The Jolson Story
by Alfred E. Green
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DVD details
Actor: Bill Goodwin, Evelyn Keyes, Larry Parks, Ludwig Donath, William DemarestDirector: Alfred E. Green
Brand: PARKS,LARRY
Cinematographer: Joseph Walker
Producer: Gordon Griffith
Producer: Sidney Skolsky
Writer: Andrew Solt
Writer: Harry Chandlee
Writer: Sidney Buchman
Writer: Stephen Longstreet
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); Japanese (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 128 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-10-21
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Reviews of The Jolson Story
DVD Review: Highly entertaining and almost completely fictional
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie started the wave of biopics that began after WWII. Larry Parks doesn't look the least bit like Al Jolson. For that matter, the script doesn't look much like Jolson's life either. However, the film is very entertaining with a few ironies for the classic film buff. When Parks is on stage, you really get a taste of Jolson in his prime. Al Jolson actually tutored Parks in how to move and interact with the audience using his own style, and it comes across well, even if it is obvious that you are hearing Jolson's voice during the performances and that this voice does not match Larry Parks' speaking voice at all.
Jolson's life story has been sanitized here to keep in line with the values of the post-war motion picture production code, right down to extending the life of Jolson's mother an extra forty years - she died when Al was ten. Also, the movie has Jolson playing the career-absorbed bachelor until he meets his wife Julie Benson (code for Ruby Keeler) when he is in his forties. Yes, Al was career-absorbed, but he still went through two marriages and two divorces before he ever got to Ruby Keeler.
Two very interesting points are the insertion of the fictional character Steve Martin that allegedly got Al into show business and also the choice of director. The first interesting point is that fictional character Steve Martin is played by William Demarest, who actually had a bit part in 1927's "The Jazz Singer". You'll see him sharing a plate of eggs with Al at Coffee Dan's just minutes before Al bursts into song in "Toot Toot Tootsie". Demarest was a bit player over at Warner's during the beginning of his career. He had no real association with Al Jolson that I know of. The second interesting point is the choice of director - Alfred E. Green. Mr. Green was among that group of directors that ground out the early talkies for Warner Bros during the time that Jolson was a star at that studio. However, he never directed any of the eight motion pictures that Al Jolson starred in for Warners. There were four directors that Jolson worked with over at Warner Brothers that were still alive when this film was made, but for some reason none of them got the job.
At any rate, the movie is very entertaining and well-paced with great renditions of Jolson's acts and songs. For the unvarnished truth about Jolson's life, try to find a copy of the documentary "The Real Al Jolson Story" made in 1986 and originally telecast by Bravo, back when they really were dedicated to the performing arts and before they became so concerned with Top Chefs and Flipping Out - you know, the same kind of stuff you can find on 50 other channels.
DVD Review: A very popular movie in its day.
Summary: 4 Stars
The Jolson Story was such a popular movie, that it became the first biography to have a sequel.
True, it did take liberties with what really happened. In actual truth, it is known that
Jolson's mother died while he was a youngster in Washington, DC. He ran away to New York and
never did return home. He was married several times but not to anyone with the name of the woman
in the film.
The film does use Jolson's voice-over for the songs. Plus, it is a great story.
DVD Review: The Al Jolson Story
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought the movie for my mother who has stage 4 cancer. One of the songs in the movie was my parents "song". My dad has been gone many years, and I think she just is remembering years past as her passing gets closer. She throughly enjoyed seeing it, and I played the song several times and saw tears in her eyes. Soon she'll be gone, but memories are never forgotten.DVD Review: Jolson Story
Summary: 3 Stars
The Al Jolson Story is very well done as a movie. The sad thing is that it is obvious that his wife did not want to accept the fact that she would have to live for the rest of her life with a man who was obsessed with himself and notoriety. The story brought out clearly that Mr. Jolson loved entertaining better than his wife or a family. Whether or not this was true about the man is debatable, but that is what was clearly communicated in this version of the Al Jolson Story.DVD Review: Great Sound-Cropped Picture Stinks!
Summary: 2 Stars
To make those people happy who want to fill their large screen TV's they zoomed in on the 3:4 original aspect ratio and cut off the bottom 3rd of the image. Remastered sound is fantastic-But 1/3 of the movie is missing. Shame on the remastering people for ruining this classic.
Description of The Jolson Story
No Description Available.Genre: Musicals
Rating: NR
Release Date: 21-OCT-2003
Media Type: DVD
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