Neil Diamond in a sequined shirt. A legendary Shakespearian actor looking confused. A soundtrack that sold millions of copies while critics sharpened their knives. Honestly, The Jazz Singer Neil Diamond movie is one of the most bizarre intersections of pop culture and cinema history. It’s the kind of film that shouldn't work—and according to most critics in 1980, it definitely didn't.
Yet, here we are years later, and people still talk about it.
It wasn't just a movie; it was a massive, expensive gamble. You’ve got the 1980 remake of the 1927 classic, which was the first "talkie." The stakes were high. The budget was ballooning. And at the center of it all was Neil Diamond, a man who could sell out arenas in his sleep but had never actually acted in a feature film.
What Really Happened on the Set of The Jazz Singer?
Making this movie was a mess. Pure and simple.
The original director, Sidney J. Furie, was fired mid-production. Richard Fleischer, the guy who did Soylent Green, had to step in and try to salvage what was basically a "basket case" of a project. Imagine being Neil Diamond, a first-time actor, watching your director get canned while you’re trying to hold your own against Sir Laurence Olivier.
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Olivier played Neil’s father, the strict Cantor Rabinovitch. It's legendary for all the wrong reasons. Olivier was reportedly paid $1 million for a few weeks of work, and he spent a lot of that time looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. There's a famous story about Neil Diamond struggling to get "angry" for a scene. His solution? He had his band play a Barry Manilow song.
It worked. He got mad.
The Critics vs. The Fans
When the film finally hit theaters in December 1980, the reviews were brutal. Roger Ebert basically said Diamond was twenty years too old to be playing a man having an adolescent crisis. The movie "won" the first-ever Razzie Awards for Worst Actor (Diamond) and Worst Supporting Actor (Olivier).
But the fans? They didn't care.
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- The Box Office: It grossed over $27 million, which was actually a decent profit back then.
- The Music: The soundtrack was a monster. We're talking 5 million copies sold in the US alone.
- The Hits: "America," "Love on the Rocks," and "Hello Again" all came from this movie.
The Jazz Singer Neil Diamond Keyword: The Legacy of the Music
If you separate the film from the music, you find two very different stories. As a movie, it’s a camp classic—something you watch with a "guilty pleasure" vibe. As an album, it’s peak Neil Diamond.
"America" became an anthem. It was used in news broadcasts when the Iranian hostages returned. It was used in political campaigns. It’s the song Neil still uses to open and close his shows. You can’t deny the power of that hook.
The plot follows Yussel Rabinovitch, a young cantor who wants to be a pop star named Jess Robin. It's the classic "tradition vs. dreams" trope. He moves to L.A., gets a girl (Lucie Arnaz), and eventually finds success. The most controversial part today—and even back then for some—was the scene where Diamond performs in brownface to fill in for a friend's band. It was meant as a callback to Al Jolson’s 1927 original, but in 1980, it felt incredibly dated and cringey.
Why People Still Watch It
There’s an earnestness to Diamond’s performance. He wasn't a "good" actor in the traditional sense, but he was all in. He wasn't winking at the camera. He really believed in this story of a Jewish kid trying to make it big while honoring his roots.
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The film captured a specific moment in the late 70s/early 80s where "mass appeal" was everything. It’s schmaltzy, sure. It’s over-the-top. But it has a soul that's hard to find in modern, overly-polished biopics.
Practical Insights for Movie Fans
If you're going to dive into The Jazz Singer Neil Diamond, don't go in expecting The Godfather. Go in for the spectacle.
- Listen to the Soundtrack First: It sets the mood better than the dialogue ever could.
- Watch Olivier's Performance: It’s a masterclass in "acting for the paycheck," and it’s fascinating to see him share the screen with a pop star.
- Notice the Locations: The movie features some great shots of New York's Eldridge Street Synagogue and the Pantages Theatre in L.A.
- Embrace the Camp: The 13-camera concert finale is actually pretty well-shot and feels like a real Neil Diamond gig.
The movie didn't kill Neil's career; it actually expanded his audience. He never really acted again (as anyone other than himself), but he didn't need to. He’d already conquered the charts, and for his fans, Jess Robin and Neil Diamond were one and the same.
The film remains a time capsule. It’s a reminder of a time when a singer’s star power was enough to greenlight a multimillion-dollar remake of a silent film era relic. Whether you love it or laugh at it, you can't ignore it.
To get the full experience, track down the 30th Anniversary Blu-ray. It has some decent behind-the-scenes features that explain just how chaotic that set really was. If you’re a fan of the music, look for the original vinyl; the production by Bob Gaudio is crisp and still sounds great on a good turntable. Or, just turn up "America" next time it comes on the radio and remember the guy in the sequins who just wanted his dad to be proud.