Jakie Sings Kol Nidre

by | Mar 26, 2009 | Film

Normally when I lecture on The Jazz Singer, I spend some time near the end talking about the film’s final two vocal performances, especially Jack/Jakie’s decision to return to the synagogue to sing Kol Nidre in his dying father’s place. (The final...

Al Jolson’s Own Story

by | Mar 25, 2009 | Film, Writing New York

I mentioned in lecture this morning that the recent DVD repackaging of The Jazz Singer — which I highly recommend — comes with a copy of the original souvenir book sold in theaters for a quarter, a sort of playbill for the movie. The studio really pushes...