Is this the worst of the first wave of rock n roll exploitation flicks? I say yes. Jack Jones stars as the son of theatrical impresario Brian Donlevy, a producer desperately in need of a hit. He comes up with a show called Juke Box Jamboree, which everyone agrees is a terrific title. The truth, of course, is that it's an awful title, and one suspects everyone actually knows it, but are too afraid to burst Donlevy's bubble. Son Jones also makes the acquaintance of all-American 'foreign princess' Jo Morrow, as well as fashion designer Hans Conried, here sporting an outrrrrageous accent. Salted throughout these extremely uninteresting plot points are performances by Earl Grant (not terrible, but not great, either), The Treniers (worthwhile, but not at their best), Johnny Otis (Willie and the Hand Jive being the film's highlight), The Nitwits (an indigestible cross-pollination of P.D.Q. Bach and Spike Jones), and young Jack himself, the least likely rocker this side of Pat Boone. The climax of all this is, of course, the premiere of Juke Box Jamboree, a threadbare variety hour that, we are told, duly impresses the critics, who perhaps were overwhelmed by the dazzling presence of Toastmaster General George Jessel. For some reason, director Arthur Dreifuss kept being assigned similar films such as the legendary Riot On Sunset Strip (1967) and the worst film of the SECOND wave of rock n roll exploitation films, The Young Runaways (1968).
Review of Juke Box Rhythm
