Shout ** (1991, John Travolta, Jamie Walters, Heather Graham, Richard Jordan, Linda Fiorentino, Scott Coffey, Gwyneth Paltrow, Glenn Quinn) – Classic Movie Review 3743

John Travolta stars as runaway Jack Cabe who is hired by a 1955 West Texas school for interned wayward delinquent boys as its rock-n-rolling new music teacher. Alas, despite a good cast, there is nothing that much to shout about in director Jeffrey Hornaday’s good-natured but largely failing 1991 comedy drama. Taking only $3.5million in the US, it was one of Travolta’s many flops before his career rebirth with Pulp Fiction (1994).

The action focuses largely on the kids, as repressive warden Eugene Benedict (Richard Jordan)’s sexy daughter Sara (Heather Graham) falls illicitly for rebellious inmate Jesse Tucker (James [Jamie] Walters).

Unfortunately, warm hearted though it is, Shout fails to fire on many cylinders thanks to the shortage of charm, energy, realism, or Fifties period atmosphere. And Joe Gayton’s screenplay is full of old-fashioned clichés.

It is however notable as Gwyneth Paltrow’s feature film debut, aged 19, as Rebecca.

James [Jamie] Walters found fame as Ray Pruit in the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210 (1994-1996).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3743

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