When Dialogue Became King

With the premiere of THE JAZZ SINGER on October 6, 1927, the screenplay had entered the modern era alongside Fitzgerald and Art Deco. The silent film form would die off, acting styles would change, and dialogue would become king. Now the screenwriter needed not only the gift of sight, but a loud voice and the ability to listen.

Al Jolson and Eugenie Besserer in THE JAZZ SINGER:

Jack: Did you like that, Mama?

Sara: Yes...

Jack: I'm glad of it. I'd rather please you than anybody I know of. Oh, darlin', will you gimme something?

Sara: What?

Jack: You'll never guess. Shut your eyes, Mama. Shut 'em for little Jakie. Haw, I'm gonna steal something [he kisses her]. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Sara: Oh, Jakie, oh...

Jack: I'll give it back to you someday too, you see if I don't. Mama darling, if I'm a success in this show, well, we're gonna move from here.

Sara: Oh, no.

Jack: Oh yes, we're gonna move up in the Bronx. A lot of nice green grass up there, and a whole lot of people you know. There's the Ginsbergs, the Guttenbergs, and the Goldbergs. Oh, a whole lot of Bergs. I don't know 'em all. And I'm gonna buy you a nice black silk dress, Mama.

Sara: Ohh...

Jack: You'll see, Mrs. Friedman, the butcher's wife, she'll be jealous of you.

Sara: Oh, no...

Jack: Yes she will. You'll see if she isn't. And I'm going to get you a nice pink dress that will go with your brown eyes.

Sara: Oh, no, Jakie, no. I...I...

Jack: What do you mean, "no"?

Sara: Oh, no, dear.

Jack: Who, who is tellin' ya? What do you mean, "no"? Yes, you'll wear pink or else. Or else you'll wear pink. Hm, hm, hm, hm. And darlin', ohh, I'm gonna take you to Coney Island.

Sara: Yeah?

Jack: Yes, you're gonna ride on the shoot-the-chute.

Sara: Oh ho...

Jack: And you know the dark mill.

Sara: Yeah?

Jack: Ever been in the dark mill?

Sara: Oh, no, I wouldn't.

Jack: Well, with me it's alright. I'll kiss ya and hug ya—you'll see if I don't. Now Mama, Mama, stop now, you're gettin' kittenish. Mama, listen, I'm gonna sing this like I will if I go on the stage, you know, with the show. I'm gonna sing it jazzy. Now get this.

Then Jolson plays and sings Irving Berlin's BLUE SKIES.

The Jazz Singer (1927 film) - wiki

Sound Film - wiki

Vitaphone - wiki