2h 8min | Biography, Drama, Music | 10 October 1946 | Color
Director: Alfred E. Green
Stars: Larry Parks, Evelyn Keyes, William Demarest.
Jack Cole ... choreographer
Lots of songs, all dubbed by Al Jolson for LP.
Previously rated 6, interpolated from Netflix rating. But I've become an Al Jolson fan since then. So it's nice to hear so many AJ songs in one place. But part of what I like about him is his acting: his face and body language when he sings or not. And LP does an impression/interpretation of AJ; even EK gets to do that in the film. I'd rather re-watch the real thing.
I understand that Ruby Keeler didn't want to have her name in the film. But it's pretty funny that they circumvent that by putting "Julie Benson" atop half of RK's film titles, just to make it really clear who JB really is. EK doesn't tap much here, and that's RK's primary dance style. Ironically, the film only mentions 1 film title of AJ's (other than the one he and RK did together): The Jazz Singer. They advertised all those other Warner films, why not his too?
I don't understand the "reasoning" of JB when she leaves AJ at the end. Just because she sees that he needs to perform, why does she have to leave him, without even trying to help him live a more balanced life? She's either ridiculously noble or selfish. (I have no idea of the real reasons for their divorce.)
I find it odd that this was a Columbia production, not Warner. I wonder if Warner did some theatrical re-releases of his films after this succeeded. (IMDb only lists '56 TV releases among the Company credits, and nothing in the Release dates page either. Checked only the first 4 AJ films, not the cameo.)
Apparently this biopic is very far afield from many facts of his life (if the IMDb mini-bio is to be trusted). His mother died when he was 8; she's shown all through the film. He had an older brother, also in vaudeville; no mention of a sibling in the film. RK was his 3rd wife; definite impression that JB was his 1st in the film.
I'm going to stick with a 6, but garnish it.
Columbia, dir. Green; 6+
