Stormy Weather

1943 Musical
70%

Built around the premise of a Big Stage Show, Stormy Weather affords rare mainstream leading roles to some of the era's greatest African-American entertainers Lena Horne, Bill Bojangles Robinson, Dooley Wilson, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller, and the Nicholas Brothers. The thinnish plotline -- dancer Robinson has an on-again-off-again romance with Horne -- is simply an excuse for lively, well-staged performances. Of the fourteen musical numbers, the most memorable is Lena Horne's rendition of the title song, artfully staged by director Andrew L. Stone. Keep an eye out for uncredited contributions by jazz greats Zutty Hamilton, Coleman Hawkins and Taps Miller.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide