(105 min) Released 1928-09-19
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Stars: Al Jolson, Betty Bronson, Josephine Dunn
Genres: Musical | Drama
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019388/
This is the next integrated sound film, or at least the next musical; no trivia entry to confirm either. Good to see this transition film between The Jazz Singer ('27) and the all-talkies of 1929. This has a large portion shot silent, accompanied by music and title-carded, but a much larger portion of talking and singing than TJS.
This is definitely a drama, and Jolson interacts well with the small child playing his son. (AJ didn't have children of his own, adopted, until '35.) It was nice to see divorcing parents behave civilly. I wan't particularly drawn into AJ's grief, but he didn't overplay it. (I'm used to seeing him in blackface, so I don't think that was a factor.)
Full songs:
- 14:15 It All Depends on You, AJ on nightclub stage
- 22:30 I'm Sitting on Top of the World, AJ on nightclub stage. At one point they go in for a closeup at a slightly different angle, and the sync is seamless, as though they were filming with 2 cameras.
- 26:00 There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder, AJ on nightclub stage
- 48:00 Sonny Boy, AJ in son's room, as lullaby
- 1:12:20 Keep Smiling at Trouble, AJ in backstage office playing piano
- 1:23:20 Sonny Boy, AJ in son's hospital room, again as lullaby.
- 1:37:10 Sonny Boy, AJ onstage in blackface
Despite the poster, there's very little dancing here, and it's shot from a great distance and silent, playing back too fast.
Although this is an official studio release, parts of the film are very damaged. But I didn't notice that during the songs, so either they're in better shape, or AJ's performance distracted me.
Warner, dir. Bacon; 6+
