The Singing Kid

Even though I admit to being an Al Jolson fan, I never expected to see an Al Jolson film that's not rubbish. This however wasn't - what a revelation! It's actually good! It's not too dissimilar in feel to those old Busby Berkeley movies.

Honestly, as hard as it is to believe, it's an Al Jolson movie that's actually good - well quite good. Some people are offended by the old 'blacking up' practice and there is some of that in this so some of you might not feel comfortable watching this. Apart from that, if you enjoy 1930s movies, particularly from the pre-code era, this is almost as much fun as a lot of those pre 1934 pictures were.

I'd also say that it's much better than a lot of the bland, cloned musicals the studios were churning out in the mid thirties. Being directed by the same guy who did FOOTLIGHT PARADE, you can feel that same sense of fun here. It's not brilliant - the first part, set in New York is a lot livelier than the second half which really slows down as it evolves into a rather mushy (but still amusing) sentimental drama set in the countryside with a 'cute' child and annoying mother.

The 'cute' child, Sybil Jason is surprisingly tolerable but that annoying mother is not. She is Beverly Roberts, not a name you'll be familiar with and that's because she's awful. She's got a terribly affected accent and zero stage presence - utterly lacking in any believability. Al Jolson however along with his two mates: Allen Jenkins and E E Horton have more than enough personality to keep you engaged.

The songs are ok but a bit forgettable however Al Jolson gave his friend, the immensely popular black jazz performer, Cab Calloway quite a lot of exposure in this which adds something different. I don't know whether it was just because I didn't expect it not to be terrible but I really enjoyed non pre-code, pre-code cheerful chunk of happiness.

THE SINGING KID(1936) was a flop on initial release and Warner Brotehrs let their former No.1 moneymaker out of his contract. Maybe the problem was Jolson was 50 years old and still making movies with the word "Kid" in them.

So what if "I Love To Sing-a" is pretty much the same thing as his previous Irving Berlin hit "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy"? The opening number with Cab Calloway is electric to the 200th degree,and thank Heaven it was done without the blackface.

And there is the promo cartoon with "Owl Jolson"---the passage of time made that little guy a legend in his own right,even though it was his sole cartoon.

After his business manager walks off with his fortune,singing star Jolson has a nervous breakdown and his doctors tell him to go out in t he country and forget all about show business. This is an impossible feat for both the fictional AND the real-life Jolson. He finds romance and SOME peace and quiet,although with his knockabout entourage along complete quiet is a dream.

JOLSON--"Has there ever been a death in your family?"

MITCHELL&DURANT--"No"

JOLSON:"Well,why don't you go home and break the monotony?" But it's impossible to top that opening number---and I don't blame them for not trying.

I was surprised to discovered that I had not seen this movie before. After all, it was was an Al Jolson starring vehicle in which he is supported by an immense number of supporting comedians and singers -- Edward Everett Horton, Alan Jenkins, Cab Calloway, the Yacht Club Boys acting like the Ritz Brothers -- and an Arlen-Harburg score. Clearly this was a bet-the-house movie. It was Jolson's last under his contract with Warner Brothers.

Al Jolson plays himself, an immensely popular performer who is beloved by all who know him... well, I suppose he had script control. When his fiancee and his financial advisor run off with all the unpaid taxes for the last five years, Al has to break the kitty to pay off the IRS, his voice fails and he has to take a vacation in Maine, where he meets charming would-be playwright Beverly Roberts, and her niece, Sybil Jason. Everyone falls in love with Al and Al phonies up an acceptance of her play with a $500 check. When she finds out he did it, she's mad.

The songwriters were clearly tasked with coming up with "Al Jolson numbers" and they had a limited success. The only one familiar to me was "I Love to Sing-a," which is repeated several times with added verses. I don't think anyone covered this one except Looney Tunes, which is where I know it from.

If this movie were all we knew of Jolson, it would be a bloated and egotistical project. What we know of Jolson justifies the egotism, but not the bloat.

This movie begins with a montage of Al Jolson's most famous tunes. This will no doubt shock many, as he's in his signature black-face during this sequence and during several other numbers. While today this would be clearly seen as patently racist, this was how it was back in the day. Plus, the film also had several numbers by Cab Calloway....and he was a black performer. My advice about all this is watch the movie and just understand the context....otherwise, your head might explode!

In "The Singing Kid", Al Jolson plays a guy who's practically a living saint...and he hits hard times. His agent has cheated him out of his fortune and things only get worse. Due to stress and overwork, he loses his voice and must quit show business...at least temporarily. Fortunately, his two sidekicks (Allen Jenkins and Edward Everett Horton) stick by his side...paycheck or no paycheck. Can Al possibly pull himself out of this rut and make something of himself once again?

Aside from the blackface, the film also has another strike against it....they make Jolson's character seem too nice to be real. First, his wife leaves him. Second, he gets cheated out of his fortune. Third, he loses his voice. Yet, through all this, he never loses his temper (except for a tiny second) and is so swell and sweet that the character drips of phoniness. I think toning this back a bit would have made the film better. Now I am NOT saying they needed to make him a snarling beast...just not quite to angelic as he is in this one. Plus, combined with Sybil Jason (the too adorable little girl), the movie is high on the saccharine scale!!

So is it still worth seeing? The music is certainly memorable and exciting to hear. And, Jolson isn't bad at all...he can't help it his character is this sickeningly sweet! I also enjoyed the Yacht Club Boys. This singing group was like the Ritz Brothers with talent. Also, the dialog between Jenkins and Horton was great...with Horton delivering a lot of great zingers. Overall, despite the film's strengths easily outweigh the deficits.

THE SINGING KID (Warner Brothers, 1936), directed by William Keighley, with choreography by Bobby Connelly, became Al Jolson's final lead in a musical film, and the movie debut of Beverly Roberts. Although cast as Al Jackson, Al Jackson is definitely Al Jolson. As Jackson, or Jolson, or whatever, Al Jackson is America's favorite stage and radio star living in a New York City penthouse. While good-natured with a heart of gold, he is irresponsible with women, forgetful, selfish and forever breaking promises, this time to his fiancée, Dana Lawrence (Claire Dodd). In turn, Dana is a gold digger who not only takes advantage of Al's trusting nature, but is carrying on with his business manager, Bob Carey (Lyle Talbot). Eventually she calls off her engagement and goes away with Bob, leaving Al with a half-a-million dollar debt with the Internal Revenue for five years of back taxes, compliments of Mr. Carey. After he clears himself with the government, Al has further troubles when, after taking a few drinks, goes on stage and is unable to finish his song, "Here's Looking at You," due to he slowly losing his voice. Deciding to quit show business, Al and his cronies, Davenport Rogers (Edward Everett Horton) and Joe Eddy (Allen Jenkins), head for Indian Lakes, Maine, and rent a cottage in the country for a rest cure. While there, Al encounters his landlady, Ruth Haines (Beverly Roberts), and her precious little orphaned niece, Sybil (Sybil Jason), who add some happiness to his empty life.

The title, THE SINGING KID is something of a misnomer, making the viewer wonder whether the "Kid" in question is either Jolson, who sings plenty but being too old to be playing a kid, or Sybil Jason, a talented seven-year-old actress who sings only one song. The movie itself, is a showcase for Jolson, but the highlight is Sybil Jason, who appears rather late (45 minutes) into the story. While on screen, she manages to delight, especially when reading a bedtime story to "Uncle Al" instead of the other way around, or a little musical number by the lake in which little Sybil plays doctor to patient Al. This plays cute rather than corny. Jolson usually plays well on screen with children, and the chemistry between him and Jason are most rewarding. Unlike Jolson's previous efforts, this film focuses more on comedy, but when dramatic moments set in, the sentiment doesn't come off as thick. The movie itself hints several times on trying to bring Jolson's entertainment style up to date, having the Mammy singer surrounded by the swing band of Cab Calloway along with swing music. On and all, times are changing but many prefer to remember the Jolson of old. It's almost like trying to place 1940s crooner Bing Crosby in a coming of age 1960s rock-and-roll musical surrounded by long-haired, jive talk hippies.

For THE SINGING KID, age has caught up with Al Jolson, who physically looks a bit heavier with his hair thinning. Beverly Roberts, who was possibly in her 20s, not only looks a bit older than her true age, but talks a little like actress Frances Farmer. Roberts even gets to have a couple of kissing scenes with Jolson.

The musical program includes: Montage Opening: "Mammy," "Swanee," "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody," "California, Here I Come," "April Showers," "About a Quarter to Nine," and "Sonny Boy." Following the montage of old songs, the story begins with new tunes by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg: "I Love to Sing-A" (sung by Jolson and Cab Calloway); "My How This Country's Changed" (sung by the wild and wacky The Yacht Club Boys); "Keep That Hi-De-Ho in Your Soul" (written and sung by Calloway); "Who's the Swingin'est Man in Town?" "Save Me, Sister" (sung by minstrels, with Jolson and Winifred Shaw in black-face); "Here's Looking at You" (incomplete); "You're the Cure for What Ails Me" (sung by Jolson and Sybil Jason); "I Love to Sing-A vs. Mammy Songs" (with Jolson and in which The Yacht Club Boys try to show Al that it's 1936 and that Mammy songs are passé); "You're the Cure for What Ails Me" (reprise by Calloway); and "I Love to Sing-A."

Also in the cast are Frank Mitchell and Jack Durant, a comedy team who rely mostly on violent gags, but are no threat to The Three Stooges; Hattie McDaniel in an unbilled bit; and Jonathan Hale, the future Mr. Dithers in the "Blondie" movie series, playing Doctor Fulton.

THE SINGING KID has its share of songs, but there is hardly any dancing involved. While this may not be the very best of the Jolson musicals, it does come across as entertaining. It can be seen from time to time on cable's Turner Classic Movies. For the record, Al Jolson would return to films playing supporting roles in two 20th Century-Fox musicals in 1939, along with a third, a cameo appearance. But the Jolson legend doesn't end there. (***)