Central Park tramp Al Jolson (as Bumper) rescues beautiful amnesiac Madge Evans (as June Marcher) from suicide, falls in love with her and gets a job, then learns she is the girlfriend of New York City Mayor Frank Morgan (John Hastings). "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" was the film that revealed - for one and for all - that it was finally "curtains" for Mr. Jolson as a "box office" movie star. Depression stricken audiences were not buying the "World's Greatest Entertainer" (and incredibly wealthy) Jolson as a happy homeless bum. In real life, he was notoriously "difficult" and egotistical. And, it didn't help that the film was more artistically innovative than mass appealing. The semi-operatic "musical dialogue" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart produced no hit single...
From 1912-1932, there weren't many years without Jolson selling over a million records; but, "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" barely scraped the bottom of the record charts, and Bing Crosby had already swiped Jolson's crown. Today, this film's whimsical quality raises it above most 1933 product. Jolson fired directors, had everyone re-shot, and got quality filmmaking from director Lewis Milestone and the crew. Jolson had notably good support from down-on-his-luck "silent" star Harry Langdon (as Egghead) and vaudeville pal Edgar Connor (as Acorn). Jolson's comeback was very big, when it finally arrived, with "The Jolson Story" (1946).
******** Hallelujah! I'm a Bum (2/3/33) Lewis Milestone ~ Al Jolson, Madge Evans, Frank Morgan, Harry Langdon
From 1912-1932, there weren't many years without Jolson selling over a million records; but, "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" barely scraped the bottom of the record charts, and Bing Crosby had already swiped Jolson's crown. Today, this film's whimsical quality raises it above most 1933 product. Jolson fired directors, had everyone re-shot, and got quality filmmaking from director Lewis Milestone and the crew. Jolson had notably good support from down-on-his-luck "silent" star Harry Langdon (as Egghead) and vaudeville pal Edgar Connor (as Acorn). Jolson's comeback was very big, when it finally arrived, with "The Jolson Story" (1946).
******** Hallelujah! I'm a Bum (2/3/33) Lewis Milestone ~ Al Jolson, Madge Evans, Frank Morgan, Harry Langdon