Juke Box Rhythm (1959)

Director:

Arthur Dreifuss

Writers:

Earl Baldwin (writer)
Mary C. McCall Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

1 April 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Musical

Plot:

While in New York to select her coronation wardrobe, Princess Ann (Jo Morrow) is photographed dancing with Riff Manton (Jack Jones)...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Jo Morrow	...	Princess Ann
Jack Jones	...	Riff Manton
Brian Donlevy	...	George Manton
Hans Conried	...	Balenko
Karin Booth	...	Leslie Anders
Marjorie Reynolds	...	Martha Manton
Frieda Inescort	...	Aunt Margaret
Edgar Barrier	...	Ambassador Truex
Fritz Feld	...	Ambrose
Hortense Petra	...	Nightclub Patron
George Jessel	...	Himself
Earl Grant	...	Himself (as Earl Grant Trio)
Sid Millward	...	Comedian (as The Nitwits)
Wally Stewart	...	Comedian (as The Nitwits)
Johnny Otis	...	Himself

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Clover Productions

Trivia:

In Oct. 1959, Columbia Pictures distributed this film on a double bill with The Tingler (1959) starring Vincent Price.

Soundtrack:

Spring Is the Season for Remembering

A Princess "Rocks" the Town

Lighthearted musical about a beautiful princess who arrives in New York City to pick her coronation wardrobe under the thumb and serious guidance of her aunt, the Countess, who doesn't approve of NYC or that "immoral music" the princess seems to like. Well, first night in town our princess sneaks out of her room and into the "Spring Hop" fraternity dance being held in her hotel where she meets handsome, singing Riff Manton (Jack Jones), a real ringer for a young Ricky Nelson. Soon it's agreed that Riff can take her to a classical concert - instead he sneaks her to the "Bop Inn" where the kids are swinging and George Jessel appears in person to sing and do comedy patter with the audience. And meanwhile - Riff is busy with a plan to try and get the princess to buy her wardrobe from a struggling fashion designer who has offered Riff the money in exchange for the recognition - which Riff plans to invest in his theatrical producer dad's upcoming new show "Juke Box Jamboree".

This is a fun, lightly entertaining film full of well-done dance numbers and musical performances like the Johnny Otis Band performing "Willie and the Hand Jive". The acting is acceptable, though nothing to write home about, the princess is revealed to have a great singing voice but that plot device is then just thrown away - and then there's the mystery of where in the world the princess and her aunt are actually from, considering they speak with perfect American accents. But none of that really matters - the story is interesting and the dancing and the music all good, and there's even a few fun-to-watch (though brief) fashion segments - all in all, a film worth seeing.