Al Jolson was pathologically jealous of other performers; he would run water in his dressing room to drown out the applause other performers would receive. So the last 10 minutes of the movie really speaks to this pathology. Here is Al Jolson in the theatre lobby unable to watch Al Jolson (Larry Parks) performing in the movie THE JOLSON STORY. Al Jolson being pathologically jealous of Larry Parks playing Al Jolsosn That is the essence of Jolie. Many of his peers thought him petty, mean spirited, jealous of others, and simply put--unlikable. George Burns didn't speak well of him. But there is no denying his ability to entertain--that too is what his peers commented on as well. My favorite performance is Al Jolson singing "Beautiful Dreamer"--the last song he would record before he died in 1950. I almost prefer the Black-face Al Jolson to the White Al Jolson. So while the movie is a piece of non-sense--the last 10 minutes of the film actually captures the essence of Al Jolson. And each and every song is worth treading through the nonsense. And just in case someone doesn't know--Larry Parks is miming Al Jolson singing.
Review of Jolson Sings Again
