The Jazz Singer (1927)

Director:

Alan Crosland

Writers:

Samson Raphaelson (play)
Alfred A. Cohn (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

6 October 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

WARNER BROS. Supreme Triumph ! ! !

Plot:

The son of a Jewish Cantor must defy his father in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.

Plot Keywords:

Cantor | Jazz | Jazz Singer | Singer | Jewish

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins

Cast

Al Jolson	...	Jakie Rabinowitz
May McAvoy	...	Mary Dale
Warner Oland	...	The Cantor
Eugenie Besserer	...	Sara Rabinowitz
Otto Lederer	...	Moisha Yudelson
Robert Gordon	...	Jakie Rabinowitz - Age 13 (as Bobby Gordon)
Richard Tucker	...	Harry Lee
Cantor Joseff Rosenblatt	...	Cantor Rosenblatt - Concert Recital
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Arden	...	Small Part (uncredited)
Ernest Belcher	...	Choreographer - 'April Follies' (uncredited)
Violet Bird	...	Small Part (uncredited)
Nat Carr	...	Levi (uncredited)
Claire Delmar	...	Small Part (uncredited)
William Demarest	...	Buster Billings (uncredited)
Neely Edwards	...	Dance Director (uncredited)
Audrey Ferris	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Joseph Green	...	Walk-on (uncredited)
Ena Gregory	...	Small Part (uncredited)
Roscoe Karns	...	Agent (uncredited)
Mary Grace Larsen	...	Small part (uncredited)
Myrna Loy	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
John Miljan	...	Host (uncredited)
Margaret Oliver	...	Small Part (uncredited)
Anders Randolf	...	Dillings (uncredited)
Josele Rosenblatt	...	Cantor (uncredited)
Carolynne Snowden	...	Backstage Maid (uncredited)
Marie Stapleton	...	Small Part (uncredited)
Will Walling	...	Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Crosland

Writing credits
Samson Raphaelson		(short story "The Day of Atonement") uncredited
Samson Raphaelson		(play)
Alfred A. Cohn		(adaptation)
Jack Jarmuth		(titles)

Original Music by
Louis Silvers		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Hal Mohr		(photography)

Film Editing by
Harold McCord		(edited by)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gordon Hollingshead	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Gerald W. Alexander	....	sound (uncredited)
Harvey Cunningham	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
George Groves	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Nathan Levinson	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)
William A. Mueller	....	sound technician (uncredited)
William Schwartz	....	sound (uncredited)
James V. Swartz	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Nugent Slaughter	....	special effects (uncredited)

Music Department
Rosa Rio	....	orchestrator
Louis Silvers	....	musical director: Vitaphone Orchestra
Louis Silvers	....	musical score directed by
Edmund Ross	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Alpharetta	....	technician
Lewis Geib	....	technician
Esdras Hartley	....	technician
Fred Jackman	....	technician
F.N. Murphy	....	technician
Victor Vance	....	technician
Ernest Belcher	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (as A Warner Brothers Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1927) (USA) (theatrical) (as The Vitaphone Corporation) (presents)
• Dominant Pictures Corporation (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• La Sept-Arte  sound restoration (1998 version)
• Lobster Films  sound restoration (1998 version)
• Vitaphone Orchestra  orchestra

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Vitaphone)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | Australia:G | UK:U | USA:Unrated | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:All

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

Al Jolson's famous line (as Jack Robin) "You ain't heard nothin' yet." was an ad-lib. The intention was that the film should only have synchronized music, not speech, but Jolson dropped in the line (which he used in his stage act) after the song "Dirty Hands, Dirty Face". The director wisely left it in.

Goofs:

Continuity: The handkerchief in Jack's suit pocket seems to change shape between shots in numerous scenes.

Quotes:

Jack Robin:Mammy! Don't you know me? It's your little baby!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nostalgia Critic: Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (#5.26)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Give My Regards to Broadway

More Than Just A 'Curiosity Piece'

An historic film, billed as "the first talkie," this was a surprise because many of the lines are not verbalized, only when Al Jolson sings or just before or just after his songs. Otherwise, most of it is still a silent film with the words shown on the screen as in the other silent films.

This is a powerful story with interesting characters and good songs, to boot. It was different to see Warner Oland as somebody else besides Charlie Chan. He played Jolson's father and I never would have recognized him had I not read the credits. Nor would I have recognized William Demarest.

Jolson, however, is the man who dominates the film. Some of this songs wound up being classics, ones played for years and years, such as "Toot, Toot Toosie" and "Mammy."

Faced with a very tough decision on what to do with his life, Jolson's character does the right thing in the end, which was nice to see. Overall, it's entertaining.