In Power Ballad, a Stolen Song Unravels Two Musicians

As soon as Hollywood could talk, it could sing. Marketed as the first “talkie,” 1927’s The Jazz Singer centers on the son of a rabbi (Al Jolson) choosing between the family business and a life on the stage. He picks the latter, embracing modernity and finding his voice as a performer and a (secular) man. But finding your voice is not the end of the story, as the 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain underscores. The villain of Singin’ in the Rain is the shrill-toned Lina LaMont (Jean Hagen), a silent...