#Eddie Rochester

[lovelyylittleladyy]

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

[pemberlaey]

i bring a sort of “mr rochester should have died in the fire” energy to any critical discussion of jane eyre

[doe-eyes-saw]

There's a lot of Eddie's out there.

Reblog with your favorite Eddie?

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Topper Returns (1941) Roy Del Ruth

December 18th 2023

[erstwhile-punk-guerito]

[donnatroyprincessofthemyscira]

Art Credit to Joe Phillips

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Topper Returns 1941

[gatutor]

Gloria De Haven-George Murphy-Eddie Rochester Anderson-Charles Winninger "Broadway rhythm" 1944, de Roy Del Ruth.

[aswell84]

Peter Falk as third cabby in the adventure-comedy classic, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, in 1963.

[character-actor-tournament]

Round 4, Match 5

Scatman Crothers vs Eddie Anderson

[godabandonedthisuniverse]

[therileyandkimmyshow]

Podcast 3727

[raynbowclown]

Star Spangled Rhythm

Star Spangled Rhythm is a patriotic WWII musical comedy featuring all the biggest Paramount Studio stars of the era. Musical mayhem ensues when an attendant at Paramount (Victor Moore) tries to impress his navy son (Eddie Bracken) … by claiming that he is a studio mogul! Continue reading Untitled

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What Price Hollywood? (1932) George Cukor

May 14th 2023

[adamwatchesmovies]

Cabin in the Sky (1943)

When you finally see Cabin in the Sky, I know exactly what your reaction will be. You'll be yelling at the screen saying "How is it I’m only getting to this movie now?" With an all-black cast, this musical from the forties should by all reason be a classic. Even with its heavy Christian themes and a storytelling style that you don’t see much anymore (and I’m not talking about the singing), it’s so playful and innocent it should have a much larger following than it does.

Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) has been trying to put away his gambling obsession with the help of his strong-willed wife, Petunia (Ethel Waters). When he is killed over a gambling debt, the angel "The General" (Kenneth Spencer) gives him one more chance to change his ways but only because he committed a single sin too many and is facing an eternity in Hell. Feeling cheated, Lucifier Jr. (The son of Satan himself, played by Rex Ingram) doubles down on his efforts to make Little Joe return to his sinful ways.

It’s hard not to think of The Wizard of Oz and It’s a Wonderful Life when viewing Cabin in the Sky. The actors who play "The General" and Lucifer Jr. also play characters in Little Joe’s life. His death at the beginning of the film is an opportunity for him to return to the real world and see how different choices could affect his life (but in this case, for the better). There’s a lot of talk about Heaven and Hell but the film is showing us its own interpretation of what one’s battle for their soul might look like rather than sticking to what the Pastor might say. It’s in black and white. It’s a musical. All of these make it feel like a movie you’ve gathered around and watched with the family dozens of times over the years. Doubly so if you're Black because of the cast, the good message and the overall tone, which is perfectly suited for every member of the family.

While the songs featured may not stick in your head long after the movie ends, they fit the story so well that taking them out would be unthinkable. They’re wonderfully playful and expertly performed. Ethel Waters, in particular, is so strong she'll make you forgive the film for cutting short Louis Armstrong’s trumpeting solo (which leaves him with only a small part as one of Lucifer Jr.’s minions). Whenever she and Eddie Anderson are together, you completely believe them as a couple. You can feel the love between them and this makes you crave a happy ending. If only Little Joe can figure himself out!

There’s an air of innocence about the whole thing, even when beautiful gold-digger Georgia Brown (Lena Horne) comes around to seduce Little Joe (what he could’ve done to ever garner her attention is a mystery so you just know she’s up to no good). Lucifer Jr.’s menacing but not all that scary and when Rex Ingram smiles, you can’t help yourself; you do too. His smile is so infectious… maybe the apple does fall far from the tree sometimes? Probably not but he’s so charismatic you kind of like him as the villain.

If certain aspects of the film feel like they’re a little bit on-the-nose, a bit much, just give the film the benefit of the doubt and keep watching. Things all come together in the end in an unexpected way… but simultaneously not. "Oh, of course!" you’ll say as the picture closes. "In this kind of movie, that’s exactly how things should go!" If it were made today, you’d call it a cheat and it is a bit in a way but it’s fine to make the choices it makes once in a while. Particularly in these older movies, it just feels right.

Cabin in the Sky is a product of its time and some of the characters might be described as broad or stereotypical but it’s just so charming you won't care. It’s fine to have a movie like this one once in a while. You could say the same thing about musicals as a whole. Its performers, songs, jovial tone and uplifting story, along with a nostalgic feel throughout make it a winner, maybe even a new favorite. (June 18, 2021)

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Watch "Eddie "Rochester" Anderson - Bagel And Lox [1946] [Apollo Records]" on YouTube

Eddie Anderson, best remembered today as Jack Benny's butler Rochester Van Jones, blew his voice out working as a newsboy as a child (child labor laws? never heard of them), but was still so good that he couldn't be ignored.