The Jolson Story

Infobox Film
name = The Jolson Story


caption = DVD cover of "The Jolson Story"
director = Alfred E. Green
producer = Sidney Skolsky
writer = Stephen Longstreet (screenplay)
Sidney Buchman (uncredited)
Harry Chandlee (adaptation)
Andrew Solt (adaptation)

starring = Larry Parks
Evelyn Keyes
William Demarest
Bill Goodwin
music = Morris Stoloff
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = Columbia Pictures
released = October 10, 1946 (U.S. release)
runtime = 128 min
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0038661

"The Jolson Story" is a 1946 musical biography which purports to tell the life story of singer Al Jolson. It stars Larry Parks as Jolson, Evelyn Keyes as "Julie Benson" (approximating Jolson's wife, Ruby Keeler), William Demarest as his manager, Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne as his parents, and Scotty Beckett as the young Jolson.

The Columbia Pictures production was written by Sidney Buchman (uncredited), Harry Chandlee, Stephen Longstreet and Andrew Solt. The dramatic scenes were directed by Alfred E. Green, with the musical sequences directed by Joseph H. Lewis.

The film was a tremendous financial success, and won Academy Awards for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Sound, Recording, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Larry Parks), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (William Demarest), Best Cinematography, Color and Best Film Editing.

Plot

In a burlesque house, an entertainer named Steven Martin offers to play a song for his audience, if they agree to sing along. Only one person does sing, a young boy named Asa Yolson. Steve is bowled over by the boy's voice, but Asa realises he should be singing at the synagogue with his father, the local rabbi. He arrives late, and is later reprimanded by his strict father. Asa is reluctant to explain where he was, but Steve Martin comes round and explains that he heard Asa sing at the burlesque, and that he wants Asa to be part of his act. The rabbi refuses to allow it.

Asa is determined to be in the act, and runs away to Baltimore, where he is taken to a home for boys He explains why he has come. The kindly owner, Father McGee, finds Steve Martin. When Asa's parents appear, he tells them that he will keep running away until they allow him to take part in showbusiness. Asa's mother believes that it would be better to give Asa what he wants than have him running away all the time, so his parents agree to let him take part in the act.

We see a montage some of Asa's performances, and also some of the arguments between him and Steve, over creative differences. Asa wants to sing his songs in different ways. When his voice suddenly breaks, he starts whistling instead, but is unhappy and wants to go home. Steve says that they can work on stage together- previously Asa has only stood in the audience. Asa changes his mind, and his name- he performs under the alias of Al Jolson.

At a show, an entertainer named Tom Baron passes out drunk, and Al goes on in his place. Two music entrepreneurs, Hammerstein and Dockstader are in the audience. Dockstader realises that it was really Al who was on stage, and offers to let him join his minstrel show. Al does not want to, but Steve arranges it anyway. Al is happy for a while, but becomes bored of singing the same song every night- wouldn't you? He has sung the same song for over a year! Dockstader attempts to pacify him by changing the style in which the song is sung, but one night, Jolson is out walking when he hears some jazz- he enjoys it so much that he forgets that he has a show that night. Dockstader fires him.

Al visits his parents, but does not stay long, because he receives a call from Tom Baron, inviting him to take part in his show. Tom has also been sacked by his manager, and is now in charge of the new Winter Garden theatre. After much cajoling, Tom finally agrees to let Al sing his own songs. We see him perform his signature tune, "Mammy". We then see several of his later performances. Al is finally able to get his way- he innovatively suggests 'lighting up' the audience, a runway going into the audience, and taking the show on tour.

At a Sunday night concert, Al meets an up-and-coming dancer named Julie Benson.It is love at first sight, and only a few hours after meeting her, he proposes to her. Actually, Al Jolson was married four times. He never had a wife named Julie Benson- she is modelled on Ruby Keeler, one of his real wives. She agrees, although she does not love him yet. They marry during Al filming "The Jazz Singer" by which time Julie has fallen in love with him. But Julie is not as fond of showbusiness as he is- she wants to quit and settle down. Al persuades her to continue with it, and they star in a film together, but eventually Julie can't stand any more, and breaks down in tears. Al admits that he would rather have her than showbusiness, and he finally quits. They move to the country.

But one night, they decide to celebrate he wedding anniversary of Al's parents. Al's father persuades him to sing for them, and then Tom Baron suggests they go to a night-club and see an early floor show. Jolson is afraid of being recognised- it seems he truly loves Julie, and is willing to give up showbiz for her. His protests fall on deaf ears, and they go. But Al is recognised, and although he tries to fob the crowd off, it is no use- he has to sing. Julie realises he is happier than he has been in a long time, and decides to leave. She walks out of the picture, and out of his life. Steve Martin attempts to stop her, but without success.

A successul sequel, "Jolson Sings Again", was released in 1949.

Quotations

*"I heard some music tonight. Something they call 'jazz.' The fellows just make it up as they go along. They pick it out of the air." (Jolson to Dockstader)
*" [I'm] trying to make songs out of music I picked up. Music nobody ever heard of before, but the only kind I want to sing." (Jolson, explaining what he's been doing)
*"That's an audience that never saw a live show. People in small towns who can afford a movie, where they can't afford anything else. Audience of millions. I'd be singing to every one of them at the same time. That's really something!" (Jolson, discussing the new talking picture)
*"Tonight, folks, I'm only going to sing two thousand songs. One to a customer." (Jolson)
*"Broadway? What a street! You know something, baby? It belongs to me. You know something else? If you want, I'll give it to you." (Jolson)

ongs in the Film

*"Let Me Sing and I’m Happy"
*"Banks of the Wabash"
*"Ave Maria"
*"When You Were Sweet Sixteen"
*"After the Ball"
*"By the Light of the Silvery Moon"
*"Blue Bell"
*"Ma Blushin’ Rosie"
*"I Want a Girl"
*"My Mammy"
*"I’m Sitting on Top of the World"
*"You Made Me Love You"
*"Swanee"
*"Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo’ Bye)"
*"The Spaniard That Blighted My Life"
*"April Showers"
*"California, Here I Come"
*"Liza (All the Clouds’ll Roll Away)"
*"There’s a Rainbow ’Round My Shoulder"
*"Avalon"
*"She’s a Latin from Manhattan"
*"About, a Quarter to Nine"
*"Anniversary Song"
*"Waiting for the Robert E. Lee"
*"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"

Trivia

*The filming was already under way as a black-and-white feature when studio chief Harry Cohn, impressed by the scenes already filmed, decided to start the project all over as a Technicolor production.
*Larry Parks' vocals were recorded by Al Jolson; Scotty Beckett's songs were recorded by Rudy Wissler.
*Some of the plot details are fictionalized. There is no evidence that Jolson ever appeared as a child singer, and he was brought up by his sister (not his mother, who had died). Also, Jolson actually had three managers, who were combined into the William Demarest character. Ruby Keeler refused to allow her name to be used, so the writers used an alias, Julie Benson.
*A theatrical billboard in the film tells that Jolson's musical "Big Boy" was in the third year of its run. In reality, the show had two runs, one of six weeks (Jan 7 - Mar 14, 1925, 56 performances) and one of 15 weeks (Aug 24 - Dec 1925, 120 performances)
*Al Jolson, determined to appear on screen somehow, persuaded the producer to film him instead of Larry Parks for the blackface "Swanee" number. Jolson is seen entirely in long shot; he performs on a theater runway.