Rock Rock Rock! (1956)

Although the low budget quality of the film is unfortunate it captures true Americana at its best. Happy, energetic youth dressing to the hilt, dancing with some style, and more worried about going to the dance than trying to buy a joint. Ike in the White House to protect us, no Viet Nam, no Watergate, no 911, and automobiles that were a work of art. The title song by Jimmy Cavallo is the essence of Rock and Roll..Young kids dancing with their peers in a simple but synchronized rhythm releasing their innermost feelings while having fun. And Alan Freed, what more can you say? The pioneer of a genre that helped break the shackles of a segregated culture. Although he was crucified for his efforts his smile on stage shows how happy he was to bring joy to the youth of America.

My public library added DVDs with select older movies, that is where I found this one from 1956. I was 10 when this movie came out, I was not yet a fan of the 1950s music but my three older sisters were. I watched this movie for Tuesday Weld, I fell in love with her as Thalia Menninger in the early 1960s on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" TV Series, but I wanted to see her in an early role. This is her first movie, filmed when she was just 12, just deciding if she wanted to be an actress. It is a very cheesy movie with high-schoolish acting, more reminiscent of three episodes of a 1950s TV series spliced together. It is of course B&W. The romantic story is of a high school boy and a high school girl liking each other, a rival girl trying to split them up, and a dress that will cost either $30 or $45 for the prom. Tuesday Weld is in the lead role as Dori. She has two singing numbers, both dubbed vocally by Connie Francis before she began acting in movie roles herself.The rest of the movie is a musical review hosted by Alan Freed, the man given credit for the term "rock and roll" to refer to the music. He would host televised music variety shows for teens and featuring the most popular bands of the time, just as Dick Clark did a bit later on his "American Bandstand." And one of the guests for the Freed show was Frankie Lymon, 13, with his backup singers the Teens. Lymon was a Michael Jackson style singer and every bit as good as Jackson with his high-pitched young boy voice. I had a big grin when he sang "I'm not a juvenile delinquent." Judged by current movie standards this is not a very good movie, but it is good to understand the musical tastes of the 1950s, and to see the very earliest Tuesday Weld.

The reason I gave it 9 was for the acting but outside of that, this is a great movie of historical rock-n-roll value. Laverne Baker, The Moonglows, Chuck Berry, The Flamingos, and the key double dose scene at the end with Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers performing "Baby Baby" and "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" (Frankie was 13 at the time of filming.) Outside of the great performers, Alan Freed plays himself, Tuesday Weld (Also 13 at time of filming but looks more older)plays Dori who when singing is actually a dub of Connie Francis. The plot revolves around Dori wanting a specific dress and her dad, wanting to show her some responsibility tells her she has to earn a portion of the money to pay for the dress. This causes an issue when her nemesis allows her to loan her money at an illegal rate and refuses to pay it back. "Grab Your Partner, Grab Your Gal, And Rock" From Vanguard Films (1956)

Beautiful Tuesday Weld was the original "wild child". She had been a child model and by the time she was eight had branched into television and Broadway. She was the sole support of her family but by nine she suffered a breakdown and quit work for a year. At ten she was seriously drinking and at twelve tried to commit suicide. Shortly after this, she appeared in "Rock, Rock, Rock", a low budget film shot in Brooklyn, in 9 days. It was an attempt to cash in on the rock and roll craze and featured some of the best groups and singers of the era.Precocious Tuesday (looking a lot older than 13) plays Dori, who, although she sings the song "It Never Happens to Me" (courtesy of Connie Francis) confesses to her friend that she is in love with Tommy (Teddy Randazzo). Arabella warns her of Gloria, who also loves Tommy. Tommy tells her he is going to enter Alan Freed's talent quest and tries to convince her to enter as well. Dori has other things on her mind. She can't budget her allowance so her harassed dad (Jack Collins) cancels her charge accounts. Her rival, Gloria, has announced that she is buying a blue (Tommy's favourite colour) evening gown - with sparkles!!! so Dori is determined to get one as well.Dori, Arabella and Dori's hip dad watch Alan Freed's show on television and it has some great acts on it. "Rock, Soul Boogie", "I Knew From the Start" sung by the Moonglows, "You Can't Catch Me" sung by Chuck Berry, who brings out all his trademark moves, "Will I Be Crying" by the Flamingoes, "The Big Beat" by Jimmy Cavallo and the House Rockers. Alan Freed then announces the winner of the talent quest and surprise, surprise it is Tommy - he sings "Thanks to You".Meanwhile Dori has problems - she has found the dress of her dreams but her father has canceled her account. Her father wants to teach her the value of a dollar - so he says he will give her $15 but she must earn the other $15. Dori is desperate - she goes to the bank to get a loan but when she realises the bank charges 6% interest - she decides to open her own bank!!!! Tommy has news for the gang - Alan Freed is going to bring his show to the prom. Gloria gives Dori a few lessons in arithmetic (Dori thinks she is charging only 1% interest by charging $1 for every dollar borrowed!!!) and threatens to tell the whole school that Dori is a crook unless Tommy takes her to the prom. Dori tries to sing her troubles away ("Little Blue Wren" - she is very good at miming). Things sort themselves out - Dori gets her sparkly blue dress and Tommy, and the rock show comes to the prom. Watch for a young Valerie Harper, sitting on a settee.The concert is fantastic - "Rock, Rock, Rock" by Jimmie and the House Rockers, "Lonesome Train" is a fantastic rockabilly song by the Johnny Burnette Trio, "Over and Over Again" by the Moonglows, "Tra La La" by La Vern Baker. The sensation of the evening is Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers - they sing the catchy "Baby, Baby" and "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent". Watch the film for the wonderful bands and to see Tuesday Weld at the start of her long career.