As individuals our identity is influenced by our belonging to a group or culture, and the societial forces surrounding us. The 1940's film Stormy Weather demonstartes a time period where culture greatly affects the society and stereotypical standards held by cinema. African Americans were rarely seen on film playing main characters but depicted as stereotypical roles. Musical films were popular and director Andrew L. Stone captures a complete African American cast including renowned actor, singer, dancer, and comedian Bill Robinson, also known as "Bojangles". Throughout the film Stone makes certain of the clearly present racial segregation occurring in the 1940's. One of the first scenes in which Bill revisits his service in the war, where he plays the drums for the band in a segrated army. Every social gathering including dances, midnight jam sessions and dinner dates, are all African American. I feel the directors overall view and vision in the film to be quite stereotypical. The grammar and slang used by each character is unmistakenly incorrect. He captures the level of education African Americans were exposed at that time in a particular song which tells a story of little of no education provided to them. My favorite scene takes place on the boat where Bill and his friends are singing. I enjoyed this particular scene because of all the instruments they used including, a laundry board, fire soot on the ground for taping, drumming with just sticks and a man using his voice to "fake" a trumpet noise. The fascinating comparison of higher status African Americans to lower status illustrates segregation within their own race. Character Selena Rogers, played by light skinned actress Lena Horne, is an upper class woman. Her speech is clearer and correct, her clothes of higher quality as well as the company surrounding her. Bill is of lower class wearing torn clothes broken grammar and similar friends surrounding him. The love interest between Selina and Bill is a chance to show the audience a status The dance performances including the jungle scene depict the dancer and singers as zebras dancing in a tribal like style. Bill shows his show as a "Class Act". Using top hat and a set of tails. This shows the difference between first producer Gabe Tucker and then Bill Bojangles Willimson.
Review of Stormy Weather
