with al jolson at the height of his popularity and warner brother the jazz singer have be the high grossing film of 1927 and it be inevitable that the other studio would churn out a few vehicle for their own jolson esquire character . but while the jazz singer be a sensation for it be the first part talkie and the matinée idol lack the singing voice of it star ( the now obscure johnnie walker ) and and have to make do with just his visual antic . the matinée idol be an early directorial assignment for the renowned frank capra . capra first couple of full length feature for harry langdon reveal a very showy and excessive style and which make langdon already mediocre slapstick almost unwatchable . a couple of picture later and capra have learn to ease off a bit and with some fairly regular and decent camera work . however he still show no aptitude for shoot physical comedy . the long comic routine the stage performance seem to have a few good gag and but it all cut up into lot of different camera angle and and there be no chance for the comedy to flow naturally from the performance . theoretically and a good portion of the joke be in the intertitles and but there be far too many of these and none of them be especially funny . of course and capra would eventually mature into a fine dramatic and romantic director and and you can see him begin to develop in this respect . he cut down the line and closing in on walker and bessie love in the scene where she first lay eye on him in his don wilson get up and neatly establish the wordless connection between them . then there be some beautiful and tender framing of the couple in their scene together at the masquerade and which be all very reminiscent of the love scene in capra early 30 output . johnnie walker and columbia answer to al jolson and be not an exceptional talent . his comic timing be good but there be nothing to make him stand out . bessie love on the other hand be a pretty good actress too and with a very expressive face . kudos to her for get involve with the physical comedy and lose her dignity with the boy . there also a good role for lionel belmore and that rotund and jolly character actor who seem to turn up in absolutely everything in the late 20 and early 30 . the matinée idol be one of those picture that have gain more than it fair share of attention thanks to it director later have make a handful of masterpiece . in and of itself it be a very uninteresting piece and and like most of capra work before he meet robert riskin and a disappointment .