The Singing Kid

Director: William Keighley William Keighley

Overview

Strictly for Al Jolson's most fervent fans, The Singing Kid casts Jolie as neurotic Broadway star Al Jackson. Facing professional ruin when he loses his voice, Al heads to the country to regain his vocal timbre and to get his head back together. While recuperating, he falls in love with farm girl Ruth Haines (Beverly Roberts), the pretty aunt of precocious little Sybil Haines (Sybil Jason). The kid bids fair to steal the picture, but Big Al isn't about to let that happen! Much as it must have pained him, Jolson shares the spotlight with such specialty performers as Wini Shaw, Cab Calloway, the Yacht Club Boys and the knockabout comedy team of Mitchell and Durant. The E.Y. Harburg-Harold Arlen score includes "I Want to Sing a Mammy Song" and "I Love to Singa," which later served as the basis of an amusing Merrie Melodies cartoon.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/21/2009
UPC:	0883316173886
Original Release:	1936
Rating:	NR
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:25:00
Sales rank:	49,268

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Al Jolson	Al Jackson
Beverly Roberts	Ruth Haines
Lyle Talbot	Robert 'Bob' Carey
Edward Everett Horton	Davenport Rogers
Allen Jenkins	Joe Eddy
William B. Davidson	Barney Hammond
Frank Mitchell	Dope
Jack Durant	Babe
Edward Keane	Potter
Sybil Jason	Sybil Haines
Tom Manning	Doorman
Winifred Shaw	Singer
Joseph King	Dr. May
Joseph Crehan	Fulton
Claire Dodd	Dana Lawrence
Carol Hughes	Mary Lou,Mary Lou
Jonathan Hale	Dr. Brown
Eddie Barefield	Tenor Saxophonist in Cab Calloway's Band
Al Morgan	Bass Player in Cab Calloway's Band

Technical Credits

Pat Flick

Warren Duff

William Keighley	Director
Robert Lord	Producer
Pat Flick	Screenwriter
Warren Duff	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

As with any Al Jolson vehicle, one's appreciation of The Singing Kid will be heavily influenced by one's appreciation of its star, Al Jolson. Jolson is legendary, of course, and still well known for having jumpstarted the entire talking movie business via his appearance in The Jazz Singer. But Jolson's style, both as a singer and a performer, is very much a product of its time, and so modern audiences frequently have a hard time appreciating him; indeed, some can't even stand him. Jolson's hammy technique, though, does have it appeal if one approaches it in the right spirit; unfortunately, Kid is a rather poor vehicle for the star, and so even those who enjoy Jolson may be a bit disappointed. It's a tired story that was worn even in 1936 and is positively threadbare today. This wouldn't matter so much if there were greater compensations, such as a sterling song score or some delicious comedy bits. Unfortunately, despite much of the score being the work of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, most of the songs are merely pleasant. "I Love to Sing-a" is perhaps the most engaging of those contributed by the team, although Cab Calloway's ditty is memorable, due more to Calloway's performance than the song itself. "Sing-a" also features some nifty staging, courtesy of Bobby Connolly. The comedy throughout is mostly weak, and is usurped by sticky sentimentality related to the plotline involving a child. The young actress, Sybil Jason, is fine, but the character is cloying and the scenes involving her are far too precious.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler