Review of The Jazz Singer (1927) by Rainer K — 27 Feb 2013

"The Jazz Singer" is widely hailed as the first sound film, but it's really more accurate to describe it as a silent film (complete with intertitles) with some songs and bits of dialogue.

The film itself is charming enough to stand on its own, apart from its historical importance in the development of film. Much has been made about Al Jolson's dressing up in blackface, but I think the criticism is unfair.

For one, Jolson doesn't play a character in blackface in the film; he plays an actor who plays a character in blackface, which was an extremely widespread practice at the time (and persisted until much, much later) -- that is something that also fit in with the film's statement about shifting identities.

There is also zero animus expressed towards black people per se -- he is simply depicted as an aspiring actor/singer who is cast in the kind of role that was common for the time: the film is oblivious on the issue of race rather than hateful.

Don't hate the player, hate the time period in which the player is playing games.