him. She dances and kicks her leg up high showing that big women can be sexy too. Petunia's conscious and God fearing nature catches up to her when Domino starts making advances on her caressing and hugging her. Jealousy and the urge to protect Petunia overtake Little Joe and he fights once again with Domino.

Petunia calls for the Lord's intervention who sends a tornado emptying and destroying the Club, but in the process both Petunia and Little Joe are fatally wounded. At the gates of Heaven , The General tells them that only Petunia can go to heaven, but Petunia once again pleads for Joe to go as well. She points out that it was her behavior that caused the disaster. Petunia is forgiven by Little Joe is not.

It looks like he won't be entering heaven until we hear that Georgia Brown has repented and gave everything she owned including most of Little Joe's money to the church. In the end they both are allowed into heaven. Its during the climb of the stairway to heaven that Little Joe awakes out of his coma. Turns out the past six months have all be a horrible dream.

Little Joe swears off gambling forever and asks for his dice and lottery ticket to be destroyed. Viewers are left feeling that Petunia and Little Joe lived happily ever after.

The film was directed by legendary Director Vincent Minnelli. It's also a rare chance to see the talents of black entertainers of the time. One can only imagine the competition for roles in this film. It's too bad that Hollywood didn't make more black movies, in its early years. It was a time when the only roles for Blacks in Hollywood were idiots, maids and butlers and hired hands.

Overall, on talent, Cabin in the Sky makes us long for more. On story, the film is one with a message that transcends time and race.

Gospel and Tapdancing "Good" Jazz and Jitterbugging "Evil"

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 25 June 2014]

Basically Inoffensive as the All Black Cast are quite Respectable and Professional All Around. The Film's Heavy Moralizing and the Religious Preaching are More Off Putting then the Dice Throwing and the Womanizing.

The Film's Lead Characters are so Laden with Religious Overtones and the Fact that Jazz and Jitterbugging are Considered "The Devil's Playground" are the Real Dated Racial Stereotyping put forth by Do-Gooding White Folks.

The Movie is Entertaining and has Enough Comedic and Musical Appeal that it Appears as Slick and Well Done as any of the MGM Musicals, Allowing for the Very Small Budget. It is Director Vincente Minnelli's Debut Feature and is Basically just a Filmed Version of the Successful Broadway Play with not Many Film Flourishes that are Above Standard or Pedestrian.

But the Entire Cast of Singers, Dancers, and Comedians Deliver a Rare Treat with one of the Few Major Studio Productions made with an All Black Cast. Ethel Waters is the Star and gets the most Screen Time and Numbers, Lena Horne is the Eye-Candy and Sings a Few. Eddie Rochester is OK but Hardly Memorable, and Duke Ellington is Short Changed a bit but is there doing His Thing Nonetheless.

Overall, a Pleasant Musical Comedy that Falls Somewhat Short of Greatness but is Very Good and Certainly Captures a Time and Place that is a Welcomed Historical Artifact.

A Corrected View of Blacks in 1943 with "Cabin in the Sky"

[rosebud77 · 8/10 · 27 January 2007]

"Cabin in the Sky" was a great film and a milestone in the treatment of African Americans. Before this film , there was very little positive treatment of Black America. Sexuality in the African American society was rarely treated in American films after 1915 specifically in D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation." In this film , the message transferred to an audiences was that many black men were lusting after young white women. This false notion led to the group hero in the film-the KKK. Their main mission , according to the film, was to protect and save white women from the sexual obsession of blacks."Cabin in the Sky" is a religious but also a very sexy film.Men and women , in this case all black , have driving , healthy, not always moral sexual desires. The characters are not confined to kitchens,train stations, as maids and as butlers or shoeshiners. These sexual desires are often in conflict with traditional morality as seen in "Cabin." But this struggle is also a human struggle in all races . The film communicates this equality with all human nature with song , with dance , with dialog , with costuming.So ,despite the many stereotypes in the film,the equality of sexual desire is a milestone in "Cabin in the Sky." Griffith's view stands corrected. Amen!

Spirited all black musical from the '40s era is still good entertainment...

[Doylenf · 6/10 · 22 March 2008]

Vincente Minnelli's first film for MGM was CABIN IN THE SKY, from the Broadway musical--a film that no other studio at the time would take a chance on producing. A splendid cast does justice to it and it's a rollicking good time to watch ETHEL WATERS, EDDIE 'ROCHESTER' ANDERSON, REX INGRAM, KENNETH SPENCER, Oscar POLK, LENA HORNE and BUTTERFLY McQUEEN have fun with the story and music.

Rex Ingram is especially good as the horned Devil wearing black and Kenneth Spencer, using his rich bass baritone voice to good effect, is in excellent shape as The General in white. (Spencer sang 'Old Man River' as Joe in SHOW BOAT on Broadway in '46).

Basically, it's the story of temptation coming between Petunia (ETHEL WATERS) and Little Joe (EDDIE ANDERSON) and her crusade to win him away from The Devil and away from the temptress Georgia Brown (LENA HORNE). Lena never looked sexier and plays her sultry role for all it's worth.

A few of the musical moments don't come off as well as intended, looking rather awkwardly staged, and Waters has a tendency to overplay her role both in the acting and singing segments. LOUIS ARMSTRONG makes a brief appearance on the trumpet and the DUKE WELLINGTON orchestra gets to get the joint swinging with his big number. The HALL JOHNSON CHOIR does some excellent choral work for some stirring background music.

What hurts the film is the pace, a bit too slow in developing its theme and the songs, while fine, are not always given the best possible treatment. I seem to remember seeing this in Sepiatone at one time, but the print on TCM is in B&W.

Production values of a home movie

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 2/10 · 27 September 2018]

The stars deserved better, esp Lena Horne. Second-rate music. One take and print it school of movie-making El-cheapo sets. Costumes that look home-stitched. What an insult to all involved.