Un petit coin aux cieux

Cabin in the Sky marks the debut of director Vincente Minnelli, one of cinema's greatest and most prolific directors of musicals. Already an experienced stage director, pianist and perhaps most importantly of all a painter, Minnelli came to Hollywood as the protégé of lyricist-turned producer Arthur Freed – one of the most significant names in the development of the screen musical.

Although this is one of his cheaper productions (as evidenced by the simplicity of the sets and the use of borrowed footage) Cabin in the Sky is no exception to the typical Freed pattern of assembling a wide variety of musical talent. Here we get to enjoy virtually all the biggest names in black entertainment of the day – the gorgeous singing voice of Ethel Waters, the musicianship of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, the dancing of Bill Bailey and John William Sublett, to name just a few. With this line-up, Cabin in the Sky was bound to be a great show, but it was also likely to fall into the same trap as many of the Freed musicals – that you might have a great variety show, but not a unified, coherent musical.

This is somewhat the case here, especially as the story is rather flimsy and clichéd. What saves it is Freed's firm belief in the integrated musical (every song woven into the plot) and Minnelli's inventive direction. Freed more or less gave Minnelli free rein over the staging of the musical numbers. Whereas in many of the earlier musicals there is a very conscious break in style whenever a song begins, in Cabin in the Sky each number flows seamlessly into the action. For example, in "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe", Ethel Waters' singing begins with no prior cues to the audience that a song is about to start. The narrative then leaps ahead to her hanging out the washing while the song continues. The number finishes with Rex Ingram and his Buddy appearing from behind a sheet, leading us into the next scene. The narrative has not taken a break for the song – it has continued alongside it.

Also in evidence is Minnelli's graceful visual style. Minnelli, with his painter's eye, delicately frames his subjects with doorways and overhanging branches. You can also see his developing talent for movement flowing in and out of the frame, particularly in the "Li'l Black Sheep" number in the church. Perhaps the most typical "Minnelli" moment is in the large group shot that he puts together for the title song, the camera pulling out to reveal the whole crowd as the singing reaches a crescendo. For all its beauty though, it does seem to be a rather strained effort, and in his later pictures he would stage sequences that were far more complex and yet looked far more effortless.

A quick word about the actors. While most of the cast were hired more for their ability to sing or dance than anything else, those of them taken on purely as actors are nevertheless a joy to watch. Rex Ingram gets to do what he does best in an extravagant performance as "Lucifer Jr.", and is almost as scene-stealing as he was as the genie in Thief of Bagdad. And Butterfly McQueen's role may be small, but at least she really gets to act here, rather than appearing as a comic relief funny voice.

The songs too are wonderful. The Arlen/Harburg numbers which were written especially for the film version are not as good as anything they did for Wizard of Oz, but then what is? The real highlights though are the original Vernon Duke/John La Touche songs, especially the sublime "Taking a Chance on Love", and it's a shame these two barely made a splash in musicals.

In spite of all this, Cabin in the Sky is still best enjoyed as a series of performances. It is wonderful to watch, not least because it is a showcase for the talents of a whole group of entertainers who made far too few screen appearances, but it doesn't stand up as a musical in its own right.

Ethel Waters, you hear her singing style in almost all early singers from the late 20's and 30's. Mildred Bailey, Billie Holiday. She had the clearest voice and such enunciation. She was a miserable woman tho and thats why you never hear other singers give her praise. In this film her singing is as tear jerking today as it was on those old 78's. She sings and you understand every word and in this movie you even can see her do a little shimmy for which she was renowned for early in her career. A great cast. Lena is superb as always and Bubbles from the vaudevillian team "buck and bubbles" along with earl snake hip tucker. These are Harlem legends that ruled 133rd street (the real swing street) in their day. My mother never tires of this movie as she was a devout Ethel fan all her life (she was born in 1923) so she grew up listening to this legend. Get this bit of American history

Brilliant. Simply Brilliant. This movie appealed to me the first time I watched it. The acting is consistently good, the music is enduring, and the story is unforgettable. Little Joe is not a bad man, but he likes to make life interesting for himself. Married to a good-hearted woman and being fit as a fox, Little Joe has a pretty good life, but it takes him awhile to realize just how good he's got it, or had it as the case may be. When a lottery ticket promises to bring Little Joe everything he has ever wanted, Little Joe must decide between the straight and narrow and the prurient desires of dice, jazz, and the seductive sweet Georgia Brown. Heaven and Hell battle over Little's Joe's soul, but Little Joe must decide for himself before time runs out.

I would like to take the time to express what an OUTSTANDING MOVIE "Cabin in The Sky" is. As an African-American Male, I must say this Movie is really ahead of it's time in the way it depicted that whole setting with the "Soldiers of the Lord's Army", & "The Devil" (Lucifer Jr.), & his "followers".

That whole theory as it pertains (Biblically), to Men & Women "grappling" with their conscience to do the "Right Thing", dealing with the "forces" of "good vs. evil", really comes to light here.

You actually see "Lucifer Jr." arguing with the "General" of God's Army about the "rules" & regulations on how to get "Little Joe" (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson), to commit sin & do the wrong things.

I've been raised in the African-American Baptist Church, and for me, it just seemed as if these characters came to life just like it was taught in Sunday School & Church!!!

I'm also amazed at the "ethnic insight" of the Director Vincente Minnelli. He picked the "RIGHT" Black Actors to portray the various characters that had the ability to get the point(s) across effectively.

Considering this Movie/Musical was being shown to an audience in 1943 America, (WHICH WAS STILL VERY RACIST), Director Minelli seemed to make the "connection" without any problem at all.

Of course, the cast was an All Star, All Black cast which was good for the Actors/Actresses because it gave them much needed work. I could relate to the part of "Petunia" played by Ethel Waters. She reminded me of a really nice Woman who currently attends my Church.

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Rex Ingram, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, & a host of others, came together to make this Movie one of the "Great Ones" in my opinion. These Actors/Actresses are all gone now, but their talent will remain in the hearts & minds of many fans as well as movie history which I'm sure will be kind to them.

"Cabin in The Sky!!" A great Movie that I would highly recommend for the entire Family.

This is the sort of film that you'd certainly NOT see being made today and I am sure that "Cabin in the Sky" might make a few out there cringe--with its rather stereotypical characters--including several quite shiftless folks. However, if you can hold on to the politically correct voice welling up inside and just accept the film for what it is, then it's well worth seeing.

This is a highly unusual film for its time. Despite the leading character being a dice-shooting no account, the fact that White Hollywood would produce a film with an all-Black cast is amazing--even if the characters are all either non-threatening "good Negroes" and the rest are "shiftless"--a rather two-dimensional view (at best). Still, if this film hadn't been made, performances by such greats as Ethel Waters, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong never would have been seen and appreciated by a wider audience. Sadly, when you watch and see Kenneth Spencer in the film, you think of what a loss it was that Hollywood never gave him much of a chance and that he died so young--he had an absolutely beautiful voice.

The film's plot is highly unusual. It's a religious allegory about the soul of one particular shiftless fool (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson). Anderson is given one last chance by God and the angels try to steer him towards good while the devils try to lead him down the path of destruction. And even more unusual is that the film is a singing and dancing musical. Some of the more hilarious performances are by Lucifer, Jr.'s imps. Sure, they are walking stereotypes, but seeing Louis Armstrong, Mantan Moreland and Willie Best acting is very entertaining--the dialog is very funny and original.

Overall, the film is very entertaining and a wonderful showcase for some of the best Black entertainers of the day. Well made and certainly not a movie you'll soon forget.