The influence of The Jazz Singer can be felt in this sentimental portrait of ethnic life on the Lower East Side, its story adapted (and tamed) by Sonia Levien from a Fanny Hurst potboiler. The generational battle of assimilation versus non-assimilation is fought between a snobbish young social climber (Ricardo Cortez) and his orthodox Jewish parents (Jean Hersholt and Rosa Rosanova). "The first sound-on-film shot by Capra, not counting the primitive overdub sound of the engines used for Submarine (1928), this amalgam of sound and silent scenes is certainly a curio in the Capra canon. Most of the large exterior set pieces are done silent and the intimate dialogue scenes are sync sound. Since these scenes are done A+B+A+B fashion, the overall impression of the film is like most of these immediately transitional items from 1928-29, a film in conflict with itself. Capra's next film, The Donovan Affair of April '29, was all sound. Unfortunately, negative materials on that film no longer exist." (Columbia Pictures program note)