Cabin in the Sky **** (1943, Ethel Waters, Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, Lena Horne) – Classic Movie Review 8315

The MGM studio assigned musicals specialist Vincente Minnelli to Cabin in the Sky, the 1943 film of the then rare all-black cast musical, retelling the Faust legend, in which God (Kenneth Spencer as The General / the Reverend Green) and Satan (Rex Ingram as Lucius / Lucifer Jr.) battle for the soul of a lazy husband, Little Joe (Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson), married to devoted Petunia (Ethel Waters) and tempted by sweet Georgia Brown (Lena Horne).

Cabin in the Sky was a milestone in its day, and, though it obviously reflects the different attitudes of so many years ago, the singing, performances and music are still admirable. Sidney Wagner shoots in black and white, and Arthur Freed produces. Busby Berkeley is uncredited director.

It is based on a hit stage show (with the screenplay by Joseph Schrank based upon the book of the musical play by Lynn Root) with extra songs by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, whose ‘Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe’ (sung by Waters) was Oscar nominated. Other songs include ‘Cabin in the Sky’, ‘Taking a Chance on Love’, and  ‘Life’s Full of Consequences’.

Also in the cast are Louis Armstrong, Rex Ingram, Kenneth Spencer,  John W Sublett [John W Bubbles], Oscar Polk, Mantan Moreland, Willie Best, Fletcher Rivers, Leon James [Leon James Poke], Bill Bailey, Butterfly McQueen, Ruby Dandridge, Ford L Washington [Ford Washington Lee] and Duke Ellington.

The stage show is written by Lynn Root (libretto) and composed by Vernon Duke (music) and John La Touche (lyrics). Produced by Albert Lewis and Vinton Freedley, it opened at the Martin Beck Theater on 25 October 1940 and ran for 156 performances.

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8315

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