Jolson Sings Again
Reviews
CyrusPK
Columbia had scored a significant financial and critical success with The Jolson Story in 1946 featuring actor Larry Parks miming successfully to Al Jolson's singing voice, the ageing entertainer re-recording all his great hits for the film. Then as now thoughts of a sequel were forthcoming but the story of Jolson's career had essentially been told in its entirety. This can be seen in the struggle the screenwriters had in creating a compelling narrative for the second film. The key plot points are fairly anaemic, including the end of one marriage, the gestation of another, a temporary retirement for Jolson and his re-discovery entertaining the troops in World War II. The final third of the film, in almost an act of desperation, is given over to the production of The Jolson Story, resulting in Larry Parks playing Jolson opposite Larry Parks playing himself. This includes one sequence where Parks playing Jolson stands on set urging Parks playing Parks who is in fact playing Jolson to successfully mime to the real Jolson's singing. Possibly the word meta was invented to describe just this kind of scenario. The lack of plot means that the audience is left mostly idling between musical numbers. The actors try hard; Parks in particular is very personable and captures some of the sheer stage presence and energy of the real Jolson. Barbara Hale has a thankless role as Jolson's new wife, mostly sitting admiring the prolonged performance scenes. Ludwig Donath is precise as Jolson's cantor father with concern for his son echoing through every scene even when he is conveying anger. Despite the presence of Technicolor the production looks a little cheap with a lot of fairly basic sets - the cinema foyer looks like a re-dress of something used in another film and the Alaskan army hut is two walls and a backdrop. Many scenes are conveyed through newspaper and other montages and there is never really much conviction to Jolson's international travels. The music is the main drawcard here and the real Jolson provides committed and passionate singing throughout. It is a pity that the surrounding fabric of the film could not better support his work.
CinemaSerf
Larry Parks picks up, almost to the frame, from where he left off with the first part of this biopic of the celebrated singer. Lured back to the stage, his wife “Julie” has done a bunk. She doesn’t want to compete with what she thinks will always be his first love, nor does she want to stop him - so off she flies and doesn’t feature at all. Distraught? Well not really, no. He immediately embarks on resuscitating his career and goes from strength to strength thanks to the support of long-suffering manager “Steve” (William Demarest) and his now reconciled father (Ludwig Donath). Soon firmly re-established but really rather bored with it all arriving on a plate, he gets quite a sudden wake-up call entertaining the troops in Europe during the war before returning to turn his attentions to the talkies as the concept of “The Jazz Singer” is born. All of these shenanigans are taking their toll and suffering from exhaustion he is confined to bed where he meets the young “Ellen” (Barbara Hale) whose nursing skills soon blossom into something that might just give this man his long sought contentment. Though it takes the chronology to it’s conclusion, it doesn’t really add much to the character of Jolson as we reprise many of his more famous numbers and reiterate that this was one of the greatest celebrities in the USA. Parks and Hale deliver well enough, and it’s an amiably enough strung together history that sounds fine but drags on for too long and rather lacks energy. Watchable, but a little lacklustre.
Movie Recommendation
The Thirteenth Chair1929-10-19Although his murdered friend was by all accounts a scoundrel, Edward Wales is determined to trap his killer by staging a seance using a famous medium. Many of the 13 seance participants had a reason and a means to kill, and one of them uses the cover of darkness to kill again. When someone close to the medium is suspected she turns detective, in the hope of uncovering the true murderer.More...
Scooby-Doo: Agence toutou risques, vol. 1 : Le voleur de vélo2007-04-12There is no descriptionMore...
FAQ2024-02-28Dong-chun, an elementary school student overwhelmed with seven afterschool learning academies, stumbles upon a mysterious bottle of rice wine during a school retreat. As the rice wine ferments and emits strange sounds like Morse code, Dong-chun sets out to unravel its identity and discovers the secrets of the world and the reasons behind her current way of life.More...
Se receta silencio2021-11-08As they grew older, Cristina and Lola were silenced. They obeyed and kept silent for a long time, until today. The protagonists of this docufiction short film raise their voices to bring us closer to the intersex life stories and share our reflections on bodies, identities and desire. A liberating opportunity not only for them, but for everyone.More...
The Lottery of Happiness1953-02-15Mr Lucas, a grocer, wants to attract the clientele; he imagines a lottery; every week, you can win a bike. It's a big success.More...
Initiation2018-09-18An experimental short film inspired by the struggle it takes to accomplish one‘s goals. (ALTER)More...
Hoodlum & Son2003-09-27In 1933, a mischievous ten year old, Archie, is left in the care of his unattentive father, Charlie, a reluctant gangster indebted to mob boss Benny “The Bomb” Palladino. Benny gives Charlie a last chance to clear his ‘debt’ by collecting money from a rival, but when Archie follows his father into a rival gangster’s speakeasy, a series of bizarre events take place culminating in them fleeing without the money.More...
The Last Runway 2, Commando Yaguareté2023-08-31Betty Jara reassembles the Yaguareté Commandos to exchange an imprisoned criminal for one of her own agents. A risky operation becomes even more so when she realizes they are not just fighting a drug ring but the highest spheres of power.More...
The Quiet2019-10-25Silence is the most beautiful thing that exists in the universe. When an astronaut ponders the quietude of space, he makes a startling self-realisation.More...
El Asesino del Zodiaco1993-01-01There is no descriptionMore...
Krokiga vägen till Lyckliga gatan2016-05-19A film about dreams and opportunities, not about problems.More...
Nevada2017-10-14In this stop-motion animated comedy, a young couple's romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap.More...
Lone Justice: Showdown at Plum Creek1996-01-01A frontier sheriff copes with a missing corpse, Briton Oscar Wilde and an assassination attempt.More...- USA Holiday2021-12-30Madhuri was thrilled when her brother Jimmy accepted her invitation for a holiday in the USA. Jimmy boarded a Jet Airways flight and landed at Dulles International Airport, where Madhuri greeted him with open arms. Joining them were her friends Katrina and Priyanka, ready to make the trip unforgettable. Their adventure began at the breathtaking Niagara Falls, where the misty spray left them laughing and drenched. In New York, they marveled at the city lights and strolled across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. Washington, D.C., offered monuments and history, while Las Vegas dazzled them with its neon nightlife. The journey ended with a serene hike through the stunning Valley of Fire State Park. Every moment was filled with laughter, pictures, and stories that turned into lifelong memories. As they sat under the stars on their final evening, Jimmy smiled and said, "Life is a journey, and this one has been incredible. But the journey never stops.More...
One Ticket, Two Movies1991-02-01nspired by his recent trip to the USA, a filmmaker (played by Dariush Farhang) dreams of making an action film in modern Iran. Having little experience to draw on, he finds that the task is much more daunting that he had first imagined. As he faces setback after setback, he wonders if he will ever complete his project. An interesting look into the complexities of filmmaking.More...
Day of the Painter1960-09-01Day of the Painter is a 1960 American short film directed by Robert P. Davis. It is a satire which portrays a typical day in the life of a "drip and splatter style" abstract artist, from the time he begins his paintings until he finishes. The film won an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.More...
Guy Montgomery: 50,000,000 Guy Fans Can't Be Wrong2025-02-11Stand up comedy special from New Zealand comedian Guy MontgomeryMore...
The Life and Death of Oscar Pérez2019-10-25Óscar Alberto Pérez (1981-2018) was a Venezuelan policeman who, after Nicolás Maduro had been sworn in as president, became an active opponent of his regime. In June 2017, he attacked the Supreme Court of Justice from a helicopter. In January 2018, the Venezuelan national guard tracked him down, and although he gave up to them, shot him dead along with five other rebels. The film is his traditional portrait sketched out as a pattern edited documentary with Pérez himself having taken part in its making. Actually, all audiovisual material that the editor Romain Champalaune composed the film of comes from Pérez’s profiles on social networks.More...
Off Ice2017-11-11While his father lies sick in a hospital room, Albert and his family try to get on with their lives. Their world seems suddenly divided in two: what happens inside the hospital, and the universe outside.More...- Hoffenheim - Das Leben ist kein Heimspiel2011-01-05Documentary about the rising german football club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.More...
Similar Movies
Walk the Line
2005-09-13A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.Josh: Independence Th...
2013-08-09Fatima, a teacher living her elite life in Karachi, shattered, when her nanny Nusrat, inexplicably disappears. Fatima travels to investigate her disappearance and finds a dangerous truth about Nusrat and her village.Miroslav Vitouš – jaz...
2017-12-10There is no descriptionAndrei Rublev
1966-12-16An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter Andrei Rublev. Drifting from place to place in a tumultuous era, the peace-seeking monk eventually gains a reputation for his art. But after Rublev witnesses a brutal battle and unintentionally becomes involved, he takes a vow of silence and spends time away from his work. As he begins to ease his troubled soul, he takes steps towards becoming a painter once again.Aparajito
1956-10-11Apu and his family have moved away from the country to live in the bustling holy city of Benares. As he progresses from wide-eyed child to intellectually curious teenager, eventually studying in Kolkata, we witness his academic and moral education, as well as the growing complexity of his relationship with his mother.Birdman of Alcatraz
1962-07-04After killing a prison guard, convict Robert Stroud faces life imprisonment in solitary confinement. Driven nearly mad by loneliness and despair, Stroud's life gains new meaning when he happens upon a helpless baby sparrow in the exercise yard and nurses it back to health. Despite having only a third grade education, Stroud goes on to become a renowned ornithologist and achieves a greater sense of freedom and purpose behind bars than most people find in the outside world.Cinderella Man
2005-06-02The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, following his retirement in the 1930s, makes a surprise comeback in order to lift his family out of poverty.JFK
1991-12-20Follows the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.Gandhi
1982-12-01In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.Bronce
2019-07-31Years after the death of their parents, two stepbrothers reunite to steal bronze epitaphs from cemeteries, but not even the loot can redeem or remedy the impossible.Pirogov
1947-12-16A biopic based on the life of Russian scientist and doctor Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov (1810-1881), famous for being the founder of field surgery.Belinsky
1953-06-04A biopic based on the life of Russian literary critic Vissarion Belinsky (1811–1848). The production of the film was completed in 1951, but it was not released until 1953, following the reshooting of various scenes demanded by Stalin.Scar Tissue
No data for this movieThe life of Anthony Kiedis, famed frontman of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, artist, addict, and ringleader, contains a deeply unconventional father and son story set against a substance-fueled 70s & 80s LA punk scene. This story examines, without judgement, how all of his experiences shaped the music that was eventually embraced by millions.Lamborghini: The Man ...
2022-11-17Follow the launch of Lamborghini’s career as a manufacturer of tractors, a creator of military vehicles during World War II, and the designer of Lamborghini cars, which he launched in 1963 as the high-end sports car company Automobili Lamborghini.The Straight Story
1999-10-15A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.The Pianist
2002-09-17The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.Schindler's List
1993-12-15The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.Sissi
1955-12-22The young Bavarian princess Elisabeth, who all call Sissi, goes with her mother and older sister Néné to Austria where Néné will be wed to an emperor named Franz Joseph, Yet unexpectedly Franz runs into Sissi while out fishing and they fall in love.Sissi: The Young Empr...
1956-12-01Sissi is now the empress of Austria and attempts to learn etiquette. While she is busy being empress she also has to deal with her difficult new mother-in-law, while the arch-duchess Sophie is trying to tell the emperor how to rule and also Sissi how to be a mother.Sissi: The Fateful Ye...
1957-12-18After a wonderful time in Hungary Sissi falls extremely ill and must retreat to a Mediterranean climate to rest. The young empress’ mother takes her from Austria to recover in Madeira.