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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Jolson, November 1, 2000
This review is from: Singing Fool [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The movie is clearly designed as a Jolson vehicle. It is obvious that the star came first, and everything else followed. Although made in 1928, the film holds up remarkably well today, the humour being one aspect that hasn't dated. Jolson sings Sonny Boy to great effect three times, although he puts so much emotion into it that I was left wanting him to sing is straight just once. The film may seem over-sentimental but if you engage with this and look at it from the point of view of a contemporary audience you will enjoy it more, and the film's shock ending is, in my opinion one of the bravest I have seen Hollywood do. In fact the only shock endings which I think compare with this are Terry Gilliam's Brazil or Doctor Who: Earthshock. The supporting performances are competent, but there's no other actor who has the charisma of Jolson. It's apparent to me that nowadays, the film's leading lady, Josephine Dunn, playing a singer, would have been given one or two songs to sing, but the producers rightly realised that the audience was there to see Jolson and Jolson alone. The film is also of historical interest, being one of the first films to use synchronised sound. This is used sparingly, howver, and much of the soundtrack is mere accompaniment. Like The Jazz Singer (made the previous year), the opening parts use caption slides in place of speech. Enjoy it for its Jazz age settings, the grand costumes (Miss Dunn's gowns are particularly exquisite) and of course for Jolson's singing. Dave
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
May get hooked on Jolson, July 26, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Singing Fool [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I bought The Singing Fool because one video catalog said that it is a sequel to The Jazz Singer. That was not true, since the main character is different. But I enjoyed it anyway. Some of the emotions looked real and convincing, even though it contrasts with cinematographic techniques over 70 years later. It's been about three years since I saw it, and some of the scenes remain vivid in my memory. On the other hand, it was a little hard to take the singing styles seriously, to get into the mindframe that people of that era had. If this ever comes out on DVD, I might purchase it then. And I might explore Jolson films further. Not sure yet if I would want to actually own the others, but we'll see.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A CURIO FROM 1928., November 20, 2001
This review is from: Singing Fool [VHS] (VHS Tape)
While working as a singing waiter at Blackie Joe's Cafe, Jolson writes a best-selling song for a club performer (Josephine Dunn) whom he loves unrequitedly..........This may seem hard for modern-day viewers to conceive, but this film grossed an incredible (for its day) $ 5 1/2 MILLION at the box-office, a feat unequaled until a little flick entitled GONE WITH THE WIND outdid its receipts 11 years later! THE SINGING FOOL, just like Jolie's 1927 landmark talkie THE JAZZ SINGER, had a corny plot even for 1928. Al hopelessly overacted to milk every drop of sentiment for the naive tale. While saccharine is the best adjective to describe this primitive talkie, the film DOES come alive when Jolson sings. Hits included I'M SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD, THE SPANIARD THAT BLIGHTED MY LIFE & KEEP SMILING AT TROUBLE. But, incredibly, the film's greatest hit was the almost unbearably maudlin SONNY BOY, a contrived tear-jerker which was originally written as a joke. When Jolson recorded it for BRUNSWICK, it sold a whopping 3 MILLION copies. Tastes DO change after nearly 75 years!
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