The Jazz Singer (1927)

Warner Oland: The Cantor

Photos 

Quotes 

• Jack Robin : [singing]  Blue skies Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies Do I see Bluebirds Singing a song Nothing but bluebirds All day long Never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you're in love, my how they fly Blue days All of them gone Nothing but blue skies From now on.

  Jack Robin : Did you like that mama?

  Sara Rabinowitz : Yes.

  Jack Robin : I'm glad of it. I'd rather please you then anybody I know of. Oh darlin, would you give me something?

  Sara Rabinowitz : What?

  Jack Robin : You'll never guess. Shut your eyes mama, shut them for little Jackie. Ho, I'm gonna steal something.

  [He kisses her, and they laugh together] 

  Jack Robin : I'll give it back to you to someday, you see if I don't. Mama darling, if I'm a success in this show, well, we're going to move from here. Oh yes, we're move up in to Bronx. A lot of nice green grass up there and a whole lot of people you know of, there's the Ginsburgs and the Guttenburgs, the Goldbergs, a whole lotta Burgs oh I don't know them all. And I'm going to buy you a nice black silk dress mama. You'll see, the butcher's wife, she'll be jealous of you.

  Sara Rabinowitz : Oh no, no...

  Jack Robin : Yes, she will, you see if she isn't. And I'm going to get you a nice pink dress that will go with your brown eyes.

  Sara Rabinowitz : I, no thank you, no no, I don't need it.

  Jack Robin : What do you mean no? Who is telling you? Yes, you'll wear pink or else, or else you'll wear pink.

  [Chuckles] 

  Jack Robin : And darling, oh I'm going to take you to Coney Island.

  Sara Rabinowitz : Oh really?

  Jack Robin : Yes, we're going to ride on the Chute to Chute, and you know the Dark Mill? Have you ever been to Dark Mill? Well, with me it's alright, I'll kiss you and hug you, you see if I don't.

  [They laugh] 

  Jack Robin : Now mama, mama stop now, get this. Mama, I'm going to sing this like I will if I go on the stage, like you know, with it's tune. I'm going to sing it jazzy. Now get this.

  Jack Robin : [singing]  Blue skies Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies Do I see Bluebirds Singing a song Nothing but bluebirds All day long Never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you're in love, my how they fly Blue days All of them gone Nothing but blue skies From now on I never saw the sun shining so bright Never saw things going oh-so right Noticing the days hurrying by When you're in love, my how they fly Blue days All of them gone Nothing but

  [the Cantor walks in and interrupts] 

  The Cantor : Stop!

• Jakie Rabinowitz : You taught me that music is the voice of God! It is as honorable to sing in the theatre as in the synagogue! My songs mean as much to *my* audience as yours to *your* congregation!

  The Cantor : Leave my house! I never want to see you again - you *jazz singer*!

• Sara Rabinowitz : Maybe our boy doesn't want to be a Cantor, Papa...

  The Cantor : What has *he* to say? For five generations a Rabinowitz has been a Cantor - - he *must* be one!

• The Cantor : I'll teach him better than to debase the voice God gave him!

  Sara Rabinowitz : But Papa - our boy, he does not think like we do.

  The Cantor : First he will get a whipping!

  Jakie Rabinowitz - Age 13 : If you whip me again, I'll run away - - and *never* come back!

• The Cantor : I have taught him all the hymns and prayers - - he knows them as well as I do.

  Sara Rabinowitz : Yes Papa - he knows all the songs - he has them in his head - - but not in his heart.