STRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 800, 22 October 1929, Page 15

STRAND

“THE JAZZ SINGER” New York. Chicago, Philadelphia and other of the larger cities of America and now Auckland acclaim Jolson and "The Jazz Singer” as the greatest combination of the generation. And, by the way, the story of the play parallels the life of A 1 Jolson. The star, in real life, was the son of an orthodox cantor, and ran away from home to become a jazz singer. It is in the moment of triumph, when lus first nlav is to have its premiere in New York that word comes that lus father, too ill to sing the ancient song of remembrance in the synagogue, begs the errant son to come and do it tor him. The singer’s soul is tissed between the love of the world, and the woman who has made him win its plaudits and the old folks at home. The story is intensely appealing and breathes the spirit of tolerance. Nvery tear is balanced by a dozen laughs, and there are scenes of tremendous dramatic PO Riit it is the personality of Jolson, compelling, ecstatic, sobbing, yearning, ilin- dancing, kneeling in prayer, pouring out his soul in jazz or in the haunting, undying pathos of ancient IV,ino-S That sets the audience wild. It that no such demonstrais probable tha „ ranted any Vthlr Star or, rather, the animated shadow of Jolson. as he appears in the torrentiiU whirl of ’’The Jazz Singer. “SgtK auszssi ™ & : i s“'! , Tl :“ srii ST-fndalav” a humourous sketch enJmSd •’The Reformer,” by Joe in "’ . A ”a ri n an ncw“edition of the Fox Movietone News, with events of the day in sight and sound. SPEAKS PERFECT ENGLISH Vnother newcomer from the stage, Anoth . introduced in The Paul Wuu • h the picture and the \ allant. tant, because they are actor are and finely honest, St fncidentally Muni provides mOV example which should be heeded an example essaying dialogue. t> y ig C the"complete absence of accent It IS tne lTi English is pure f Tis neither provincial nor stagy, an . d this is really the result of lus yet tillsi * irip flawless speech is stage tia * re( ii t to him because, all the more a c.red cuUivated for Ms n debu? on tiie English-speaking stage a few years ago.