Singing teen idle Jimmy Clanton certainly had charm and talon, but the script he gets for this Hal Roach Jr. produced teen rock musical is a wreck. The basic plot is absurd beyond belief with Clanton playing an orphan who goes by the name of Johnny Melody recording a song and trying to get a contract with DJ Alan Freed. Johnny reconnects with orphanage girlfriend Sandy Stewart who works in the music business and goes out of her way to help him. When Freed finally gets around to listening to the record, he creates a search party for Johnny, but Johnny is out there trying to pawn his guitar so he can buy a gift for Stewart and doesn't hear Freed's urging Johnny to call him over the radio.
This has some great musical moments particularly with the soul film appearance of Ritchie Valens as well as Chuck Berry and other groups and performers of the time. The musical moments are inspired and nostalgic, but the plot is so absurd that it's easy to just wish that it had been cut out and the film just simply be a concert of these talented performers. This was the last of the Alan Freed produce musicals which featured hip leg himself, and it was a low-key way to exit a series that is easily forgotten outside of the musical numbers.
This has some great musical moments particularly with the soul film appearance of Ritchie Valens as well as Chuck Berry and other groups and performers of the time. The musical moments are inspired and nostalgic, but the plot is so absurd that it's easy to just wish that it had been cut out and the film just simply be a concert of these talented performers. This was the last of the Alan Freed produce musicals which featured hip leg himself, and it was a low-key way to exit a series that is easily forgotten outside of the musical numbers.