Hallelujah I'm a Bum: United Artists, February 3, 1933

New York Times, February 9, 1933

Al Jolson Returns to the Films as a Romantic Hobo Who Reigns Over His Ilk in Central Park.

By MORDAUNT HALL

Al Jolson's shadow, which has been absent from the screen for many a month, last night appeared at the Rivoli in a picture revelling in the title, "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum." The flesh and blood Mr. Jolson was among the audience and when the film came to an end he went to the stage and made a brief address.

The picture, some persons may be glad to hear, has no "Mammy" song. It is Mr. Jolson's best film and well it might be, for that clever director, Lewis Milestone, guided its destiny, and the supporting cast includes Frank Morgan, the beautiful Madge Evans, the pathetically comic Harry Langdon and that veteran of Keystone days, Chester Conklin. It is a combination of fun, melody and romance, with a dash of satire, all of which make for an ingratiating entertainment.

Some conception of the little fable may be gained from the fact that in one sequence, Bumper, the "Mayor" of Central Park, whose constituents are hoboes, is told by the amiable but gently intoxicated Mayor Hastings that he is a cad for casting aspersions at a girl with whom Hastings is in love.

It is really a sort of tramp's dream. Sometimes the characters converse in rhyme and on other occasions they sing their opinions. Even Mayor Hastings, presumably of New York, played by Mr. Morgan, in inspired to regale his subordinates with doggerel. And how this Chief Executive dislikes laying corner stones! He has a habit of being late and he makes no end of mistakes in his speeches. He lunches at the Casino and it is there that Bumper every day meets the Mayor, because the latter is in the habit of giving Bumper a dollar.

The picture opens in Florida, but it is after it reaches New York that the lively scenes occur. As the chieftain of Central Park's vagabonds, Bumper has his peculiar call and it is not long after he has crooned or whistled that his constituents turn up in twos and threes. Harry Langdon impersonates the white wing of the park, who is averse to tramps, but dislikes the rich people more. This white wing's name is Egghead. Chester Conklin impersonates the driver of a victoria who is known as Sunday. A Negro named Edgar Connor acts Acorn, Bumper's chief lieutenant, and Tammany Young officiates as Bumper's secretary.

June Marcher, played by Miss Evans, is Mayor Hastings's girl. Hastings and June have a spat over a $1,000 bill she loses in a wallet and there is a great deal of trouble. As it happens Bumper finds the pocketbook after it had been picked up with a newspaper by Egghead.

Several of the ideas are obvious and the suspense is rather strained, but if one thinks of it as a vagabond's dream, it matters not what happens. Bumper, who sings several songs, the combined work of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, is often seen in company with Acorn and Egghead. The very seriousness with which they mentioned these appellations is amusing.

In the course of the tale Bumper deserts his hobo friends and he and Acorn go to work in jobs obtained through Hastings's influence. There is the first week's pay. Bumper refers to the satisfaction of having money and the Negro agrees that the cash is all right, but he avers they have wasted a lot of time making it.

Mr. Milestone's direction is excellent. There are the scenes of a tramp "court" being held in Central Park for the trial of Bumper for desertion. This is ended abruptly by the "Judge" declaring he has no jurisdiction over Bumper because he deems him insane.

Mr. Jolson's songs are tuneful, but at this performance they were rendered too loudly. He also acts competently and he holds his own fairly well when he appears with that sterling player, Mr. Morgan. Another excellent point about this film is that the stellar player is not intent on stealing all the thunder. All the principals have good opportunities to entertain. Miss Evans as June is called upon to be a victim of amnesia after attempting suicide in the park lake, and even that, curiously enough, is diverting.

Miss Evans gives a most pleasing portrayal. Mr. Langdon is quite effective and Tammany Young, the gate crasher, essays several lines in rhyme. With his big mustache, Mr. Conkling makes a capital old-fashioned cab driver.

One of the reasons for this film affording such a pleasing hour and a half is that S. N. Behrman is responsible for the cheery adaptation of the story, one by Ben Hecht.

Hallelujah I'm a Bum: United Artists, February 3, 1933