The Jazz Singer (1927)
Grade: 51
"The Jazz Singer" is of great historical importance, as it was the first feature to incorporate dialogue and sound. Although primarily a silent, the musical numbers all have sound, and there are brief snippets of dialogue. The ad-libbed dialogue by Al Jolson delighted the audience. The tremendous box office success launched the film career of Jolson, and put the Warner Brothers studio on the map.
The story has an aging orthodox Jewish tenor (Warner Oland, better known for playing Charlie Chan in 1930s movies) raising his young son Jakie (Bobby Gordon) to take his place in the synagogue. Jakie wants to be a jazz singer, however, and runs away from home. Years later, Jakie (now played by Jolson) is a success, about to star in a broadway show. But on opening night, which falls on the Jewish Day of Atonement, his father becomes gravely ill. Jake's mother (Eugenie Besserer) implores him to skip the show to sing in the synagogue, which she believes will reconcile him with his father.
"The Jazz Singer" has been been criticized for its heavyhanded drama. The film's story and characters are simplistic. Jakie's father is humorless and stubborn, his mother is selfless and loving, and even his girlfriend and Broadway co-star (May McAvoy) isn't more than an ambitious pretty face. The choices that Jakie must make, between career and family, jazz and religion, take on a significance in the story that is much greater than the viewer's interest.
More interesting are the musical numbers. Jolson has a couple black-faced numbers, delivering "Mammy" with mawkishness ripe for parody. There a few uptempo numbers, and Jolson's enthusiasm and ability to entertain is evident. While "The Jazz Singer" is not a good movie, it isn't bad either. It is a watchable Jolson vehicle, as well as one of the most historically significant films.
kollers@mpsi.net http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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