For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

No need to recap the wispy plot. Many of the names may be familiar from R&R's early period—Berry, Cochran Valens, Wilson— but their stylings are not. Looks to me as though the sounds were toned down to suit a white middle-class audience, whose adults tended to identify hard core R&R with juvenile delinquency. That's particularly the case with Chuck Berry who could do a driving beat with the best of them. Not here however. The producers have even added white bread Jimmy Clanton to headline, even though his crooning style better suits pre-R&R. The movie is clearly a commercial product, running a bit scared of the raucous style it's gently alluding to. For a much less compromised glimpse of those early years, catch The Girl Can't Help It (1956).

"Go, Johnny, Go!" from 1959 is a showcase of Rock and Roll talent from its early years. Eddie Cochran, Jackie Wilson, Ritchie Valens, the Cadillacs, and Chuck Berry are all on hand here. Unfortunately, poor Ritchie was already gone by the time this film came out and Eddie Cochran would be killed in an auto accident the following year. It didn't take long before Chuck Berry was being indicted which put the skids on his career for years. Still, it's great to see these legends in their prime. The simplistic plot of this movie only serves to give the musical acts some brief intervals, so there isn't much to say about it. It revolves around a "chip on his shoulder" teenage orphan (Jimmy Clanton) who wants to become a singing star in the worst way. The worst way describes the rest of his flimsy story. On the plus side, Clanton sings a few tunes himself and there's no doubt that he had some talent, although this movie did little to advance his career. Of historical note is the appearance of record deejay Alan Freed who is instrumental in the plot of this film. Within a year or two after this movie's release, Freed was testifying before the U.S. Congress regarding his role in the Record Payola Scandal and his career never recovered. Mr. "Rock and Roll" died a broken man a few years later. He is chiefly remembered now for having the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame being built in the city of his original home station: Cleveland, Ohio. Long Live Rock and Roll!!

This is one of several Hollywood movies made in the 1950's attempting to be cool by featuring the new "fad"(to them) called rock 'n' roll. The only time Hollywood ever featured real rock 'n' roll from the early days of the new teen music was when rock artists with hit records were allowed to perform on the big screen. The Hollywood concocted rock 'n' roll was unbearable then and even more so today. The best of the rock 'n' roll films by far was "The Girl Can't Help It," which was clever and humorous, plus featuring many of the big rock artists of the day including an outstanding scene showing Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps. Of all the others this one "Go, Johnny, Go" succeeds the best and as has been noted by others is the only place you can see the multi-talented seventeen year old superstar Richie Valens strutting his stuff on the big screen just before his tragic death.Since there was no such animal as a music video, most teens heard their favorite rock stars on vinyl or on the radio. From time to time rock phenomena would appear on television on such shows as Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen. Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" seldom let the rock performers do their own thing. Most of the time the artists were asked to lip-synch their recordings. A major exception to this rule was Jerry Lee Lewis who insisted that he be allowed to do his hits live with his band. Therefore, it was truly a treat to get to see rockers on the big screen.This movie has one of the best lists of great rock performers of the decade. There were many so-called asphalt Elvises around by 1959, especially the notorious Fabian, but lumping Jimmy Clanton with them is a mistake. Like Ricky Nelson, Clanton had a feel for the music he made. His looks left much to be desired but his songs were not half bad, particularly his one big hit "Just a Dream," one of my favorite teen ballads from the period.Fans of early rock 'n' roll will get a kick out of watching the antics of such wonderful do wop groups as the Flamingos and the The Cadillacs. What an entertaining stage show these groups must have delivered. The only other do wop group to surpass these two were the outrageous Coasters. The legendary Jackie Wilson, who even impressed the King himself, Elvis, when he saw him in Las Vagas, shows why he was one of the seminal entertainers of the decade. Chuck Berry not only performs some of his best songs--possibly Johnny B. Goode is his best--but does a decent job acting as well. Too bad he was set up by the government and had to spend time in prison not long after this movie was produced. Then the viewer gets to see the talented Eddie Cochran, one of the best songwriters/musicians of the era. Harvey Fuqua helped make the Moonglows a hit but the rest of the do wop group added that little extra oomp needed to have it all jell. Still Harvey is fine as a solo act.Allen Freed, who not long after this picture was produced was crucified by the press and made the fall guy for the payola scandal, adds a touch of authenticity to the movie, though he leaves a little to be desired in the acting department. Many in the US government--somewhat of a holdover from the McCarthy period-viewed rock 'n' roll as subversive, never mind that the Communists felt the same way but for a different ideological reason. By promoting the asphalt Elvises such as Fabian, Frankie Avalon, and Paul Anka the politicians hoped to stifle the real rock stars. The government put Chuck Berry in jail, drafted Elvis, wrecked Allen Freed's career prodding him to succumb to alcoholism, and encouraged Little Richard to pursue a calling to be a preacher. Indirectly the government aided the free press in publicizing Jerry Lee Lewis' third marriage to his thirteen year old cousin. All this and more...but the beat goes on.The story told in "Go, Johnny, Go" is a juvenile one about Freed, a rock promoter, making Jimmy Clanton a star through a talent search. This time it's innocuous enough and doesn't get in the way of some of the best music this side of heaven. Rock on, cool cats, rock on!

I saw this when I was 15 and we did not get to see our music stars then so movies like this were one of the options. I found it and bought it on VHS some years ago and felt lucky to find it. Jimmy Clanton was one of my musical heroes and he sang "Ship on a Stormy Sea" in this plus several other songs. It is one of the few viewings of the great Eddie Cochran although he does not have his electric guitar plugged in, it is still worth seeing him. Others in the film are great, musically. Yes, the plot lacks but most of this genre of movie lacked a plot. They were a quick and cheap way to rush the visual aspect of our stars to us, the young audience and they entertained us. Remember that they were made for our 13-19 year old minds and we were not technically aware. But, it did not differ from Dick Clark having the same people on his shows when they did not sing but mouthed the words. It has flaws but it is well worth having for anyone who wants to see and remember Jimmy Clanton, Jackie Wilson, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, and Richie Valens.