3 Movies Starring Ethel Waters

Cabin in the Sky

Cabin in the Sky

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1943-04-09

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

98 min

Rated:

PASSED

IMDB Ratings:

7.3 (1792 Reviews)

Cast:

Writer:

Joseph Schrank (screen play)

Lynn Root (based upon the book of the musical play by)

Fullplot:

Chronic gambler and carouser "Little" Joe Jackson is shot by Domino Johnson at Jim Henry's gambling club over an outstanding gambling debt. Little Joe's wife, the God-fearing Petunia Jackson, prays not only for her husband's mortal life, but also his eternal soul as she's afraid that if he dies now, he, despite not being an evil man, won't make it into heaven. As Little Joe is close to death, he is visited by agents of both the Lord and of Lucifer. They make a deal with him: they will give him six months to atone for the errors of his human life. Once back on Earth, he won't remember the deal but both the Lord and Lucifer will be watching over him, trying to get him to see things their way. As both sides try to get Little Joe's soul, they figure that some of the most powerful tools they have at their disposal are the women in Little Joe's life: Petunia on behalf of the Lord, and Georgia Brown, a gold-digging floozy, on behalf of Lucifer. As hard as both the Lord and Lucifer try to get Little Joe on their side, they don't factor into the equation human judgment, which turns some of their work against them.

Pinky

Pinky

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1949-11-01

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

102 min

Rated:

APPROVED

IMDB Ratings:

7.2 (1784 Reviews)

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Cid Ricketts Sumner (novel)

Philip Dunne (screenplay)

Dudley Nichols (screenplay)

Fullplot:

The Member of the Wedding

The Member of the Wedding

Basic Info:

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

93 min

Rated:

TV-G

IMDB Ratings:

7.1 (922 Reviews)

Director:

Fred Zinnemann

Genres:

Drama

Cast:

Writer:

Edna Anhalt (screenplay)

Edward Anhalt (screenplay)

Carson McCullers (novel)

Carson McCullers (play)

Fullplot:

In a small Georgia town, twelve year old tomboy Frankie Addams feels unconnected to the world, a fact troubling to her. Her unconventional views for a twelve year old girl make her an outcast among her peers, which she in turn blames for her situation rather than anything of her own doing. Her only real friend is John Henry, her younger next door neighbor, although she doesn't see him as a friend since she doesn't consider him a peer. As her widowed father is all consumed with running his small business, Frankie is largely left to the care of their housekeeper, Berenice. Berenice tries to provide as much true guidance to Frankie and what Frankie considers her problems, although Berenice has her own troubles looking after her wild foster brother, Honey Camden, her only surviving family. In addition, Frankie largely sees Berenice's advice as the rantings of a large, crazy black woman. Frankie believes that she has finally found her place in life upon the return to town and announcement by her older enlisted brother Jarvis that he is getting married to a woman named Janice. Immediately upon seeing Jarvis and Janice together, she falls in love with "them", believing she can be a "member" of "them" by leaving town with them immediately following the wedding. Frankie even wants to change her name to Jasmine to feel more connected to them as they will all then have a name "Ja__". Two negative situations following the wedding - one in reaction to her finding out that she can't go with Jarvis and Janice - may however put Frankie in the right direction to truly finding her place in life.

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