The visual scope of the film paralleled what was portrayed in other western epics of its era, such asDuel in the Sun (1946)andThe Big Country (1958).The camera zooms in for a gigantic close-up of the severed ear and descends slowly into the disembodied, dirty ear, as if entering a conduit o probe into its depths (like spiraling into a conch shell or into a brain), accompanied by a loud roaring sound on the soundtrack - a visual clue to the impact of sounds and aural observation." Landowner Danaher remains bitter about losing the widow""s property to Thornton and begrudges him the right to his own birthplace: "I""m a man from Innisfree.Jolson was given the lead after Eddie Cantor and George Jessel denied Warners"" offer to play the title role.