Don’t Knock the Rock *** (1956, Bill Haley and the Comets, Alan Dale, Alan Freed, Little Richard) – Classic Movie Review 9863

‘The Rock Kings Are Back – At Their Greatest! ‘

Director Fred F Sears’s 1956 black and white music movie Don’t Knock the Rock is Bill Haley’s hastily made, rushed-out follow-up to the earlier 1956 smash hit Rock Around the Clock.

It is more happy nostalgic rock ‘n’ roll entertainment, with Bill Haley (and His Comets) reunited with legendary radio disc jockey Alan Freed (as himself), who sets out to show parents that rock ‘n’ roll won’t harm their teenagers.

Haley performs his hit ‘Don’t Knock the Rock’, plus ‘Calling All Comets’, ‘Hot Dog, Buddy Buddy’, ‘Rip It Up’, ‘Goofin’ Around’ and ‘Hook Line and Sinker’, while Little Richard goes it at like there’s no tomorrow in ‘Long Tall Sally’ and ‘Tutti Frutti’, and The Treniers perform ‘Rockin’ on Sunday Night’.  Talented pop singer Alan Dale sings ‘I Cry More’ (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David)

There is also the fragment of a plot: young rocker Arnie Haines (Alan Dale) comes home to put on a show, but the stuffy residents object, so he puts on a Twenties show to show them how silly it all was back then, and ends up with the girl, Francine MacLaine (Patricia Hardy).

A planned third film with Bill Haley and Alan Freed did not materialise.

RIP Little Richard [Richard Wayne Penniman], who died on May 9, 2020, age 87. This is his first film appearance.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9863

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