Director Vincent Minnelli (Liza’s dad) made his debut with this musical, which I’m sure was a risky venture in 1943, because it is composed of an entirely black cast.
Little Joe Jackson (Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, TV’s THE JACK BENNY SHOW) is trying to reform after marrying Petunia (Ethel Waters, THE SOUND AND THE FURY). But his old friends lure him into trouble again, which leads to an angel named The General (Kenneth Spencer, BATAAN) and demon Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram, SAHARA) making a bargain that if Little Joe can’t stay straight for the next six months he will go to hell. To spice up the temptation of Little Joe, Lucifer Jr. tosses in the sex kitten Georgia Brown (Lena Horne, THE WIZ) and a winning sweepstakes ticket.
The story is pretty standard, but the production isn’t. It’s full of life and charm. Ethel Water isn’t the best actress ever, but she has screen presence and an amazing voice. Eddie Anderson has wonderful comic timing and a matter-of-fact way of delivering his lines that is hilarious. Plus, you get the treat of seeing jazz legends Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway. The music and the story flow together nicely. There’s also an amazing tap number performed by John William Sublett (1940’s BUCK & BUBBLES series) as smooth-taking gangster Domino Johnson. This film is a soulful piece of cinema that’s uplifting as well as highly entertaining.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
