Jolson Sings Again (1949)

Parks reprises his role as al jolson in this musical sequel. The film begins when the singer comes out of retirement and heads back to broadway only to find that styles have changed and he no longer pulls top-billing. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 12/21/2004 Starring: Larry Parks Run time: 95 minutes Rating: Nr Product Description

Super film, old times, best times

This is a very nice classic film, Larry Parks sets a perfect preformance off Al Jolson. April 6, 2008

Fabulous Movie

This has got to be one of the best all time musicals. It's no wonder Al Jolsen was considered one of the the greatest entertainers of all times. My kids and grandkids love these two movies of his life. And I knew most all the songs. How? My mom and dad used to sing his music to me when I was young. I highly recommend these two films. You'll be hooked. February 15, 2008

The Jolson Story

Excellent movie with an outstanding performance by Larry Parks as Al Jolson. He has all the mannerisms and characteristics of Al down pat.
Al Jolson's singing is terrific -- until I watched this movie again I did not realilze what a great voice he really had! January 28, 2008

Jolson DVD

Very prompt delivery and the product was exactly as described. A very responsive vendor. January 25, 2008

listen to those bobby soxers squeal !!!

Jolson Sings Again picks up the Al Jolson story where the prequel, The Jolson Story, leaves off. Al Jolson is played brilliantly by Larry Parks; and Al Jolson's parents are again played by Ludwig Donath and Tamara Shayne. The plot moves along at a fairly good pace with an interesting subplot for the last half hour of the movie during which we see the making of The Jolson Story, thus giving us a film within a film.

When the action begins, Al Jolson is only momentarily saddened by his wife Julia leaving him. He longs to return to the stage. Time has passed and newcomers like Bing Crosby get the spotlight Jolson once enjoyed so very much. We see Jolson touring the globe to entertain troops during World War II; and the movie shows Jolson having health problems from stress and viruses he caught in his later years.

Eventually Jolson remarries a military nurse named Ellen Clark (Barbara Hale), although in real life Jolson was never married to anyone named Ellen Clark. Steve Martin (William Demarest) continues to manage Jolson during the leaner years when Jolson isn't in great demand anymore.

The wonderful thing about this flick is that we see the making of The Jolson Story during the last half hour or so; and this is truly very entertaining to watch. It's also great to see Jolson regaining popularity after The Jolson Story was released.

The choreography works very well in the scenes in which they film The Jolson Story; and the cinematography is probably at its height in those scenes as well.

Overall, Jolson Sings Again is a worthy sequel to The Jolson Story; and the convincing acting makes this a good picture. It's somewhat less exciting and also somewhat more somber than The Jolson Story because, of course, Jolson's life story wasn't as pretty in the last ten years or so of his life. Nevertheless, Jolson Sings Again remains a fine motion picture about the life and times of one of America's greatest entertainers ever. Jolson fans will surely want this in their collections.
December 19, 2007

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