Shake, Rattle & Rock!
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Edward L. Cahn
Touch Connors
Lisa Gaye
Sterling Holloway
Fats Domino
Joe Turner
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Garry Nelson, the disc jockey host of a teenage, rock `n' roll television show, is in love with June, one of the station's commercial spokepersons. June's domineering aunt, Georgianna Fitzdingle, does not approve of Garry or his music, although her henpecked husband, Horace, is sympathetic to the young couple. The Fitzdingles are members of a citizens' committee, led by the self-appointed, pompous Eustace Fentwick III. The organization finds rock `n' roll music disgusting, and believes that the music is corrupting the nation's youth, despite the fact that Garry has been able to organize many of the city's youth into socially responsible clubs. After the station manager, Bill Bentley, advises Garry that he has received many letters and phone calls threatening to boycott the station and its advertisers if the program continues, Garry invites him to visit one of the clubs, The Black Eagles, formed by kids with police records, but Bentley declines. When Garry and his assistant, the jive-talking Albert "Axe" McAllister, visit the Black Eagles' clubroom, Tommy, one of the members, tells them about their dream of taking over a nearby unoccupied building and converting it into a place of their own called "Teen Town." While Garry and Axe are at the clubroom, an adult hoodlum, "Bugsy" Smith, and his sidekick Nick arrive. Bugsy, who has just finished a three-month jail sentence, is distressed to find that his former gang members and protégés have become respectable and accuses Garry of "muscling in" on his territory. Bugsy then insists that the youths throw out Garry and Axe, but they ignore him. When Fentwick, the Fitzdingles and their associate Hiram, a mortician always on the lookout for potential clients, visit the studio during a live transmission, Georgianna suffers the indignity of losing her hat and having to retrieve it from the crowded dance floor. After Fentwick insists that Bentley cancel the program, the station manager states that he will have to check with his superiors. However, the program and its causes begin to generate favorable comments, including an editorial in a local newspaper. Garry takes the paper's editor, Mr. Armstrong, to meet the Black Eagles and he agrees to help them acquire the building if they can raise some of the expenses and continue to do constructive work. To help with the funding, Garry and Axe promote a concert featuring prominent rock `n' roll acts at a local dance hall. Fentwick, the Fitzdingles and Hiram come to the dance hall in Fentwick's limousine determined to stop the event. Toward the end of the evening, Bugsy and Nick, determined to regain control of the young people, stir them up against the reformers and several damage Fentwick's car. Later, when Fentwick insists that Garry name the youths responsible for wrecking his car, Garry persuades Bentley that a live, televised trial, with phone-in viewers as the jury, would be a good way to present their case. Bentley, realizing the rating values of such a show, readily agrees, as does the vain Fentwick, who imagines that the exposure could bring him national prominence, even the U.S. presidency. After Axe explains to the Black Eagles that Garry is being made to suffer because he refuses to name the members responsible for wrecking Fentwick's car, the club members devise a plan. The court is set up in one of the station's studios and a local judge is hired to adjudicate. After attacks and counter-attacks from both sides, Fentwick puts Garry on the witness stand and demands that he name those responsible for the damage to his car. Garry is saved, however, when the club members submit signed confessions to the judge. Garry then puts the bewildered Bugsy on the stand and manipulates him into declaring that Garry and his clubs have reformed his former gang members. Axe also testifies, but the self-described "hipster's" jive talk totally confuses the judge and has to be subtitled in regular English for the home audience. Fentwick then presents film footage supposedly showing the demoralizing effects of rock `n' roll dancing. When Garry counters with footage from a 1920s dance contest showing people dancing the Charleston and the Black Bottom, Horace recognizes Georgianna as one of the spirited dancers and advises June, who tells Garry. Georgianna is then forced to admit that rock `n' roll dancers are no worse than the dancers of her youth. Finally, Garry argues that the kids just want a chance to work their own way out of their teens and promotes "Teen Town." The phone-in voting results in an overwhelming majority supporting Garry and his cause. As the kids dance to celebrate their victory, a newly emboldened Horace insists that Georgianna join him on the dance floor. She enjoys herself and even dances with Garry, thereby giving her approval to his romance with June.
Director
Edward L. Cahn
Cast
Touch Connors
Lisa Gaye
Sterling Holloway
Fats Domino
Joe Turner
Choker Campbell And His Band
Tommy Charles
Annita Ray
Rosie & Carlos
Raymond Hatton
Douglas Dumbrille
Paul Dubov
Clarence Kolb
Margaret Dumont
Frank Jenks
Percy Helton
Eddie Kafafian
Joe Devlin
Charles Evans
Pierre Watkins
Nancy Kilgas
Jimmy Pickford
Giovanna Fiorino
Leon Tyler
Patricia Gregory
Crew
Don Ament
Samuel Z. Arkoff
David Bartholomew
Bart Carre
Bart Carre
Bill Cary
Frédéric Chopin
Marjorie Corso
Alexander Courage
Antoine 'fats' Domino
Jack Dusek
Robert S. Eisen
Willon Fields
Alex Gordon
Charles Gross Jr.
Harold Hanks
Judith Hart
Chuck King
Johnny Lehman
George Matola
James H. Nicholson
James H. Nicholson
Richard M. Rubin
Lou Rusoff
Joe Turner
Wayne Walker
Frederick E. West
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
In the onscreen, song composer credits, composer David Bartholomew's surname is misspelled as "Batholmew." Singer Fats Domino is credited twice onscreen. His cast credit reads "Fats Domino," while his songwriter credit reads "Antione 'Fats' Domino." The film's closing title reads: "The Most....To Say the Least...!" This film was remade for Showtime cable television in 1994. That version starred Renée Zellweger and Howie Mandel and was directed by Allan Arkush.
