Juke Box Rhythm (1959)

While in New York to select her coronation wardrobe, Princess Ann is photographed dancing with Riff Manton, son of impoverished producer George Manton. A dress designer, Balenko, gives Riff... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Dreifuss

Writers:

Mary C. McCall Jr. (screenplay), Earl Baldwin (screenplay)

Stars:

Jo Morrow, Jack Jones, Brian Donlevy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	George Jessel
Earl Grant	...	Earl Grant (as Earl Grant Trio)
The Nitwits	...	The Nitwits
Johnny Otis	...	Johnny Otis
The Treniers	...	Rock Group

Storyline

While in New York to select her coronation wardrobe, Princess Ann is photographed dancing with Riff Manton, son of impoverished producer George Manton. A dress designer, Balenko, gives Riff a large commission when Princess Ann buys her wardrobe from him and Riff uses the money to help his father produce a hit show, a Juke Box Jamboree.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | princess | 

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Genres:

Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1959 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sam Katzman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The nightclub patron who mistakes George Jessel for Milton Berle is Hortense Petra, wife of producer Sam Katzman, who appears in similar bits in many of his films.

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Soundtracks

Make Room for the Joy
Music by Burt Bacharach
Lyrics by Hal David
Sung by Jack Jones

User Reviews

I sold my heart to the Junkman

***SPOLIERS*** Somewhat silly as well as predictable rock & roll flick that has poor little rich & royal girl Princess Ann, Jo Morrow, from some unmanned European country literately letting her hair down and getting with it in becoming involved with handsome rock & roll singer Riff Manton, Jack Jones. Riff uses Princess Ann to get his show producer father George played by Brian Donlevy, who looked like he just couldn't wait for the movie to finally end, who hasn't had a hit in six years the money to continue his production of the show "Juke Box Jamboree": So why you wounder the film is called "Juke Box Rhythm"?

Things get a bit sticky when Princess Ann's nosy and overbearing Aunt Margaret, Frida Inesort, tries to break up the relationship with the princess and Riff in feeling he's not up to her class and position as well as breeding to have anything to do with her. Aunt Mararet is also put off with the rock & roll music that the Princess is so found of, after being introduced to it by Riff, that she feels is corrupting her morals. There's also the fact that Riff wants to get his dad Gorge back together with his mom and estranged wife Martha, Marjorie Reynolds, whom George's new girlfriend Leslie Anders, Karin Booth,is doing everything to keep the two apart.

The person who in fact steals the show is former junk-man and now up and coming world famous fashion designer Balenko, Hans Conried, who in seeing a photo in the newspapers of Riff dancing with Pincess Ann tries to get Riff to have the Princess have him design her wardrobe, all 27 dresses worth, for her upcoming coronation back home. It's when Aunt Margaret finds out that Balenko is not just a former junk-man but was involved with Riff in getting Ann to give him the contract for her wardrobe that all hell broke loose. It's later was when Aunt Margaret as well as everybody else saw what a fashion genius Balanko is that his previous employment as a self-employed junk-man didn't keep him from being welcomed by Ann's royal family.

The film ends on a high note with both Ann & Riff together and Aunt Margaret in seeing what a charming and witty rascal former junk-man Balenko is that she lost all her inhibitions in being part of the upper class of society and, like Princess Ann, let her hair down and both joined the party and let it all hang out. Poppa George did in fact get the hit show that he was looking for all these years that put him back in business as a top theater and play producer but by far the best thing that happened to both him and his son Riff in that he and his estranged wife Martha were back together again when the film finally ended. There's also in the film guest appearances by the "Earl Grant Trio" as well as this comedy singing and dancing group called "The Nitwits" and last but not least the world famous "Toastmaster General" Gorgie Jessel who's mistaken by someone in the film, after getting his autograph, for Milton Berle!