As film historian Richard M. Roberts opines on the commentary track for Yesterday and Today (which is actually a compilation of two different British-made film compilations), there is simply no explanation for George Jessel's career - or at least, there isn't for anyone who didn't see him on Broadway in The Jazz Singer back in the roaring twenties. The rest of us grew up watching him being mildly droll on TV talk and game shows, and I too can remember being absolutely baffled by his apparent prominence and fame. Yet here he is in 1953, narrating (rather badly) this 'movies are your best entertainment value' puff piece masquerading as a tribute to the early days of cinema. Some of the clips are familiar, but quite a few are not (or at least, were not to me!), and may only exist in part right here - which, of course, renders this a rather important little film in itself. Trust me, though: go straight to Roberts' commentary and skip Jessel's terrible MST3K-style commentary and lip-synced rendition of Toot Toot Tootsie.
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