Say It with Songs

The movie is titled Say It with Songs, but the Warner brothers said it with cash, paying star Al Jolson a then-whopping $500,000 in hopes of luring his many fans to the picture palaces. The result is a tear duct-opening tale about radio singer Joe Lane, who takes a swing at the slimeball who made a pass at his wife -- and accidentally kills him. Imprisoned, Joe belts out tunes from behind bars and dreams of his wife and son (Davey Lee, who climbed upon Jolson's knee in The Singing Fool). Joe finally gets out but more heartache awaits. The De Sylva-Brown-Henderson songwriting team that crafted Sonny Boy for The Singing Fool provides here another sentimental salute to paternal devotion, Little Pal.

• musical