The Jazz Singer

"His story will make you cry. His music will make you sing. His triumph will make you cheer."

1980 1h 55m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 76

DramaMusicRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer.

“His story will make you cry. His music will make you sing. His triumph will make you cheer.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Neil Diamond
Jess Robin / Yussel Rabinovitch
Laurence Olivier
Cantor Rabinovitch
Lucie Arnaz
Molly Bell
Catlin Adams
Rivka Rabinovitch
Franklyn Ajaye
Bubba
Paul Nicholas
Keith Lennox
Sully Boyar
Eddie Gibbs
Mike Kellin
Leo

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Fleischer
Writers: Herbert Baker
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

46 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Isidore Mankofsky. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Leonard Rosenman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Maury Winetrobe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier and Lucie Arnaz carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "His story will make you cry. His music will make you sing. His triumph will make you cheer.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0080948 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Fleischer directs. Isidore Mankofsky behind the camera. Leonard Rosenman scores. Maury Winetrobe cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

146 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by Richard Fleischer, shot by Isidore Mankofsky. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Leonard Rosenman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Maury Winetrobe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier and Lucie Arnaz carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "His story will make you cry. His music will make you sing. His triumph will make you cheer.".
8IMDB entry: tt0080948 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 8 themes, including "tradition", "rabbi", "musical", "remake".

The technical file

Cinematography: Isidore Mankofsky
Original score: Leonard Rosenman
Editing: Maury Winetrobe
Production design: Harry Horner
Costume design: Albert Wolsky
Makeup / hair: Daniel C. Striepeke
Stunt coordinator: Chris Howell
Runtime: 115 min · 1h 55m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $13,000,000
Box office: $27,118,000
Return: 209% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Jazz Singer (1980)

Awards

Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award
Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Richard Fleischer

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

MK402024-09-05
Very disappointing. The main character, Jess Robin, is a self-centered and apathetic individual who walks out on his wife (telling her that he would only be gone for two weeks) to pursue a recording contract. He does not return home and instead quickly takes up with his agent, Molly, who he moves in with after telling his wife that he no longer wants a life as a canter. He shows no emotion toward her or anything that is meaningful to her. After his father discovers that Jess is living with another woman and is divorcing his wife, his father disowns him. Jess cannot seem to connect with anyone in his life. He expects everyone to accept his choices, joyfully, thinking nothing of how he is destroying the lives of those who love him. Molly discovers that she is pregnant with their child while Jess is abusing everyone around him as he struggles with the rejection of his father. He storms out of the studio and simply disappears for year with no explanation to anyone. A family friend tries to reunite Jess with his father but he appears very reluctant. His father finds forgiveness for Jess when Jess shows him a photograph of his baby boy. He reunites with Molly as if he never abandoned her. She is joined by his father is for Jess's big moment on stage at the end of the film. Very unrealistic story with an unrealistic ending about a typical narcissist who only sees things in terms of how they affect him.

Production companies