The Singing Fool

The Singing Fool

Director: Lloyd Bacon Cast: Al Jolson
Al Jolson
, Betty Bronson
Betty Bronson
, Josephine Dunn
Josephine Dunn
, Davey Lee
Davey Lee
Lloyd Bacon
The Singing Fool

The Singing Fool

Director: Lloyd Bacon Cast: Al Jolson
Al Jolson
, Betty Bronson
Betty Bronson
, Josephine Dunn
Josephine Dunn
, Davey Lee
Davey Lee
Lloyd Bacon

DVD (B&W / Full Frame)

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Overview

Popular film lore has it that The Jazz Singer was the film that established the talkie as the pre-eminent film medium in 1927. But it was Al Jolson's follow-up film, The Singing Fool that actually introduced the sound film to the general film-going population of the United States and it was the popularity of The Singing Fool that paved the way for the wide-acceptance of sound features. Jolson plays Al Stone, a singing waiter at Blackie Joe's cafe, who writes a hit song and sky-rockets to success as a Broadway headliner. Looking ahead to unlimited success, Al falls in love with scheming golddigger Molly Winton (Josephine Dunn), whom he marries. When Molly gives him a son, Sonny Boy (Davey Lee), Al is beside himself with love for his cutey-pie offspring. But when Molly deserts him for small-time gangster John Perry (Reed Howes) and takes Sonny Boy with her, Al is heartbroken. His spirit shattered, Al becomes a bum and, after a time, regains his singing waiter job at Blackie Joe's. Back at the dive, Grace (Betty Bronson), a cigarette girl secretly in love with Al, convinces him to make a comeback. Al struggles and regains his confidence and hits the stage like a trouper -- even when he hears that his beloved Sonny Boy has died in a hospital ward.

Product Details

Release Date: 07/21/2009
UPC: 0883316173930
Original Release: 1928
Rating: NR
Source: Warner Archives
Presentation: [Full Frame]
Sound: [Dolby Digital Mono]
Language: English
Time: 1:45:00
Sales rank: 36,063

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Al Jolson Al
Betty Bronson Grace
Josephine Dunn Molly
Davey Lee Sonny Boy
Reed Howes John Perry
Edward Martindel Marcus
Arthur Housman Blackie Joe
Robert Emmett O'Connor Cafe Manager,Cafe Manager
Helen Lynch Actor

Technical Credits
Lloyd Bacon Director
Joe Jackson Screenwriter
Graham Baker Screenwriter,Screenwriter
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