Rating: 
Summary: Greatest of All Time
Review: There are few words that can accurately describe the magnificent performance of Larry Parks in "THE JOLSON STORY". With Larry's performance, Morris Stoloff's Orchestra, and the great Al Jolson's voice, this movie is easily hands down, the best musical biography ever made. Along with it's sequel, "JOLSON SINGS AGAIN", it stands in a class of it's own. Sure reviewers of today have deemed it a little hoaky, but that is how wartime Hollywood movies were. In addition, although the movie is obviously fictionalized, the facts of Jolson's accomplishments are TRUE, and cannot and should not be denied with regard to their historical importance as it relates to the evolution of American Entertainment and the great American Songbook. Jolson was the KIng of Showbusiness for more than four decades, and his accomplishments are legendary. For those who have not yet seen this movie, take note of some of Al Jolson's achievements: 1st million selling record; 1st million selling album; 1st to take a Braodway show on the road; 1st to go overseas and entertain the troops in the USO; and the list goes on and on. Do yourself a favor...watch this movie...see history...discover America's Greatest Entertainer.
Rating:
Summary: No education is complete without Jolie
Review: There are some movies you must have. This is one of them. It speaks to a time in America when the future was bright and shiny and the music was fun and happy.We have so little of Jolson on film, but this movie and the followup make up for all of that. Jolson's voice was even better as he got older and the songs in this movie will make a fan out of anyone. Treat yourself to an evening with the greatest singer who ever lived.
Rating:
Summary: Great music and a startling performance by Larry Parks
Review: This is the type of movie that you hate to see end. The story, albeit mostly made up of jumbled facts from Jolson's life, takes you on a magical ride and gives you a true taste of what the entertainer must have been like. Larry Park's performance, which earned him an academy award nomination, is incredible. His lip-syncing to the songs of Jolson is beyond compare. The closeups of his face while "Rockabye-ing" or "Mammy-ing" show the preciseness with which he took on the role. The movie also was nominated for best picture of 1946. I can't wait to see this (and it's sequel, Jolson Sings Again) on the DVD format. Don't miss this classic musical... a real treat!
Rating:
Summary: Larry and Al
Review: This movie will always be in my top ten list of favourites. I was five years old when i was first saw it. It was the evening of Sept 22 1947. I went with my mother and aunt to our local cinema which happened to be opposite my grandparents house in Holt,Norfolk. U.K. The movie changed my life from then on i wanted to sing and to this day i still make my living as a vocalist. In the days before TV and only having the Radio to listen to i grew up thinking Larry Parks really was Al Jolson and the shock in later years to find that he really did`nt look like him and the story was pure Hollywood hoakam. It was almost as big as the shock i had learning Bing Crosby wore a toupee.
After all these years i don`t care its a wonderful movie that still brings a tear to the eye when i think of that small boy going to the movies with his mother and aunt. Larry Parks was brilliant ( can anyone name any other movies he was in ) The great Al was still in top form singing the songs that he made famous sadly leaving us just as part two was released. I urge anyone who hasnt seen this movie to give it a viewing. Hollywood at its best. And please please please a DVD release. Even better with Jolson Sings Again on the same disc....
Rating: 
Summary: Features the voice of the great Al Jolson.
Review: This story contains a hearty and ambituous performance by Larry Parks, who appears to have the Jolson stage movements mastered. The film also includes the incomparable voice of the legend himself, in favorites like MAMMY and ROCK A-BYE YOUR BABY. He's a wonderful singer. However, from what I know of Jolson, the man, I believe the story has sacrificed truth to make a glamorous portrait of a one-of-a-kind performer.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite musicals!! An amazing Biography!
Review: What an excellent movie and i have been waiting forever for this to come on dvd, im so happy it is. A must see for anyone really! It may seem kinda odd to watch a singer from the 30's and 40's but trust me, he is the one who started it all. The life story is very touching and very amazing! Must See
Rating:
Summary: I Saw The Original Movie in 1946
Review: What makes this movie so notable is the artful acting of Larry Parks, who made a decent living at portraying the great singers and musicians of the 20's and 30's. But it would have been just a notable movie without the actual voice of the great Al Jolson doing the singing to Park's masterful lip-movements. With that ingredient added, the movie is great! My personal favorite songs of the movie, and it's difficult to choose only two, were the "Anniversary Song" and "Sweet Sixteen". These had to be two of Jolson's greatest renditions of the romantic ballad form. Both songs were in the movie and became instant hit songs on radio stations around the country. In addition to his great singing, Jolson's whistling, an art form in itself, is introduced in the movie as a 'save the show' stop-gap when his teen-age tenor voice gives out in mid-tune and he quickly introduces the whistle as though it was part of the score. It became his signature and a few other singers of the 30's - 40's tried various forms of whistling, Der Bingle (Bing Crosby), for one but none, in my opinion, had the volume and range of Jolson.
There was, however, one drawback to the movie which would make it, at the least, a 'concern' today . The movie version shows scenes of Jolson performing in 'blackface', which was in fact a significant part of his stage repertoire, and, in 1946, was not considered "politically incorrect". It's unfortunate that Jolson's 'minstrel show' format was included in the movie but in 1946 we, America, still had a long way to go vis-a-vis sensitivity to such portrayals. I have heard that some of the re-releases via VHS tape edited those portions out but I have not viewed any of these.
If one simply concentrates on the story and the music, and if one really enjoys the vaudeville genre of the 20's and 30's, then this movie is for you. Oh, by the way, be prepared to see Al portrayed as less than sensitive to his wife's and their marriage's need for privacy and his withdrawal from the limelight.
Rating:
Summary: one of my favorite movies
Review: When I was a young girl I watched JOLSON STORY and JOLSON SINGS AGAIN on the Late and Late Late Movies on tv. I have seen both hundreds of times....I love the music and the story. They don't make them like this anymore.....mary l.
Rating: 
Summary: great music lousy Jolson
Review: why Harry Cohn passed up using Al Jolson to play himself is one of the great injustices of cinema. so what if he looked old in the screen tests we're talking one of the top performers of all time here, perhaps the greatest. larry parks is wooden in comparison to the way the beloved Jolie moved, just watch the real Jolson do 'Swanee' in the movie, the only time they used him and then from a distance. The man was electric, its painful watching Parks but hearing Jolson, better you close your eyes and imagine the real Al. Evelyn Keyes has a few nice dance moves too.
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