YANKL DER SHMID
(THE SINGING BLACKSMITH)
1938, 105 minutes, B & W
Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer
Written by David Pinski
Music by Jacob Weinberg
Filmed in New York, NY and Newton, NJ
First released in the United States
on November 1, 1938
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Moishe Oysher, the renowned cantor and
star of Yiddish radio, stars in Edgar G. Ulmer's musical
version of David Pinski's play Yankl der shmid. Singing,
dancing, and flashing his eyes, Oysher gives his most robust
performance as a passionate shtetl blacksmith who must
struggle against temptation to become a mensch. Recently
rediscovered footage makes this the most complete extant
version of Ulmer's lively folk operetta, replete with an
example of Yiddish swing. With Florence Weiss and Miriam
Riselle. Here is a review of the film from the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Daily Eagle, Nov. 2, 1938: With David Pinski's popular play, "Yankl der shmid," as his vehicle. Moishe Oysher came back to Broadway last night in person, as well as on the screen of the Continental Theatre. Not since "Marie Antoinette" opened, has a night film premiere attracted such an enthusiastic crowd. During two showings of "The Singing Blacksmith," the Continental was packed to capacity. This was Oysher's crowd. It applauded vigorously after he completed each important scene. But it thrilled as well to a screenplay that bears few of the heavy-handed dramatic trappings that have marred other film efforts of Yiddish players. The action of "The Singing Blacksmith" is not always fluid. At the outset, it is definitely episodic and is badly in need of tightening-up which would at once speed up its pace and cut down its running time of nearly two hours. |
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Episodic or not, "The Singing Blacksmith" never loses sight of the business at hand. Sometimes that business is to rib the ancient Jewish custom of matchmaking. It does its job inoffensively and, with the help of two comic matchmakers, makes the ribbing an amusing highlight. When it has settled down to characterizing the blacksmith, it fixes the burden firmly on the shoulders of Moishe Oysher. And that, too, is a good choice, for he is [a] splendid actor with diversified talents: a fine comic strain, an invigorating baritone voice, and a sensitive feeling for his drama.
On the Continental screen, Oysher is Yankl the smithy -- a boisterous fellow who has learned his trade by apprenticeship and has made it pay. Without responsibilities, he enjoys life and refused to settle down. Strong, personable and fun-loving, he charms the village girls.
But when he sees Tamara, the orphaned niece of the town's most aristocratic family, he realizes that he really hasn't been happy. Refusing to recognize the difference in rank. Yankl engages a matchmaker to arrange the marriage and pledges himself to abandon his easy living.
Tamara accepts him though her uncle warns her against him. Their married life is happy until one of the smithy's old flames breaks with her husband and comes to Yankl's house to room. He is tempted to return for a spree and almost does -- but not quite -- in the gay celebration that follows the birth of his first son.
There is no smooth gradation of emotion in Yankl's reform. If there were, "The Singing Blacksmith" might easily be the best thing the Yiddish screen has produced. But even in its episodic manner, it manages to be bright, frequently thrilling, entertainment. To those who know the language, the dialogue, is evidently richer than the English captions which, nevertheless, are adequate. -- H.C.
