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The Jolson Story

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The Loan Arranger

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May 24, 2012, 12:02:06 PM5/24/12
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Altho factually it's almost complete fiction, "The Jolson Story" is still a
great movie, especially for Jolson fans (like me!)
Larry Parks does an excellent job mimicking Jolie's trademark mannerisms and
Jolie's singing was never better.
Jolie even performs in blackface in one scene (Swanee) which was shot at a
distance.
The rest of the actors turn in good performances, the Technicolor photography is
excellent, as are the over-all production values.
As mentioned, the script takes liberties with the facts but is otherwise good.
The sequel, "Jolson Sings Again", maintains the same high standards and is a
treat for Jolie's legions of fans.


Bill Steele

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May 26, 2012, 2:37:36 PM5/26/12
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Jolson once said in an interview that in Jolson Sings Again Barbara Hale
just represented "the girls."

When The Jolson Story came out it was a true blockbuster, with lines
around the block. I went with my mother, and the theater was so crowded
we had to sit way down front on the left, looking up at an elongated
Larry Parks, et al. It launched a comeback for Jolson with many guest
shots on TV, new record albums and (I think) live concerts.

In those days nobody worried about the implications of blackface.

gtr

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May 26, 2012, 3:59:01 PM5/26/12
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I saw the Jolson Story on TV in the early 60's. I don't think I've
seen it again. My sister (the omniscient controller of TV and
dispenser of microscopic details about all things "movie") told me he
was a communist and after exposure he was all washed up.

When I then watched the movie all I could think about was that he was a
communist. At some level I got Al Jolson and black face and myriad
other concepts all hot-wired with "communism" and reds. Later I might
see Khrushchev on the nightly news and I would wonder if he knew Larry
Parks, or if Nikita sang, and with blackface.

It was all very confusing.

The Loan Arranger

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May 27, 2012, 1:09:11 AM5/27/12
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Jolie died in 1950 and was never even remotely close to being called a commie.
He was a die-hard Republican all his life. Yowsah!

"gtr" wrote in message news:2012052612590142961-xxx@yyyzzz...

mikeos

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May 27, 2012, 4:48:05 AM5/27/12
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On 27/05/2012 06:09, The Loan Arranger wrote:
> Jolie died in 1950 and was never even remotely close to being called a commie.
> He was a die-hard Republican all his life. Yowsah!

It was Parks who was communist, not Jolson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Parks

Wull

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May 27, 2012, 8:41:51 AM5/27/12
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"The Loan Arranger" <x...@xxx.xxx> wrote in message
news:YFiwr.12764$rd5....@newsfe02.iad...
I could be wrong but I think maybe Larry Parks was the suspected communist,
maybe from the MaCarthy era.

Wull
>
>


gtr

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May 27, 2012, 10:00:31 AM5/27/12
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>> [Larry Parks]
>> was a communist and after exposure he was all washed up.
>>
>> When I then watched the movie all I could think about was that he was a
>> communist. At some level I got Al Jolson and black face and myriad
>> other concepts all hot-wired with "communism" and reds. Later I might
>> see Khrushchev on the nightly news and I would wonder if he knew Larry
>> Parks, or if Nikita sang, and with blackface.
>>
>> It was all very confusing.
>
> I could be wrong but I think maybe Larry Parks was the suspected
> communist, maybe from the MaCarthy era.

He was a confessed communist the first of the HUAC. The discussion was
about Parks and that's who I was talking about; I didn't make that
clear enough.


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