Such a frustrating disappointment

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

An early rock musical, now mainly of historical interest. Except for Chuck Berry, most of the musical performers have since faded into recordings of that time. Frankly, I was hoping for more recognizable hits from the period, but I'd be hard pressed to name one. But then, I'm no R&R afficianado. Those swishy big skirts the highschool girls wear did take me back 60 years to my own teenage years. They worked really well for the movie's dance numbers that conveyed the raw teen energy that R&R ignited in an otherwise sedate decade. The story line taking up the middle third is more complicated than expected, but reflects a period when higjh school proms were a really big deal. Fortunately, a captivating 12-year old (!) Weld comes off like an acting pro. I doubt that anyone before or since brought off cute little vixens more charmingly than the unfortunately named Tuesday, (critics of the time refused to take her seriously because of her "silly" name). Here, however, she plays a strictly good girl, who unfortunately does need a tutorial in 2+2. Anyway, it's hard to slap a rating number on a production like this. On the whole, I suspect it's appeal is mainly to fans of early R&R and sentimental oldsters like me. So, for dedicated viewers-- "Take It Away, Mr. Freed!"

A lot of people made their film debut in this film. Tuesday Weld (Dori Graham)is the obvious one- & only 13 years young here playing an older girl who wants to go to the prom only to have to maneuver her way past Gloria (Jacqueline Kerr) in her only screen performance. In his premiere screen performance, Chuck Berry @ age 30 performs one number. It is sad that this is his first performance on screen but the color line was still in place in Hollywood. Alan Freed, ahead of his time in putting this film on screen, is very ahead in how he featured many black rock performers in this film. All the performances are good though the dubbing is crude.You can tell by going through the groups in the cast about the color line as some of these performers do not show another screen credit until the 1960's or 1970's. Some of them have no other screen credits. Teddy Randazzo (Tommy Rogers) is on screen for a rare performance as most of his work is on soundtracks over the years. He is Weld & Kerrs love interest here.There is little plot here as the film is more of a showcase for the music than anything else. The music is classic rock & roll from the 1950's with Connie Francis providing the voice for Weld.In the prom scene, a 17 year old Valerie Harper (Rhoda on Mary Tyler Moore) shows up as a dancer. There is plenty of dancing & music at the prom. Wish Chuck Berry would have gotten another number, but the one he does is just fine though Freed mentions one of Berry's hits when introducing him. Freed is a band-leader here though he is also a bit of an emcee like Dick Clark in his role here.

This essential time capsule musical from the very dawn of Rock and Roll is really beyond criticism. Many other comments bleat about the quality and the story, but really, would you prefer it did not exist? Is "EIGHT MILE" or (groan) "COOL AS ICE"or (double groan) "GET RICH OR DIE Trying'' a better reminder of their music and time in history? Alan Freed should be almost revered for the work he did in promoting rock and roll in the mid 50s and it is because of him this astonishing record of fascinating music acts of 1955/56 exists. Reacting to it as if it was made today is ridiculous. ROCK ROCK ROCK is a complete world unto itself and made with a keen-ness to entertain and elate through some of the essential music stars of the day. It is also charming. Something none of the other three films mentioned above are or could be in the slightest., given their retarded aggression. ROCK ROCK ROCK is fun and a real surprise. A good complimentary film is the 1976 drama "AMERICAN HOT WAX" which is a bio of Alan Freed with spectacular recreations of the 50s and the Brooklyn Paramount days with Freed causing dancing strife with uptight authorities. Believe it or like it or not.

If you love rock and roll music then give this one a break. Most of the songs are totally out of sync which is fairly amusing and the story is boy loves girl then blah but what do you expect. There is wonderful music and a lot of the film is devoted to it. Some great dresses too. Tuesday Weld is cute and radiant and innocent and smacks of those childhood dreams that were killed by cynicism and growing old. Its a true fantasy trip that you can let yourself go with a bottle of something tasty. Beautiful scripts that make you feel warm inside. If you want an intellectual film them forget it but if you wan a laugh and a dance then this is your girlie wine drinking evening. It got me dancing in the living room. Love it.