Judge — October 20, 1928 — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IN. ofa adver- rsprre the ld tickets, the rotogravure 4 tising in the S ay papers, despite the bat tery of searchlights at Times Square, and the reserves on guard at the Winter Garden entrance, despite the great floral wreaths that transformed the lobby of the old theatre into an undertaker’s night mare, despite the luxurious background of the most he-studded and be-ermined movie audience [have ever seen, despite the personal appearance of any number of Broadway stars, in the face one of the oldest plots known to the industry, and much to my The Singing nt entertain surprise, 1” was ples ment. If that doesn’t mak that it does), Al Jolse worth see ind ['m not too sure *s second talking movie is and hearing because Mr. Jolson him: rtist, steps before the camer: isa eat When he rolls up his sleeves 4 » he works. der a Mammy song, throws it ever his shoulder, gets a half-Nelson on it and finally tosses it, exhausted and repentant, to an audience that knows it has been sung to. Mr. Jolson, of Singing Fool" return on “The ture, accelerated the He crouches un course, is the only reason “The in fact, the great financial z Singer,” his first talking pic talking pictures on their cha- And, there too, it was the man and not the story that put the picture over. The Vitaphone has better reproduction in “The Singing Fool” and Jolson loses the self-c he showed at times in his first movie, so that his sec success; reer. nsciousness ond sereen effort is a much smoother performance. The story, of course, is terrible, and it has no excuse spt asa thread on which to string the son; Fortunately, there are many. If you doubt that Jolson is a great artist in his own field, stick around until the big scene at the end of JUDGE By 3 PARE LORENTZ | JUVGIVNG TeEMOVILS 6&2 the picture, where he does a Laugh, Clown, Laugh » the hammiest trick in the theatre. (If Leon cavallo is still living he probably eries in his be every time he remembers that he the favorite movie opera). wrote 1 Pagliacci, The situation, which w used in his first picture, calls for Jolson to go on sing when his h nd art is broken over the loss of his only child, Oby id tedious as tl Dlack-face comedian. stands sings his song “S IS 2 climax is, when the — | fore the camera and uny Boy” you know the man is | reater, somehow, than the situation, the story, or the movie. Which wouldn't be ditticult under any cireum- stances, However, it does over, and I defy you to con- fa more dithcult test for a singer than stand: | fore the unresponsive eve of umera and ntal ballad (on | sale in the lobby as you pass out) that your heart is | breaking There is so much sadness and strife in the story, the big climax sceins a bit weak, but I recommend as unqualified entertainment the bull-fighter’s song and the story of the bullfrog that sent the turtle for some aspirin, as told by Jolson to his son, ating the illusion with a sentir Ayow for the moral, I'm sure you're all tired of i hearing mut the talking movies, but teacher will dismiss the class early if I let me idea to you. As I pointed out in The Jazz singing does not disturb the illusion of the movie, but when a voice crackles out at you, unassisted by even a faint orchestration, it jars your senses. It jerks you completely away from the scene and the of the situation and makes the screen appear t this ingen,” | The There are several dialogue sequences early in (Continued on page (Two performances a day only shows) **The Singing Fool” (W inv Reviewed in th fying picture my * (Embassy) a thrilling , 2 of the S51. Recom rs of the Macabre “White Shadows” (\stor photeyraphy and eapabl (Continuous pertormance movies.) “The Docks of New York A robust story that gets end. George Bancroft and Baclan: “Fatil”—\ terrible exam The Movie Guide Sapaney ‘Her Cardboard Lover” Gardena) —Marion peov i “The Magnificent Flirt” ing piece, with Flore “Steamboat Bill, t is funnier than One very @ ‘eee that ah “The Terree—Loog, but funny i Places. All talking. comicbooks.com