Now that the business is done I can get down to doing my voluntary job of reviewing an old almost silent classic called 'The Jazz Singer'. This is a film about a man who is the son of a cantor, who in turn is the son of a cantor etc. The family is Jewish and this boy was destined to be a cantor in the eyes of his father. The son decides that he doesn't want to be a cantor and instead wants to be a jazz singer his father beats him and the boy runs away. Many years later the boy has become a famous jazz singer and is performing across the world with his act but he goes back to see his parents. His relationship with his mother has always been good and he plays the piano and sings to his mother before his father comes in and tells him that if he is not going to be a cantor then there is no place for him. Months later some members of the synagogue come to see the jazz singer and ask him to sing for his father because his father is sick. Initially he says no but at the end of the film he goes back to the synagogue and performs as a cantor before going back to his show and keeping up the life that he had and enjoyed.
There is a random part in this film where there is suddenly sound for no reason and then after a few minutes it goes back to being a silent movie. The rest of the film is decent. The plot is very simple and it is all about a man who pursues his dreams, places his happiness before acceptance from his father and makes a life for himself that he enjoys. Al Johnson is no Charlie Chaplin but this is a 1927 film that made history for being the first film with a synchronised score and lip synchronisation when singing. In 1927 this film made history. In Singing In The Rain we learn this myth that silent actors make up whatever they want to say because the subtitles show what should be said and they don't think that anyone will be watching but what makes this film a little bit more special is that in this film you have to be able to remember your lines and act them out. It isn't a case of being told to look angry and then having that shot filmed before changing to a different look, it is a case of actually having to act as if you would in a colour and sound film which makes Al Johnson and the cast so much more impressive.
There is a remake of this film with Neil Diamond in and I do fully intend to watch it. Being able to hear the sound that should accompany this film will help me to draw comparison and better appreciate this film. If you consider yourself a film buff but haven't seen this film then you know what you need to do- watch it and further your screen education. Appreciate what it did, what it meant and the triumph it made in 1927 by giving up 90 mins to watch this film.
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