Review of The Jazz Singer

In New York, the thirteen year-old Jewish Jakie is the son of the cantor Rabinowitz (Warner Oland). When Rabinowitz is informed by Moisha Yudelson (Otto Lederer) that Jakie is singing ragtime in a club, he beats his son. The traditional cantor expects that Jakie sings in the synagogue like his previous generations did, but the boy dreams on becoming a jazz singer. Jakie leaves home pursuing his dreams. Years later, Jakie (Al Jolson) is in London where his artistic name is Jack Robin. When he meets the famous stage performer Mary Dale (May McAvoy), she helps him in his career. Sooner he travels to New York for the greatest chance of his life in an important show on Broadway and he visits his parents. However, his father expels him from home. On the opening day, the manipulative Moisha Yudelson invites him to sing in the Atonement Day since his father is very ill, but the emotional blackmail of the Jewish leader does not work. When Jakie is ready to the rehearsal, Moisha brings Jakie's beloved mother to press him to sing in the synagogue. Now Jakie shall choose between his career and Mary Dale and the bonds with his family and religion.

"The Jazz Singer" is the first "post-silent movie" of cinema history, meaning the first film with sound. I was curious to see this film and now I am very disappointed with the corny plot that uses a selfish emotional blackmail of the leader of the Jewish congregation and the mother of the lead character to force Jakie to forget his dreams and his love for a lovely woman. The story is totally absurd, considering that Jakie left home years ago pursuing his dream and is in love with Mary Dale. The forty-one year-old Al Jolson is totally miscast in the role of a young man and May McAvoy has a lovely face. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Cantor de Jazz" ("The Jazz Singer")