THE EDDIE CANTOR STORY

US, 1953, 116 minutes, Colour.
Keefe Brasselle, Marilyn Erskine, Aline Mc Mahon, Marie Windsor.
Directed by Alfred E. Green.

The Eddie Cantor Story is a popular biography of a popular entertainer of the early 20th century. Cantor was still alive when this film was made and, in fact, he and his wife are shown at the beginning and the end of the film as watching the movie. Cantor was a pop-eyed vaudevillian, with a talent for singing and engaging the audience in his performances. (One of the supporting characters in this film is a young Jimmy Durante - highlighting his origins in New York restaurants and vaudeville.)

The story is fairly conventional: Jewish migrants in New York City at the turn of the century, the young boy and the possibility of joining gangs, the talented entertainer who wins an amateur award, his contract, his love for being on the boards and his success, marrying his childhood sweetheart and having five children, his overworking and the tension in their marriage, his heart attack and reassessment of his life, the support of his doctor friend and his telling him the truth. This is a kind of Reader's Digest presentation of the biography of a popular performer.

The film offers many of the very popular songs of the period. Keefe Brasselle, who never really made it big in movies, mimes Cantor's style. However, the film is stolen by Aline Mc Mahon as Grandma Esther.

The film shows the world of vaudeville, the Ziegfeld Follies, early days of radio. The film was directed by Alfred E. Green who had more success with The Jolson Story and Jolson Sings Again.

1. Entertaining biography? The musical comedy tradition of the US, of Broadway? Vaudeville, Broadway shows, movies?

2. The re-creation of the period, New York at the turn of the century, later decades? Theatre? Long Island homes? California? Radio studios - the atmosphere of the time?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, Eddie Cantor's style? His popular songs - including `Whoopee'?

4. The title and its focus on Eddie Cantor, his background, success, impact on show business? The final tribute by Franklin D. Roosevelt?

5. New York 1904, the migrants, the slums, the street gangs? Eddie wanting to belong to a gang? The dare for him to hold the audience? His singing, the pickpockets? The welfare officer and the decision to send Eddie away? His going to the camp, enjoying it? His friendship with Rocky and Harry? His love for Grandma Esther? Her not knowing what to do with him? His friendship with Ida and bringing the candles to her home? His ambitions to be on the stage?

6. The talent quest, the hurling of vegetables at him, yet his perseverance? Getting the contract? Grandma Esther and her support of his work? His going on stage, growing up, going through the ranks? Time to leave, no job, returning home? Friendship with Rocky - and Rocky's success in politics, corruption? The restaurant, as a waiter - and his telling Ida's family that he was the star? His work with Jimmy Durante? Singing, the invitation of the English producer?

7. Eddie and Ida, friends as children? The humiliation at Rocky's restaurant? Eddie talking things over, the proposal? Their eloping? Not being able to go to England and the return home? The establishing of the family - and the five daughters? Ida and her support? Wanting a vacation? Eddie and his overworking? Her wanting to leave? The stock market crash of 1929? His having to work and her supporting him?

8. Eddie Cantor's successful career, his auditions, singing? On the road with Will Rogers? The same song, many cities? California - and the clash with the actress and her pretending to send him to Ziegfeld? His brash introduction, the audition and his success? Making the audience forget the Ziegfeld Girls? His being in the many shows, song and dance routines? His pop-eye style, involving the audience? The minstrel black-face style? The early days of radio and his popularity? His not being able to stop? The vacation - and his going back on his word? The free Sunday and the photographers and the managers all coming to study the family at home? The clash with Ida? His heart attack, the confrontation with Harry? The execution of Rocky? His moroseness, turning in on himself? Ida's asking Harry to come back, his going to the camp, speech to the boys, their invitation to sing and his coming to life again? The portrait of a character, overcoming his background, the American Dream, the workaholic?

9. Ida, the devoted wife - but the tension with wanting the vacation, the photographers intruding on their home, her wanting to leave? The births of the daughters? Her reliance on Harry and his friendship?

10. Rocky, the gangster, his execution? The shock to Eddie? Harry, his success, love for Ida, stepping aside? Telling Eddie the truth? Getting him to come to the camp?

11. Grandma Esther, the wise Jewish woman, trying to bring up her grandson? Her love for him, his return home? His final success, her dressing to go to his premiere - and her death? His going on with the show despite the news of her death and imagining her alone in the theatre?

12. Show business, the husband and wife and their sponsoring the children on stage? Will Rogers and his friendship? Ziegfeld and his world, interviews, shows?

13. A piece of Americana - American theatre, American music, American entertainers?