The Jazz Singer (1927)

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

Director:

Alan Crosland

Writers:

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

Stars:

Al Jolson, May McAvoy, Warner Oland

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited 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
Yossele Rosenblatt	...	Cantor Rosenblatt - Concert Recital (as Cantor Joseff Rosenblatt)

Storyline

Cantor Rabinowitz is concerned and upset because his son Jakie shows so little interest in carrying on the family's traditions and heritage. For five generations, men in the family have been cantors in the synagogue, but Jakie is more interested in jazz and ragtime music. One day, they have such a bitter argument that Jakie leaves home for good. After a few years on his own, now calling himself Jack Robin, he gets an important opportunity through the help of well-known stage performer Mary Dale. But Jakie finds that in order to balance his career, his relationship with Mary, and his memories of his family, he will be forced to make some difficult choices.

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Plot Keywords:

blackface | national film registry | afi | cantor | jazz singer | 

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Taglines:

The supreme triumph the world has ever known in the Motion Picture Industry.

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 1927 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Jazzsänger

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$422,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$7,630,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Vitaphone)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Warner Brothers quietly threw in the towel on the Vitaphone disk process in 1932. Not wanting to risk losing the disks, Warner Bros. had all of the Vitaphone sound for the film transferred to optical tracks on the side of the film itself in the 1930s.

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Goofs

During the audience applause after "Tootsie", it's clear that the clip is just being looped, as a person behind the counter in the background repeatedly enters from off-screen without exiting.

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Quotes

Jack Robin: [singing] Blue skies Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies Do I see Bluebirds Singing a song Nothing but bluebirds All day long Never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you're in love, my how they fly Blue days All of them gone Nothing but blue skies From now on.
Jack Robin: Did you like that mama?
Sara Rabinowitz: Yes.
Jack Robin: I'm glad of it. I'd rather please you then anybody I know of. Oh darlin, would you give me something?
Sara Rabinowitz: What?
Jack Robin: You'll never guess. Shut your eyes ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Daffy Duck's Movie: Fantastic Island (1983)

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Soundtracks

The Sidewalks of New York
(1894) (uncredited)
Music by Charles Lawlor
Played during the opening montage of the New York ghetto

User Reviews

a film boosted by its legendary historical status

Whatever might be the shortcomings of this famous film, it is an uncanny experience to visit it from time to time. As we know, although it's the first 'talki' it's mostly a silent movie with all that entails. Nevertheless, those moments when sound and image are synchronised, often just for one side of the disc used for the soundtrack, are electrifying. The heat is turned up by the fact that Al Jolson improvised some of his lines, much to the horror of his stage mother. And besides, the tale of the errant son making good in the big lights is affecting. The music is superb, and we are rewarded by some haunintg evocations of the Jewish cantor tradition. I love the film.