This all black cast of 1943 has wonderful singing and dancing, but the characters themselves are quite stilted and stereotyped. What we didn't need was stereotyping.
Lena Horne exhibited a lovely voice and the ability to dance, but she was no actress whatsoever. No wonder she was never offered other parts in films. There was talk that she should have been offered the Ava Gardner part in 1951's remake of "Showboat." The claim was that she didn't get the part because she was black. After seeing this film, I can definitely state that that belief was absurd.
The plot here is very thin where Bill Robinson recounts to neighborhood children his life in the entertainment circuit after World War 1.
If you look carefully enough, you'll recognize Lightnin' from the old Amos and Andy television series.
Lena Horne exhibited a lovely voice and the ability to dance, but she was no actress whatsoever. No wonder she was never offered other parts in films. There was talk that she should have been offered the Ava Gardner part in 1951's remake of "Showboat." The claim was that she didn't get the part because she was black. After seeing this film, I can definitely state that that belief was absurd.
The plot here is very thin where Bill Robinson recounts to neighborhood children his life in the entertainment circuit after World War 1.
If you look carefully enough, you'll recognize Lightnin' from the old Amos and Andy television series.