After watching a plethora of teen 60's musicals (most of which were wretched), I come across one that is delightfully camp and filled with a pep that the three others in my rock musical festival simply lacked. So it's not "42nd Street" or even the Broadway version of "Bye Bye Birdie", but it's a delightfully camp and energetic example of how to put on a crowd pleasing musical, 60's Broadway style, directed by 1950's supporting player in a number of movie musicals, Gene Nelson.
Debbie Watson gives an energetic performance as an impetuous singer who gets into all sorts of trouble because of her temperament but in spite of that it's actually quite likeable. She's fired from the "Shindig!" like rock TV show for honing in on the main act, and somehow becomes involved with male heartthrob Gil Peterson, gaining a meeting with hotshot agent Roddy McDowall whom we're supposed to believe is a ladies man. The always scene stealing Nita Talbot is quite a looker as his wise-cracking flame who recalls spending her wedding night in San Francisco which pretty much was the end of that marriage.
The songs are mixed bag, with several standards sung to a rock beat, and Mrs. Miller appearing to sing her campy version of "It's Magic". A musical number set on a movong mountain tram and the observatory above, and another on Olivera Street are nicely staged in a campy 60's manner. McDowall is reunited with his Broadway "Camelot" co-star Robert Coote, probably a consolation prize for not being offered the chance to repeat their stage roles in the Warner Brothers movie. Another old favorite, Phil Harris, is featured as the TV rock show producer. It's fun, fun, fun for the most part with vintage Los Angeles location footage taking the film outside of the movie studio.
Debbie Watson gives an energetic performance as an impetuous singer who gets into all sorts of trouble because of her temperament but in spite of that it's actually quite likeable. She's fired from the "Shindig!" like rock TV show for honing in on the main act, and somehow becomes involved with male heartthrob Gil Peterson, gaining a meeting with hotshot agent Roddy McDowall whom we're supposed to believe is a ladies man. The always scene stealing Nita Talbot is quite a looker as his wise-cracking flame who recalls spending her wedding night in San Francisco which pretty much was the end of that marriage.
The songs are mixed bag, with several standards sung to a rock beat, and Mrs. Miller appearing to sing her campy version of "It's Magic". A musical number set on a movong mountain tram and the observatory above, and another on Olivera Street are nicely staged in a campy 60's manner. McDowall is reunited with his Broadway "Camelot" co-star Robert Coote, probably a consolation prize for not being offered the chance to repeat their stage roles in the Warner Brothers movie. Another old favorite, Phil Harris, is featured as the TV rock show producer. It's fun, fun, fun for the most part with vintage Los Angeles location footage taking the film outside of the movie studio.