The Jazz Singer
- Al Jolson: Jakie Rabinowitz
- May McAvoy: Mary Dale
- Eugenie Besserer: Sara Rabinowitz
- Otto Lederer: Moisha Yudelson
- Robert Gordon: 13 -year-old Jakie
- Richard Tucker: Harry Lee
- Jossele Rosenblatt: Concert Vortrager
The Jazz Singer, first published in 1927 with Al Jolson in the lead role, directed by Alan Crosland, is considered the first talkie feature film quality at all. The drama was produced by the film studio Warner Bros..
Action
The film is about the rise of poor Jewish singer Jakie Rabinowitz became a celebrated Broadway star and by the conflict between tradition and modernity or the breach between father and son, as the father of the "Jazz Singers" had seen his son rather than a cantor in the synagogue. The story has it - coincidentally - a biographical reference to the lead actor Al Jolson, who was actually the son of a synagogue cantor. Even the famous cantor Jossele Rosenblatt appeared in a guest role with a Yiddish song in the film.
Genesis
Unlike the title suggests, has been relatively little sung in the film ( Jolson sings " Toot Toot Tootsie ," " Dirty Hands Dirty Face", " Blue Skies " and twice the song " Mammy " ), but the strip is also considered the first movie musical. The film helped the then new feature sound film, as in the musical Singin 'in the Rain ( You shall be my lucky star ) ( 1952) represented a breakthrough, but it is still largely a silent film with the typical for gestures and facial expressions and shown intertitles. He is made in Needle sound Vitaphone. The light tone should prevail at the latest at the beginning of the 1930s.
The monologues and dialogues were improvised. Warner Brothers had only intended to make a film in which music and singing were synchronized, so no dialog manuscript was necessary. Thus, the contents of the first monologue Jolson said: " Wait a minute, wait a minute! You is not heard nothin 'yet! Do you wanna hear ' Toot - toot- tootsie ' " - one of his most famous phrases, which he also presented in his usual stage performances. The only other - and actually unintentional - speech sequence was significantly longer with at least 354 words and takes place between Jolson (340) Eugenie Besserer (13 ), and finally Walter Oland from which could even say a single word - and, significantly, "Stop ". The plan was not originally that Al Jolson singing his part interrupts the purpose of a dialogue. That and the great commercial success led to the era of silent film after "The Jazz Singer" and the second great era of pantomime came to an end within a few years.
Jolson has ultimately earned The Jazz Singer about 750 000 U.S. dollars. Sam Warner, who had employed at Warner Brothers the most about the new technology, died the day before the world premiere and was thus no longer experience the breakthrough of sound film, which he had largely prevailed against considerable resistance in the family and the industry.
Reviews
" Undoubtedly the best thing Vitaphone has ever brought to the movie screen. The combination of religious heartrending story [ ... ] and Jolson singing Kol Nidre ' in a synagogue during his father dies and two, Mammy' - pop texts appears as his mother during his performance at the theater and later, as she sits in the front row, transmit power and appeal in abundance. "
" The Jazz Singer ' is more than just the first sound film. One could certainly be regarded as a typical example of the former transformation of Jewish life in the United States: the opening to a less strict religious dogma and the integration of Jews into American society in general and the Hollywood film industry in particular. "
Awards
Alfred A. Cohn was nominated Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards 1929 ( official census 1928/29 ) in the category best, but had to concede defeat Benjamin Glazer ( Seventh Heaven). The work was, however, awarded the first sound film with an honorary Oscar.
1996 The Jazz Singer was included in the National Film Registry, a list of American films that are considered to be of particular value.
Remakes
1953 there was a ( minor ) remake with Danny Thomas and Peggy Lee. In 1980 he another remake with Neil Diamond, Oscar winner Laurence Olivier and Lucy Arnaz. The film was commercially very successful and was panned by the critics. The eponymous soundtrack by Neil Diamond ( Song Highlights: " America", " Hello Again " and "Love on the rocks" ) made it into the top ten, however, and reached # 1 on the 1981 Billboard charts.
Premieres
The film was in many countries of the first full-length sound film ever. In the United States, the first performance took place on October 6, 1927. In Austria he premiered as such on January 21, 1929 at the Vienna Central Cinema.