Cabin in the Sky is a 1943 American musical film based on the 1940 Broadway musical of the same name. The first feature film directed by Vincente Minnelli, Cabin in the Sky features an all-black cast and stars Ethel Waters, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Lena Horne. Waters and Rex Ingram reprise their roles from the Broadway production as Petunia and Lucifer Junior, respectively. The film was Horne's first and only leading role in an MGM musical. Louis Armstrong is also featured in the film as one of Lucifer Junior's minions, and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra have a showcase musical number in the film.
Theatrical release poster
L-R: Ethel Waters, Kenneth Spencer, Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne, and Rex Ingram
Vincente Minnelli was an American stage director and film director. For a career nearly spanning almost five decades, he is best known for his sophisticated innovation and artistry in musical films. As of 2024, six of his films have been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Vincente Minnelli, circa 1950s
Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell in I Dood It (1943)
Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Lucille Bremer and Fred Astaire in Yolanda and the Thief (1945)