Cabin in the Sky

Synopsis: 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
Genre: Fantasy, Musical
Production: WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Rotten Tomatoes:
82%
PASSED
Year:
1943
98 min
664 Views


Good evening, Lily. How are you?

Glad to see you.

- Hello, boys. How are you?

- Good evening, Reverend.

- Good evening. Glad to see you.

- How do you do?

- Good evening.

- I see you brought the twins too.

They had to come out.

I hope they stay awake.

- Hello there, Jean.

- How are you?

Come on in, now. Take your hats off, boys.

Take your hats off.

You see, Reverend?

It ain't every Wednesday night a scamp

like Little Joe comes back to the fold.

- Petunia dragged him in yet?

- He's coming of his own free will.

Well, I'll believe that

when I sees him stand up and confess.

Maybe he's let Petunia

down again, Reverend.

You better step over

to the house and make sure.

If he done backslid,

he wouldn't pay no mind to a deacon.

- You better go yourself.

- Perhaps you're right.

Petunia felt so sure of him this time.

- Now, we don't wanna be late, darling.

- Just a minute, Petunia.

Oh, the Lord won't mind if you

ain't wearing a necktie, Little Joe.

- I found the tie.

- Then what you worried about, honey?

Right now

I'm wrestling with the devil.

While I was looking for the necktie

in the bureau drawer...

...I also found two calamity cubes.

And I ain't thrown them away yet.

If I been redeemed, why ain't

I pitched them right into the stove?

The fact you told me you found them

shows you are trying to be good, Little Joe.

- Evening, Petunia.

- Evening, Reverend.

Bring them along

so Reverend Green can burn them up.

- Burn what up, Petunia?

- Oh, Little Joe found some dice...

...and he thinks the devil's

got a toehold on him again.

But don't worry,

we'll be to the meeting tonight.

Hurry up, Little Joe.

Reverend Green's here.

I'll be there in just a minute, honey.

I don't think any man could be very bad

with you to take care of him.

Oh, I reckon he knows I love him.

Yes, he knows I love him

better than anything in this world.

And he also knows now, when he gambles,

he ain't never gonna win.

How did you convince him of that?

I just showed him he can't win

when I ask the Lord to make him lose.

Is that why his luck's

always been so bad?

That's the only reason.

He just naturally got a talent for gambling.

Little Joe would've won every two bits

in this town if I hadn't told the Lord...

...I didn't want us

to make money that way.

You're a wonderful woman, Petunia.

Only last week he bought

an Irish Sweepstake ticket.

Got stuck up there in the mirror,

worshipping it every day.

"Guaranteed by two dream books

and a fortuneteller."

But I've been talking to the Lord about that.

It ain't gonna win either.

What made Little Joe realize

the power of your faith?

I'll tell you, Reverend, it's like this.

I've been praying every day

for Little Joe to get a job.

This morning he got one.

And that's finally convinced him

the Lord's in my corner.

- Good evening, Reverend.

- Evening, Joseph.

I hear you've started to work.

Yes, sir. From now on,

you can address me as "mine host."

- I've gone into the hotel business.

- That's fine.

He means he's got a job

down at that new hotel downtown.

Yes, sir. I'm operative in charge

of elevator number two.

That's gonna be nice for Little Joe.

That hotel's air-conditioned.

You know, honey,

when I get rich in the elevator game...

...maybe I'll air-condition our residence.

This one's already air-conditioned

with half the roof gone.

Well, it's about time

to start the services.

- You'll hurry along, won't you?

- We'll be there.

Reverend, when you call on

the sinners to confess...

...you'd better assign me

the rest of the evening.

Oh, you're not that bad, Joseph.

Now, those who wish to start out

on this pilgrim journey...

...we all will sing and join in singing

the song of invitation.

'Tis the old ship of Zion

Come on, children. Come on, children.

Go ahead, now, Little Joe.

Go on, honey.

- Amen. Praise the Lord.

- Little Joe's joining up, Lily.

That's nice.

Wasn't a minute too soon, neither.

Don't whistle at me

through a church window, gentlemen.

- Can't you see I'm busy getting saved?

- Now, wait a minute.

Wait with that "getting saved" business

until you pays the money you owe.

- And you owes me more.

- You owe me more than that.

And you'll all be paid.

- Good evening, gentlemen.

- Wait a minute.

You can pay us now.

Domino Johnson's back in town.

Domino Johnson?

- You in fast company.

- Yeah, he's over to Jim Henry's caf now.

Loaded with money.

- Give him my congratulations.

- He's raring for action.

- He won't play with any of us.

- And he won't play with me.

I got an appointment with repentance.

Wait a minute. This is your chance.

Your last chance to make yourself

change before you gets repented.

Domino Johnson don't know you.

No, but you do.

And you know how unlucky I am.

- But this time, you'll play with our money.

- And with our dice.

And Georgia Brown

will be over there tonight too.

Look, please let me go.

- Be yourself. You coming along with us.

- I gave up gambling for Petunia's sake.

Didn't you say you wanted Petunia...

...to have those nice things

she didn't have before?

- Yes.

- All right, then, here's your chance.

Your last chance

to make it the easy way.

Why, man, you can clean up big tonight.

Yeah, but they're waiting

for me back in there.

Oh, you can get saved any day.

An opportunity like this only comes once.

Well, maybe I better cut down

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Joseph Schrank

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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