Content warning: minstrel shows, blackfaceBill Williamson (Bill Robinson) returns from WWI to New York City to present a medal to a fallen comrade's sister, Selina Rogers (Lena Horne). He finds that she's a celebrated singer but turns down her offer to get him a job. He finds work on a riverboat and soon enough he is soft-shoe tapping in a Memphis bar with the Fats Waller band. Selina and her manager/boyfriend, Chick Bailey (Emmett Wallace) visit the same bar to hire Fats Waller, and Selina offers Bill a job again, over Chick's objections. Chick puts Bill in the lowest role of the show, refusing to let him dance, until Bill has enough and upstages Chick during his big number. Bill and Selina run off together to start their own show but their relationship founders when Bill pressures Selina to quit and become a housewife and mother. Ten years later, Bill agrees to host a respective, led by Cab Calloway, featuring Katherine Dunham, and the Nicholas Brothers.
As a musical, this is not very good. It feels dated in speech and the acting performances are stilted. The script was written by two white men based on an adaptation by another white man of a story written by two other white men and directed by a white man. As a celebration of Black talent, however, it is marvelous. Fats Waller in particular stole every scene he was in while the Nicholas Brothers are wonderful closers. The dance sequences are excellent, even if the songs are only so-so. The cast deserved better than what they were handed.
It is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel but only until 30 April, so you'd better hurry.
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