It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Columbia had scored a significant financial and critical success with The Jolson Story in 1946 featuring actor Larry Parks miming successfully to Al Jolson's singing voice, the ageing entertainer re-recording all his great hits for the film. Then as now thoughts of a sequel were forthcoming but the story of Jolson's career had essentially been told in its entirety. This can be seen in the struggle the screenwriters had in creating a compelling narrative for the second film. The key plot points are fairly anaemic, including the end of one marriage, the gestation of another, a temporary retirement for Jolson and his re-discovery entertaining the troops in World War II. The final third of the film, in almost an act of desperation, is given over to the production of The Jolson Story, resulting in Larry Parks playing Jolson opposite Larry Parks playing himself. This includes one sequence where Parks playing Jolson stands on set urging Parks playing Parks who is in fact playing Jolson to successfully mime to the real Jolson's singing. Possibly the word meta was invented to describe just this kind of scenario.The lack of plot means that the audience is left mostly idling between musical numbers. The actors try hard; Parks in particular is very personable and captures some of the sheer stage presence and energy of the real Jolson. Barbara Hale has a thankless role as Jolson's new wife, mostly sitting admiring the prolonged performance scenes. Ludwig Donath is precise as Jolson's cantor father with concern for his son echoing through every scene even when he is conveying anger. Despite the presence of Technicolor the production looks a little cheap with a lot of fairly basic sets - the cinema foyer looks like a re-dress of something used in another film and the Alaskan army hut is two walls and a backdrop. Many scenes are conveyed through newspaper and other montages and there is never really much conviction to Jolson's international travels.The music is the main drawcard here and the real Jolson provides committed and passionate singing throughout. It is a pity that the surrounding fabric of the film could not better support his work

If you loved "The Jolson Story" or Al Jolson's music, disappointment awaits you in this dreadful, lifeless and dishonest sequel.This movie would have us believe that after his initial superstar success, his career fell apart, he married a nurse, and unhappily drifted into a sing-less retirement. The only good Jolson numbers in this one are lifted -- literally -- from the first movie. Truth says otherwise.Even without a Google search I know that Jolson's stardom remained, he married Ruby Keeler, Broadway's #1 female star, and they appeared together on stage and screen. Jolson was involved in this sequel, so I do not understand why he's untruthfully portrayed as a loser.

Wonderful sequel to the 1946 film. Larry Parks, William Demarest and several others repeated their parts from the original.The film picks up exactly where the original had ended. Disgusted with his life, Jolson (Parks) walks out on his show business career and for several years travels, dabbles with horses and lives a real care-free life.With the death of his mother, (Tamara Shayne-who really doesn't look or act too Jewish at all), Jolson embarks on a tour for services until illness ends that.There is a nice performance by Barbara Hale (the future Della Street) as the southern nurse that he marries. Hale has just the right Arkansas twang in her speech to carry it off.When illness follows him, Jolson withdraws from entertaining fearing that his lung operation has affected his voice. He also feels that no one is really interested in him anymore. Unfortunately, the latter is true.It is only when his life story is made into a motion picture that he makes a genuine come back.Parks is absolutely amazing as Jolson. Though Al sang, Parks does a brilliant job of dubbing. His mannerisms are so easily identified as those of Al Jolson.Ludwig Donath plays Jolson's cantor father. O my, a cantor eating in a non-kosher restaurant. What were the Hollywood writers thinking?Just hearing Jolson belt out his usual great tunes is great in itself. Entertaining and wonderful to view.

Continuing where 'The Jolson Story' left off, this sequel explores a less exciting part of Al Jolson's life, however it is saved from dullness by a great gimmick in the final 25 minutes: depicting the making of 'The Jolson Story', which includes Jolson meeting Larry Parks. It is certainly inferior to the first film, but yet still entertaining whenever Parks performs one of Jolson's tunes…the songs are still great. Although he does not look or sound old enough, Parks still gives it his best too. The film definitely resurrects good memories of the original, without a strong yearning to see something better, which is a good thing. The characters, the acting, the originality, in fact, just about everything was better in 'The Jolson Story', however, even if not quite as involving or as well made, this still passes the test for an adequately amusing piece.