Halliwell describes the first talking picture:

‘[It] has only a few patches of dialogue and some songs; but Al Jolson’s personality is so vibrant that one can imagine the sensation he originally caused.  The well-worn sentimental story is efficiently directed by Alan Crosland.’

The movie, about a Cantor’s son who wishes to sing on stage rather than follow in his father’s footsteps, caused a cinematic revolution, as Jolson, playing Jakie Rabinowitz…

‘…broke three decades of movie silence by telling audiences ‘You ain’t heard nothin’ yet’, and launching into ‘Toot Toot Tootise Goodbye’’

Jolson’s blackface antics are unlikely to impress a modern audience, but the film is an important historical milestone, and is on the whole quite watchable..