The Jazz Singer Page #16

He gives her a pleading look.

331.FULL SHOT ROOM

Gene, the stage manager, comes to the door and summons Jack. He starts

to get up and Sara clings to him. Mary enters again, worried about Jack.

332.CLOSE-UP GENE

He says to Jack that the orchestra is already playing his introduction.

333.CLOSE-UP JACK AND MOTHER

He unfastens her hands gently from him. He tells her that he must go on

the stage and tells her to wait.

334.MED. SHOT ROOM

Jack starts out of the room with his mother's last plea ringing in his

ears. Mary goes to her and puts her arm around her. Yudelson follows

Jack out curiously.

335.FULL SHOT STAGE FROM FRONT

The chorus is lined up looking toward entrance at which Jack is

expected. The orchestra is playing the introduction to his song as he

enters. He speaks the few lines which serve as an introduction to his

song and then begins singing it.

NOTE:
The rendition of the song will have to be governed entirely by the

Vitaphone routine decided upon. The scenes herewith are only those

necessary to carrying on the story. In all scenes before he exits, the

voice of Jack is heard in volume according to the distance from him.

336.CLOSE-UP JACK

He goes into the first bars of his song.

337.MED. SHOT OUTSIDE ROOM

Yudelson and Sara are watching through the wings, but back in the

passage leading to the outside door. Mary asks Mrs. Rabinowitz if she

doesn't want to go closer. She points to the stage but the mother shakes

her head.

338.CLOSE-UP YUDELSON

He is listening, an ear cocked stageward. He nods as he says, half to

himself:

TITLE 148:
"Yes, that's Jakie -- with the cry in the

voice, just like in the temple."

He looks away hurriedly.

339.MED. SHOT YUDELSON

Two girls in very scant attire make him forget Jack for the moment as

they pass close to him. He looks after them in a daze and starts to

follow them.

340.FULL SHOT PASSAGE

Mary still has an arm around Sara. The latter, overcome by emotion,

starts for the door. Mary tries to hold her because of Jack.

341.CLOSE-UP BOTH

As Mary endeavors to persuade Sara to remain, Sara tearfully says that

she must go. She turns to Mary and says, hopelessly:

TITLE 149:
"Here he belongs -- If God wanted him in His

house, He would have kept him there."

Mary nods understandingly. Sara starts for the door.

342. FULL SHOT SAME

Mary starts with Sara. Yudelson suddenly sees them going toward the

door. He looks after the two girls who had attracted his attention, as

though not knowing which to follow, then reluctantly follows Sara. In

the doorway Mary leans over and kisses Sara. The latter grasps the

girl's arms eagerly.

343.CLOSE-UP MARY AND SARA

The mother says to her:

TITLE 150:
"Tell him maybe he can see his papa anyhow

before it is too late."

Mary nods and Sara exits. Mary looks after her sorrowfully.

344.MED. SHOT STAGE

Jack is singing.

345.CLOSE-UP LEE AND GENE

They are standing in the wings. They look at each other in speechless

admiration of Jack's singing.

346.LONG SHOT THROUGH WINGS

Jack finishes song and makes exit. As he comes into foreground, he is

surrounded by Lee, Gene, Mary, and several of the other principals. They

grab his hands and congratulate him. He smiles gratefully.

347.CLOSE-UP JACK AND LEE

The latter is enthusiastically pumping Jack's hand as he says:

TITLE 151:
"Wonderful, Jack!! You were actually crying. Do

it that way tonight and you're a hit on

Broadway!"

He drops Jack's hands and turns to Gene with instructions for the next

act.

348.MED. SHOT OUTSIDE DRESSING ROOM

Those surrounding Jack fall away from him as Mary goes to him. She takes

his hand and shakes it. She pantomimes that his mother has gone. Then

she turns and leaves. Jack wipes a white glove across his eyes, leaving

a white streak on his damp face. He comes slowly toward the camera and

enters the door of his dressing room.

349.MED. SHOT ROOM

Jack goes slowly to one of the chairs in the room, drops heavily into

it, and then leans over and puts his blackened face into the white

gloves.

SLOW FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

350.CHOIR ROOM SYNAGOGUE

Yudelson is presiding at a meeting of the synagogue trustees. He is

seated at the head of the little cheap table with a very important air.

There are four others, all in their holiday clothes. One is Levy, the

Shammas, or sexton, a little scrawny fellow with a straggling beard. Two

others have the long orthodox beards, and the fifth member of the

committee is clean-shaven, a prosperous Jewish businessman. Yudelson

says something and they all start talking at once. Levy finally attracts

the attention of Yudelson. He gets up and tries to speak. Yudelson

endeavors to quiet him, but Levy is insistent.

351. CLOSE-UP LEVY

He holds out both hands pleadingly, as he says:

TITLE 152:
"Gentlemen, I think it should be me who should

sing in the cantor's place. I--"

352.CLOSE SHOT TABLE

Yudelson interrupts him, pounding on the table and ordering him to sit

down. He insists that he is chairman and must be listened to.

353.CLOSE-UP YUDELSON

He yells out at Levy:

TITLE 153:
"Do you think, schlemiel, our congregation paid

for special music to hear you squawking like a

tomcat yet?"

He glares at Levy.

354.CLOSE SHOT GROUP

Levy subsides with a beaten gesture. His lifelong wish to sing "Kol

Nidre" has been dashed to the ground. Yudelson continues rubbing it in.

355.CLOSE-UP YUDELSON

He says, still glaring at Levy and desiring to rub it in:

TITLE 154:
"Our beloved cantor is very sick next door --

if he hears you singing, he dies sure."

356.CLOSE SHOT GROUP

They all start arguing, and Yudelson takes out his watch and tells the

committee that the meeting is over. They surround him and bombard him

with questions as to who is going to sing. He throws up his hands

hopelessly and starts out of the door, just as the boys of the choir

start arriving.

357.RABINOWITZ LIVING ROOM

Sara is sitting in the rocking chair, rocking slowly back and forth. Her

eyes are swollen with crying. Her grief has reached the bottom-most

depths. Every few moments she looks toward the bedroom door as though

expecting some message from the sick chamber.

358.CLOSE-UP SARA

As she rocks slowly. She looks toward the bedroom, then suddenly wipes

her eyes and gets up.

359.FULL SHOT ROOM

The nurse is just coming out of the door. Sara goes toward her, but the

nurse motions for silence as Sara reaches her side.

360.CLOSE-UP NURSE AND SARA

The nurse whispers to her:

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