Two all black cast musicals came out in 1943 and Lena Horne starred in both. Throughout her career and you can search her credits Lena Horne played very few parts other than Lena Horne. Her studio MGM didn't know what to do with her. In 1943 she did do Cabin In The Sky for MGM and on loan to 20th Century Fox she did Stormy Weather with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
Robinson also did specialty numbers in films. He had credits as characters, but his dialog is minimal. Relatively speaking it's minimal in Stormy Weather, but he did have a lead.
The plot itself is an excuse to hang a lot of standard song and dance numbers on. Robinson is a returning soldier from World War I and he meets and pursues aspiring singer Lena Horne. Robinson likes to entertain, but wants a home and family to come home to. Horne is career drive. Not too different from films that starred people like Alice Faye and Betty Grable at Fox.
Still with more dialog than usual, but still not much Robinson and Horne do create real characters. But seeing them sing and dance is what you paid to see in the movie theater. Especially Lena Horne singing the title song and I Can't Give You Anything But Love. Add Cab Calloway to the mix and Stormy Weather is a real treat for the eye and ear.
Robinson also did specialty numbers in films. He had credits as characters, but his dialog is minimal. Relatively speaking it's minimal in Stormy Weather, but he did have a lead.
The plot itself is an excuse to hang a lot of standard song and dance numbers on. Robinson is a returning soldier from World War I and he meets and pursues aspiring singer Lena Horne. Robinson likes to entertain, but wants a home and family to come home to. Horne is career drive. Not too different from films that starred people like Alice Faye and Betty Grable at Fox.
Still with more dialog than usual, but still not much Robinson and Horne do create real characters. But seeing them sing and dance is what you paid to see in the movie theater. Especially Lena Horne singing the title song and I Can't Give You Anything But Love. Add Cab Calloway to the mix and Stormy Weather is a real treat for the eye and ear.