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The first film on the AFI’s list is My Man, starring Fanny Brice, Unfortunately, My Man does not seem to be available, and may be one of the treasure trove of early sound films now lost to the world. Our next film does however follow on nicely from The Jazz Singer.
While the first commercially successful talkie, The Jazz Singer, was undoubtedly a hit, it did not eclipse the successes of the silent film, and the skeptics openly wondered if the talking picture business would ever catch on. Within a year, Warner Bros would release their second talking picture. Enter The Singing Fool. The film was written as a star vehicle for the already immensely popular Al Jolson who, to quote Peter Lehman from his book Close Viewings: An Anthology of New Film Criticism, “was more than just a singer or an actor - he was an experience.” Like it’s predecessor, The Singing Fool, provided a medium in which to introduce an eager public to new songs, including “I’m Sitting on top of the World,” “Rainbow on my shoulder,” and “Sonny Boy.” In short, audiences LOVED it. Within a month of opening, the film had broken over 70 box office records across the United States, and it remained Hollywood’s most financially successful film until Gone with the Wind premiered in 1939.
Finances aside, The Singing Fool is a great piece of cinema. From the outset, it feels more sophisticated than its predecessor The Jazz Singer. Although the film still employs silent film devices, the majority of The Singing Fool makes use of Vitaphone synchronised sound. According to Lehman, this combination was a conscious decision to keep regular movie goers happy, as well as to attract new patrons, however I feel this more reflects the growing confidence of the studio, and creatives, in utilising the new sound technology.
The camera becomes the story-teller, using images to showing the story rather than telling it through title cards. The score also helps to tell the story, with less dirge-like filler music. A great example of this occurs in the opening scenes, where the music shifts from traditional swirling orchestral accompaniment to a lively quick-step tune which follows four well-dressed punters climbing the stairs to Blackie Joe’s club, focusing on two female pairs of stockinged legs and shiny shoes. We get a sense of the excitement of going to Blackie Joe’s, and the glamour and fun of the entertainment industry, which is of course shown in all its harsh reality by the end of the film.
Despite the occasional tendency to sentimentality, there is a wonderful sense of comedy throughout The Singing Fool that has not been lost to time. The cheating and womanising characters at Blackie Joe’s, the woman who cries profusely during Al Stone’s first number, and the inebriated couple in the phone booth on New Year’s Eve are just a few examples of light-hearted humour. This comedy does well to contrast the tragedy of the story.
Most of the songs are set as performance pieces, however, they also tell us what the main character, namely Al Stone, (played by Jolson), is thinking. Al sings “It All Depends on You” in an attempt to woo the mean Molly, his long-time heart’s devotion. Through song, Al tells us that it is Molly who will determine his happiness. Without realising, Al’s own lyrics forbode the unhappiness that she will cause him. Moments later, inspired by Molly’s positive reaction to the song, Al sings “I’m Sitting on top of the world”. He is so happy, that only song can truly convey how he is feeling. Cut to a few year’s later, married and with a young child, Al sings “Rainbow Around my shoulder”. The uptempo song demonstrates to the audience that Al is really very happy! The main song of the film, “Sonny Boy” is performed several times. A few times as gentle personal quiet moments between father and son, and in the last instance in an emotional performance to a packed house of eager fans. Al's young son, Sonny Boy, played by the utterly adorable Davey Lee, is a real highlight of the film, with his sweet angelic face, and spot on timing.
The characters are well developed. From the outset we see Al Stone is a good guy. He is funny and likable, and his quirky entrance, framed by a line of chorus girls, reinforces the audience anticipation and satisfaction of seeing their favourite star on the screen. The audience’s appreciation of Al is mirrored in the pretty cigarette girl, kind, softly-spoken, and like her name, full of grace. Molly, Al’s love interest, is vain and superficial. She is only interested in appearances, and moving up in the world, highlighted by our first glimpses of Molly being her legs in the dressing room mirror. We gain further insight into Molly’s aims through the great line, “I’m not interested in waiters, except when they’re serving me”. We instantly dislike Molly, a feeling heightened by her philandering ways behind the back of our spirited Al, and her final moments with Al are touching and vindicating.
As Peter Lehman has written, “song, the star, a gripping story and the attraction of sound, all enveloped within a continuous narrative form so familiar to movie fans made The Singing Fool the biggest attraction of its day”. These elements help to ensure that The Singing Fool remains a brilliant film today.
While the first commercially successful talkie, The Jazz Singer, was undoubtedly a hit, it did not eclipse the successes of the silent film, and the skeptics openly wondered if the talking picture business would ever catch on. Within a year, Warner Bros would release their second talking picture. Enter The Singing Fool. The film was written as a star vehicle for the already immensely popular Al Jolson who, to quote Peter Lehman from his book Close Viewings: An Anthology of New Film Criticism, “was more than just a singer or an actor - he was an experience.” Like it’s predecessor, The Singing Fool, provided a medium in which to introduce an eager public to new songs, including “I’m Sitting on top of the World,” “Rainbow on my shoulder,” and “Sonny Boy.” In short, audiences LOVED it. Within a month of opening, the film had broken over 70 box office records across the United States, and it remained Hollywood’s most financially successful film until Gone with the Wind premiered in 1939.
Finances aside, The Singing Fool is a great piece of cinema. From the outset, it feels more sophisticated than its predecessor The Jazz Singer. Although the film still employs silent film devices, the majority of The Singing Fool makes use of Vitaphone synchronised sound. According to Lehman, this combination was a conscious decision to keep regular movie goers happy, as well as to attract new patrons, however I feel this more reflects the growing confidence of the studio, and creatives, in utilising the new sound technology.
The camera becomes the story-teller, using images to showing the story rather than telling it through title cards. The score also helps to tell the story, with less dirge-like filler music. A great example of this occurs in the opening scenes, where the music shifts from traditional swirling orchestral accompaniment to a lively quick-step tune which follows four well-dressed punters climbing the stairs to Blackie Joe’s club, focusing on two female pairs of stockinged legs and shiny shoes. We get a sense of the excitement of going to Blackie Joe’s, and the glamour and fun of the entertainment industry, which is of course shown in all its harsh reality by the end of the film.
Despite the occasional tendency to sentimentality, there is a wonderful sense of comedy throughout The Singing Fool that has not been lost to time. The cheating and womanising characters at Blackie Joe’s, the woman who cries profusely during Al Stone’s first number, and the inebriated couple in the phone booth on New Year’s Eve are just a few examples of light-hearted humour. This comedy does well to contrast the tragedy of the story.
Most of the songs are set as performance pieces, however, they also tell us what the main character, namely Al Stone, (played by Jolson), is thinking. Al sings “It All Depends on You” in an attempt to woo the mean Molly, his long-time heart’s devotion. Through song, Al tells us that it is Molly who will determine his happiness. Without realising, Al’s own lyrics forbode the unhappiness that she will cause him. Moments later, inspired by Molly’s positive reaction to the song, Al sings “I’m Sitting on top of the world”. He is so happy, that only song can truly convey how he is feeling. Cut to a few year’s later, married and with a young child, Al sings “Rainbow Around my shoulder”. The uptempo song demonstrates to the audience that Al is really very happy! The main song of the film, “Sonny Boy” is performed several times. A few times as gentle personal quiet moments between father and son, and in the last instance in an emotional performance to a packed house of eager fans. Al's young son, Sonny Boy, played by the utterly adorable Davey Lee, is a real highlight of the film, with his sweet angelic face, and spot on timing.
The characters are well developed. From the outset we see Al Stone is a good guy. He is funny and likable, and his quirky entrance, framed by a line of chorus girls, reinforces the audience anticipation and satisfaction of seeing their favourite star on the screen. The audience’s appreciation of Al is mirrored in the pretty cigarette girl, kind, softly-spoken, and like her name, full of grace. Molly, Al’s love interest, is vain and superficial. She is only interested in appearances, and moving up in the world, highlighted by our first glimpses of Molly being her legs in the dressing room mirror. We gain further insight into Molly’s aims through the great line, “I’m not interested in waiters, except when they’re serving me”. We instantly dislike Molly, a feeling heightened by her philandering ways behind the back of our spirited Al, and her final moments with Al are touching and vindicating.
As Peter Lehman has written, “song, the star, a gripping story and the attraction of sound, all enveloped within a continuous narrative form so familiar to movie fans made The Singing Fool the biggest attraction of its day”. These elements help to ensure that The Singing Fool remains a brilliant film today.
Thanks again for pointing out the error - not sure if you saw my reply to your comment on The Jazz Singer, but I believe this was an auto-correct when I transferred the blog from blogspot to Weebly, or when Pages updated.
Hope you're enjoying the blog despite these unintentional errors!
Luisa