O Cantor de Jazz

Good grief.. to think I've seen it all.. Danny Thomas looks SO out of place in this mishmash. He seems really uncomfortable. He can't sing worth a lick, and when he's paired up with Peggy Lee (PEGGY LEE???) she easily.. EASILY outsings him! Maybe the director saw this and made him do the reall really bad comedy routines that he sometimes does in the film. Peggy Lee is okay, but the whole thing is a shambles. Good for a laugh, maybe.

Angels sing above the Temple Sinai in Philadelphia, while dashing Danny Thomas (as Jerry Golding) returns from service in the Korean War. Celebrating the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah), Mr. Thomas' observant parents Eduard Franz and Mildred Dunnock (as David and Ruth) are proud of their son's honorable discharge. Father Franz retires as cantor at the Temple so that Thomas can take over the position. The family has served as cantor for six generations. However, Thomas has decided to break with tradition. He wants to pursue a secular career in show business. Mother Dunnock seems understanding, but father Franz is righteously indignant. Life is tough for Thomas, but having singing girlfriend Peggy Lee (as Judy Lane) around helps...

In a part played by George Jessel on Broadway (1925-1926) and Al Jolson in the movies (1927), Thomas has big shoes to fill. Although he recorded his songs, some of Thomas' dubbing doesn't look authentic. Also, he has stand-up comic skills far superior to the flat routines you see here, which are evident in his long career. Other than that, Thomas is convincing in the role...

While a little lax in the dramatic scenes, Ms. Lee is the film's main asset. Her voice is exquisite and, more importantly, she and director Michael Curtiz make each musical number feel like it belongs exactly where it appears in the script. Unfortunately, Lee's role has been revised to match the religion of Thomas' character. This weakens the story's central conflict (between Thomas and Franz). It looks spectacular in Technicolor, but we wonder why Thomas' parents live in a luxurious palace, where modestly-attired mother Dunnock stands out by refusing a fur coat and dressing like the help. A consistent best supporting actress, Dunnock and Mr. Curtiz make her mother role the most technically well-drawn, with her final scene wordlessly offering conflict resolution.

****** The Jazz Singer (12/30/52) Michael Curtiz ~ Danny Thomas, Peggy Lee, Mildred Dunnock, Eduard Franz

I saw this film back when it opened in the very early 50's at , I think,The Brooklyn Museum with my aunt and cousin. I must have been 6-7 years old at the time, and to this day I have never forgotten the film. I particularly remember Danny Thomas singing wonderfully in the film and was very taken with not only his performance of Jerry Golding but also of Eduard Franz who played his father. Wonderful remake of Jolson's original version which opened almost 20 years before I was born. I have always been a huge Jolson fan since I was a small boy, and I wonder if this film did not reinforce that. Sorry it is rarely shown on any Cable network. I have the original soundtrack and listen to it all the time. Great songs, great story, great acting, great film! By the way, I did not like the 1980 version at all.

The story of a Korean war veteran returning home to start a new life as an entertainer instead of taking over the reins of succeeding his father as a Cantor was, I think, very relevant for that time and I think was depicted beautifully. Glad the plot had Mr. Franz recovering from his illness to enjoy his son's success at the end of the film. Nice touch!

Oy gevalt! What a disaster! Danny Thomas croons (badly), Danny Thomas tells jokes (badly) that are so corny and ancient Al Jolson would have been embarrassed to crack them, Danny Thomas emotes (badly, almost laughably). Opening scene had me wondering what all those goyim were doing in the temple! Peggy Lee was entertaining and a standout in this otherwise dreary film. The supporting cast were more-or-less adequate, with the mother and father characters well cast. Look for character actor William Schallert in a bit part, along with some other familiar faces. The Technicolor photography was superb. Watch all the scenes taking place in clubs across the nation and you'll notice that Danny and Peggy are using the exact same microphone in each one! My advice - stick with Jolie's groundbreaking original.

By 1952 Hollywood decided to remake the Al Jolson first-talking classic.

This time the Cantor's son was played by Danny Thomas. Coming home from the army, it is expected that he follow in the footsteps of his father and other male relatives by becoming a cantor. However, young Mr. Golding has quite a zest for show business.

At this time, he meets Peggy Lee, an aspiring singer. She acts very well and her rendition of her favorite song, Lover, is remarkable. The film writers were smart not to plug the obvious Jewish guy and non-Jewish girlfriend relationship. If anything, this is glossed over. In his anger, for betraying his pledge to become a cantor, his father makes the traditional Jewish sign indicative of a loss in the family. This would not be done under circumstances of breaking a pledge, it would be done if among the orthodox, an inter-faith marriage would take place.

Thomas does a really good job of playing the cantor's son. His singing is up to par as the film ends on a positive note.

Am surprised that technical advisers did not realize that women do not carry pocketbooks into synagogue on the sabbath or at all during that period.