Go Into Your Dance: Jolson being Jolson

So, is it worth your time?

If you like old-school musicals where the guy is basically a nightmare of a person but we're supposed to root for him anyway, then sure, go for it. If you have zero patience for mid-30s melodrama or Jolson's, uh, unique energy, you might want to skip this one. It's not exactly a hidden gem, but it’s got a weird pulse.

Al Jolson is playing Al Howard, a guy who acts like he owns the sidewalk even when he's broke. He’s the kind of character who borrows money from guys you definitely shouldn't borrow money from. It makes you wonder how he ever made it in Broadway at all.

Then there's Ruby Keeler. She's the anchor here, trying to keep the whole thing from floating away into total absurdity. When they dance together, the movie actually feels like it has a point.

The odd bits

• The gangster subplots feel like they were stapled onto the musical parts with a heavy-duty gun.
• I spent way too long looking at the background extras in the club scenes. One guy in the back row looks like he’s having a nervous breakdown while everyone else is smiling.
• The transition from a serious mob threat to a happy song and dance number is so jarring it almost gave me whiplash.

There’s this one moment where Jolson is just too much. He’s singing, he’s pleading, he’s basically trying to swallow the camera. It’s fascinating, honestly. You can see the sheer effort he’s putting in to make us like a guy who just got his sister blacklisted. It's a bold strategy.

If you enjoy this kind of vintage chaos, you might also find some weird common ground with Say It with Music or even the strange pacing of Up for Murder. They don't make them like this anymore, and honestly, maybe that's for the best. But for a Tuesday night? It’s fine.

Also, Patsy Kelly is in this for a bit. She’s the only one who seems to know what movie she’s actually in. She’s great. I wish she had more screen time. 🎭

The finale feels like it’s trying to solve all the world’s problems with a spotlight and a tap dance. Does it work? Not really. Did I laugh? Yeah, maybe a little.