Jamboree! (1957)

Here we go again with a virtually Unwatchable, Wretched Hollywood attempt to bring the success of early Rock n Roll to the Screen.Trouble is they never did get it. They saw this Music as a Threat or at the very Least a Fad and they didn't expect it to get any Respect or Consideration, nothing more than a Novelty or believe it or not, a Communist Plot.The few good Acts are slipped in and out of other "Respectable" Pre-Packaged Pap and Cornball Crooners. The lead "Actor" Kids Sing more than anybody and they are Presented to Epitomize what was deemed Desirable to all except Juvenile Delinquents and God-Forbid, "Race Record" Fans.If You can avoid turning it off there will be some Rewards if very Brief. The always Rockin', Jerry Lee Lewis...the Fun Rockabilly Sound of Carl Perkins...Frankie Lymon for some Doo Wop...and the Velvet Voice and R&B Rhythms of Fats Domino.All of these Greats do only One Song but it is Really-Cool that it was captured on Film. Get out the Cut and Paste Program.

This is the story of a duo two managers (there's no such a thing since Nelson Eddy and Janette MacDonald,so why not them?) pair in order to make money (Pete and Honey= bank and money).The managers have their own ambitions for their respective protégés and after a big hit ,they urge both of them to go single .Then the heartache begins.Pete and Honey's songs are rather syrupy and bland but their story takes barely 50 % of the time and the rest is given over to the guests :some of them are exciting indeed:Jerry lee Lewis and his fiery "great balls of fire" Carl Perkins ' "glad all over" and doowop whizz kid Frankie Lymon's "your last chance" are gems .Plus Count Basie and Slim Whitman for jazz and C& W fans.

Movies like Jamboree are not really about plot or acting which is just as well since both are pretty feeble.The story is simple to the point of idiocy-two agents played by Kay Medford and Bob Pastine are trying without success to pitch their clients ,a young male and young female singer ,to record companies.They opt to pair them as a duo and success follows but the machinations of Medford drive them apart ,professionally and personally.Will they get back together and find happiness along with fame and fortune? Stick around and you will find out but the only real reason most people will stick with this picture are the scenes depicting pop stars of the day each doing a single number. The footage of the acts is unimaginatively shot but some of the performers make up for this .Jerry Lee Lewis is edgy and manic,while luminaries like Basie ,Domino and Perkins are always worth watching.I was more into the relatively lesser known names like the wonderful Charlie Gracie and Buddy Knox . Watch it for its pot pourri of period acts and ignore the woeful acting of the young leads and its bearable.

Pitiful plot and sorry as a movie. But the real stars performing makes for good viewing. A young couple played by Freda Holloway and Paul Carr want to be famous singers. Kay Medford plays the agitating manager that manipulates the two songbirds,that don't even come near professionalism; let alone sing good rock 'n' roll. Although the singing voice of Holloway is that of singer Connie Francis.Also in the cast are disc jockey Dick Clark and songwriter Aaron Schroder. Schroder in the real world wrote many hit songs; the best were for Elvis Presley and Gene Pitney.Some of the real stars of this film, doing their thing for the camera are: Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Avalon, Fats Domino, Charlie Gracie, Buddy Knox, Count Basie, Slim Whitman and Carl Perkins. The plot is a flop and the music is hip. Turn the lights on low and GO! Daddyo! GO!