When the Music Outlived the Movie: The Troubled Production of The Jazz Singer (1980)

A Remake That Promised Everything and Delivered Chaos

In 1980, Hollywood attempted something bold and, in hindsight, misguided: remake The Jazz Singer, the groundbreaking 1927 film that ushered in the era of sound. The logic seemed sound enough. Attach a megastar musician — Neil Diamond, then at a commercial high point — surround him with prestige actors like Sir Laurence Olivier, and modernize the father-son generational conflict for a new era.

Instead, the film became a case study in how production problems pile up: tangled rights issues, creative upheavals, a director fired, an actress recast, reshoots eating into the budget, a star singer unprepared for dramatic acting, and an acting legend allegedly working for little more than a paycheck.

The movie barely broke even and was skewered by critics. But the soundtrack, packed with Diamond hits, became one of the biggest albums of his career — proof that while movies can vanish, the music sometimes lives forever.

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Rights, Delays, and a Rocky Start

Before a single frame was shot, the remake of The Jazz Singer was bogged down in legal wrangling. The rights to the original story had shifted hands between studios in the 1970s. Warner Bros., United Artists, and later Associated Film Distribution (AFD) all at one time tried to get the remake moving. These back-and-forth negotiations delayed the film for more than a year, leaving producers with a property that already felt compromised before casting was even finalized.

That delay proved costly. By the time AFD moved forward with production, costs had risen and the creative team had shifted multiple times. The project no longer had the clean start a prestige remake should have enjoyed.

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Sidney J. Furie’s Version: Rewrites and Recasting

Sidney J. Furie (The Ipcress File, Lady Sings the Blues) was hired as the first director. Furie immediately clashed with the existing screenplay, commissioning multiple rewrites. His changes softened the family drama and expanded the role of the love interest. Actress Deborah Raffin, originally cast as Molly, reportedly grew frustrated with the constant changes and left the project.

Lucie Arnaz — daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz — was cast in Raffin’s place. Arnaz later described being both excited and terrified: stepping into a major role opposite Olivier and alongside a music superstar with no acting experience was hardly the easiest of circumstances.

But Arnaz’s casting did little to calm the storm. Furie’s approach of reshaping scenes to accommodate Neil Diamond frustrated producers, who worried about losing control of the film. By March 1980, Furie was fired.

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Enter Richard Fleischer: Reshoots and Repairs

Veteran filmmaker Richard Fleischer (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Soylent Green) was brought in to save the project. In his memoir, Just Tell Me When to Cry, Fleischer recounts inheriting a mess: storylines abandoned, performances uneven, and a leading man visibly struggling. Fleischer concluded that most of Furie’s footage was unusable. In his words, “We practically had to start over.”

Indeed, Fleischer reshot nearly 90 percent of the film. Even Laurence Olivier — who had already filmed his role as the aging cantor father — was called back for extensive reshoots, a logistical and financial headache that extended Olivier’s schedule by more than a week.

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Neil Diamond: A Star Out of His Element

Neil Diamond was the reason the film existed — and the root of many of its challenges. He was a stadium-filling musician with a devoted fan base and an arsenal of hits, but on a movie set, he was a novice.

Accounts from the production suggest Diamond often seemed uncomfortable in front of the camera. Furie tried to build scenes around Diamond’s instincts, while Fleischer attempted to coach him into something resembling a performance. Fleischer even recalled one “happy accident” when Diamond, frustrated after blowing a line, stormed back into the frame mid-take. The raw irritation gave the scene an unexpected edge, and Fleischer kept it in the film.

Moments like that were rare, though. Critics later described Diamond’s screen presence as stiff and self-conscious — proof that charisma on a concert stage doesn’t always translate to cinematic storytelling.

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Laurence Olivier: The Reluctant Legend

If Diamond was too green, Olivier may have been too seasoned. At 73, the greatest actor of his generation was also recovering from illness and working selectively. The role of the father was meant to lend gravitas to the project.

But stories quickly emerged that Olivier was simply collecting a paycheck. Richard Fleischer recalls in his memoir that Olivier was overheard in a restaurant mocking the film before its release. A gossip reporter picked up the story, causing an embarrassing PR moment. To Fleischer’s surprise, Olivier later delivered a handwritten letter of apology — lengthy, defensive, and oddly vulnerable, insisting he hadn’t meant to cause harm.

The incident cemented the idea that Olivier was disengaged. On set, he was professional but uninspired, and critics would later single out his accent and theatrical delivery as unintentionally comical.

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Reception: Critics Pounce, Audiences Shrug

When The Jazz Singer opened in December 1980, reviews were savage. Roger Ebert called it “corny and humorless,” while The New York Times described it as “a lumbering vanity project.” Much of the criticism zeroed in on Diamond’s acting, the wooden dialogue, and the sense that the film was more a promotional vehicle than a drama.

Audiences weren’t enthusiastic either. The film grossed about $27 million on a $13 million budget — not a disaster, but far from the blockbuster producers had imagined.

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The Soundtrack That Saved the Story

If the movie faltered, the soundtrack soared. Diamond delivered hit after hit:

• “Love on the Rocks” — a top-5 single

• “Hello Again” — a top-10 single

• “America” — which became one of Diamond’s signature songs

The soundtrack went multi-platinum, becoming one of Diamond’s best-selling records. For many listeners, the music became iconic, while the film faded into obscurity. In fact, a surprising number of fans don’t even realize the songs came from a film.

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Why It Still Matters

The 1980 Jazz Singer is more than just a misfire; it’s a reminder of Hollywood’s risky obsession with star vehicles. Casting a musician to anchor a drama can be tempting — Elvis had done it, Barbra Streisand had done it — but without the right material, the gamble can backfire.

It’s also a case study in how production chaos — from rights disputes to director firings — can leave even a simple father-son story fractured and incoherent. The aftermath lingers as legend: Olivier’s rumored paycheck motivation, Diamond’s discomfort on screen, and a soundtrack that outlived its source.

In short, The Jazz Singer (1980) is a movie best remembered for its music — and for being a rare example of a film where the behind-the-scenes drama is more compelling than anything on screen.

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Sidebar: Timeline of a Troubled Production

• 1977–78: Rights to remake The Jazz Singer shift between Warner Bros. and United Artists; delays stall pre-production.

• 1979: Associated Film Distribution takes on the project, aiming for a prestige musical drama.

• Late 1979: Sidney J. Furie hired as director. Deborah Raffin cast as Molly. Script undergoes major rewrites.

• Early 1980: Raffin leaves; Lucie Arnaz cast. Furie pushes further rewrites, clashing with producers.

• March 1980: Furie fired. Richard Fleischer hired to salvage the project.

• Spring 1980: Fleischer reshoots nearly 90% of the film; Laurence Olivier recalled for extensive reshoots.

• Summer 1980: Reports emerge of Olivier disparaging the film; Fleischer receives handwritten apology letter.

• December 1980: Film released to harsh reviews; grosses about $27 million.

• 1981: Soundtrack goes multi-platinum with three hit singles; the music eclipses the movie in cultural memory.

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