Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

mgconlan-1 The early omens on this one weren't good; American International generally made lousy movies aimed mostly at the drive-in audience (and this was only their third year in operation), the director was Edward L. Cahn and the writer was Lou Rusoff, who was usually associated with American International's rather silly horror movies. Surprise! "Shake, Rattle and Rock" turned out to be a little gem, with two of the all-time greats of rhythm and blues, singer Joe Turner and singer-pianist-composer Antoine "Fats" Domino, and a plot that was genuinely entertaining in and of itself and wasn't just a way to mark time between the musical numbers. While other 1950's rock movies occasionally touched on the controversies over rock and the determination of some moralists to shut it down, Lou Rusoff decided to make the controversies the focal point of his film. It opens in the studio of a local TV station, where Garry Nelson (Touch Conners, the young, personable actor who later became a surprisingly credible private detective on the long-running CBS-TV series Mannix) is hosting a rock 'n' roll TV show with a group of teenage kids he's been able to pull off the streets and away from a life of crime by harnessing the righteous power of this music to lure them into wholesome recreation. Right now in the (unnamed) city where the film takes place he's built 78 rock 'n' roll clubs and got the young people in them interested in raising money for "safe" social causes. His latest project is to take over an abandoned building and turn it into a teen center.But he's run afoul of self-appointed moralists Eustace Fentwick III (Douglass Dumbrille) and Georgianna Fitzdingle (the marvelous Margaret Dumont — so two supporting players in this film have Marx Brothers connections!), who organize a group with a tongue-twisting name to fight back against rock 'n' roll by organizing petitions and letter-writing campaigns to get the TV station to take Nelson's show off the air. He's also run afoul of gangsters Bugsy Smith (Paul Duboy, proving that they didn't break the mold after they made Sheldon Leonard) and his comic-relief sidekick Nick (Eddie Kafafian), who are upset that Nelson's rock 'n' roll clubs have turned potential hoodlums towards more constructive pursuits and thereby deprived Bugsy's gang of its biggest pool of young talent. Of course, Nelson has his own comic-relief sidekick, Albert "Axe" McAllister (Sterling Holloway, whom writer Rusoff and director Cahn try to pass off as a teenager even though he was already making movies in the early 1930's, before any authentic teenager alive in 1956 was even born!).Fats Domino does two of his biggest hits, "Ain't That a Shame" and "I'm in Love Again," as well as "Honey Chile" (a song I've always liked that didn't get the attention it deserved because it was the flip side of an even greater Domino record, "Blueberry Hill"), and Turner sings "Feelin' Happy" — a rock adaptation of the 1930's Kansas City blues standard "Do You Wanna Jump, Children?" — twice, once over the opening credits and once on screen. He also does "Lipstick, Powder and Paint," "The Choker" and "Rock, Rock, Rock." The one white rock performer we see, Tommy Charles (doing a song by Wayne Walker called "Sweet Love on My Mind"), is O.K. but quite obviously not anywhere in the same league as Domino and Turner. "Shake, Rattle and Rock" turned out to be a minor gem, a genuinely entertaining movie even when Fats Domino and/or Joe Turner weren't on screen!

johnc2141 Although not a blockbuster,shake rattle and rock is an interesting and fun 1950's movie about the older generation trying to stop rock and roll dancing teens.a short movie and made by the great American international pictures,which is why i wanted to check it out.touch(mike)Conner's who made numerous aip pictures like voodoo woman,swamp women and later on TVs mannix plays a TV disc jockey announcer,the plot is very simple a group of older people led by margerat Dumont try to stop the rock and roll lifestyle,claiming it leads to juvenile crime.yeah we all heard that before.then there's the beautiful and cute Lisa Gaye as the love interest of the TV DJ.who happens to be Dumont's daughter.then there's some great performances by the legendary fats domino,playing himself.aip was wise to cash in on the rock and roll trend of the 1950s,this proved big money at the drive in box office and led to many more.and this was one of the first aip movies,it is a fun movie and its well worth watching.kudos to Samuel z arkoff,James Nicholson,Lou rusoff,and American international pictures for this little gem.8 out of 10

Lee Eisenberg It seems like there have been lots of movies portraying stuffy adults not caring for rock 'n' roll, or even considering it evil. In that respect "Shake, Rattle & Rock!" is nothing new. But the movie makes no pretense about just being an excuse to have fun. And anyway, how can you not like seeing Fats Domino? The plot has a TV show host (Mike Connors) hiring teen delinquents for his show to prove that they can change their ways through rock 'n' roll. Sure enough, the straight-laced senior citizens want to outlaw this new music.Obviously, there are some scenes in this movie that will probably make us cringe in the 21st century. Aside from the footage of the African dance treated as subhuman, there's no racial mixing in the bands. But as long as we understand that, the movie's really cool. It's another reminder that - contrary to what the staid old people would have us believe - rock 'n' roll will live forever! And I even think that I could see up some of the girls' dresses...Also starring Sterling Holloway and Margaret Dumont (of the Marx Brothers' movies).

roy-c Well, I bought the DVD so I have to say that I like it. Solely because it's got Big Joe Turner in it along with Fats Domino. They're miming to what appear to be new versions of some of their own tracks. Just watching Big Joe "singing" is enough to get my vote. They're so little of him in his prime that I'm really grateful for anything I can get. Has an amusing call and response section with the young white teenage audience. And then he "appears" on TV. Fats Domino is his usual impeccable self. The plot and acting is all very silly but worth it for the brief performances. Has Margaret Dumont in as well with a wimpish husband although "the worm turns" by the end.