1h 36min | Biography, Music | 10 August 1949
Director: Henry Levin
Stars: Larry Parks, Barbara Hale, William Demarest.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041530/
This is just an excuse to make money off the success of the first film. I am a solid fan of Jolson at this point, and given that we have home video now, I'd rather watch the real deal. Listening to pieces of songs sung by Jolson, and acted by LP just doesn't satisfy. But in '49 there was no home video, so this would have to do.
In a surreal bit of storytelling, this film goes all the way through the preview in Santa Barbara of the first ('46) film. Larry Parks has been aged by graying his temples, but also plays himself, the actor in the '46 biopic.
Al Jolson died in '50.
If I ever watch this again, it would be nice to capture which songs were sung in full, which only sung in part. I don't even want to count how many songs are on the Soundtracks page.
So I give this a + for hearing AJ, but would much rather cue up all his films instead. His performances are much better than any imitation.
Columbia, dir. Levin; 6+
