September 14, 2020  

Rich Pickings on The Jazz Singer

Neil Diamond stars in this interesting loose remake of Al Johnson’s 1927 classic. His role consists of two personas: Jewish cantor Yussel Rabinovitch; and rock singer Jess Robin. Capably directed by Richard Fleischer this is based upon the play by Samson Raphaelson, a screenplay by Herbert Baker, adapted by Stephen H. Foreman.

It benefits from a star appearance by Laurence Olivier as Yussel’s father and explores the father-son relationship, especially the battle between tradition and modernity. Basically Diamond’s character abandons his wife and dad for the city lights of L.A. This allows for a celebration of Diamond classic songs which are beautifully orchestrated.

Musician Jess Robin has a helper in Molly Bell (a fine performance by Lucy Arnaz) who gets him his first break after a flop of a recording session to play live and then on TV. But Jess does not turn his back on his roots altogether which is seen in his atonement with his father in the denouement.

This is an endearing but not exactly innovative flick that will appeal to Diamond fans immensely, but perhaps less so for the rest.

Reviewed by Rich Jevons on 14 September 2020. Rent on Cinema Paradiso.

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About Rich Jevons

Rich Jevons is a freelance journalist based in Leeds. Just a quick intro: almost forty years' journalistic experience (I was published in the Yorkshire Post at the tender age of fifteen!); a decade as Arts Editor at Leeds Guide; freelancer including work for Big Issue in the North, Metro Newspaper, Artscene, Northern Exposure, AN, AJ, BJP, Hotshoe International, National Drama, Plays International... And edited www.digyorkshire.com until its demise at the end of 2013. Now writing predominantly on the visual and performing arts for Rich Pickings and travel writing for Indigo Car Hire.

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