Hootenanny Hoot

This plot goes back AT LEAST to the big-band era. A promoter or reporter or minor producer who is under pressure at his radio network/TV network/record label/newspaper/etc.to come up with a blockbuster new concept or show discovers a new trend in music, helps some deserving up-and-coming performers get a break, and often finds (or rekindles) romance. In Don't Knock The Twist, Lang Jeffries played the promoter--here it's Peter Breck. In some of the Ron Ormond-produced "Jubilee" pictures it was Don Barry or Jimmy Ellison. In Good to Go it was Art Garfunkel. Like the Bill Haley rock'n'roll movies of the mid-50s or the Chubby Checker twist movies of the early-60s, this is a Sam Katzman production, meaning it will be shot on a few cheap sets and will feature a number of semi-talented unknowns along with the better artists, but also it will have a number of excellent supporting actors to carry the "plot" elements. Here we have Peter Breck, Ruta Lee, Joby Baker, and Bobo Lewis as the female comic relief. Not surprisingly, this film and Don't Knock The Twist AND the Bill Haley vehicle Rock Around The Clock were all written by Robert E. Kent, but he's working from a template that was old at the time. So how's the music? Well, the title song by Sheb Wooley (in its full version, heard later in the film) as a fine rockin' number, Johnny Cash's version of Frankie and Johnny is solid, Judy Henske does an intense version of Wade In The Water with the support of avant-garde male dancers, the black gospel-folk duo Joe and Eddie do a fantastic anthemic number, and George Hamilton IV does his hit Abilene. The "humorous" clean-cut folk of the Brothers Four doesn't really work for me, and some of the lesser acts have not dated well and seem to have somewhat shallow roots. Don't expect to see Dave Van Ronk, Phil Ochs, Ramblin' Jack Elliott or Dylan here--there's a line of dialogue about how the show they are producing will not include any of those coffeehouse, beatnik types!! Gene Nelson, an actor and dancer before becoming a director, has helmed a number of excellent films, but he must have been given few resources and a very limited number of days' shooting time here as the mismatched close-ups and casual framing of shots are not what one expects in an MGM release, even a bottom-of-the-bill drive-in release such as this one. Overall, a historical artifact of interest to Johnny Cash completists and popular culture fanatics who would actually want to see a "Rock Around the Clock"-type movie about the 1960s pop-folk revival scene (recently depicted nostalgically in A MIGHTY WIND). I'm glad I saw this once, but I don't think I'll be putting it on again unless I live to be 150!

Forget the plot. As far as that goes, be prepared for another Sam Katzman exploitive quickie designed to cash in on whatever was hot at the moment. In this case, it was the pop-folk boom that effectively began with the Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley" in 1958 and lasted roughly about five years, until just before the start of the British Invasion.

The music, however, is another matter, and you'd do best to just fast forward through the droning dialogue to catch solid early performances by Johnny Cash, the Brothers Four (looking and sounding good even when bouncing on trampolines during one number), George Hamilton IV (singing his # 1 hit, "Abilene") and Judy Henske, among others. Everyone gives good performances despite, or perhaps in reaction to, the overall cheesiness surrounding them.

In short, musically I give this film an 8, otherwise one half of one.

I watched this bit of harmless nonsense on TCM. I remember the "hootenanny fad" and oddly did not recall this movie at all. Seeing a young Johhny Cash was a treat, although I'd hardly classify his music as part of the hootenanny craze. Likewise for Sheb Wooley, what no "Purple People Eater", and George Hamilton IV or whatever number he was. The Brothers 4 I recall, but other performers I do not remember at all. The format reminded me of the rock and roll movies with Alan Freed and a few others. Extremely corny, but a record of some of the music of the times !

For just plain old laughs, this is great. This film my wife and I laughed at for most of the picture. I love it when a movie is SO cornie that it becomes laughable. What makes watching it more enjoyable is knowing that many of the actors probably saw this as their "big break" into the movies! Did people really dance like that? The music was good on the serious side, and it does serve as a period piece of film, though exaggerated.

I recommend this film for anyone who wants to have a light laugh. It isn't the best for a plot, and it really just tries to showcase the artists. If you like folk/country from the early 60s, this has some really good music.

Enterprising New York producer Peter Breck (as Ted Grover) discovers the combination of folk and country music is taking the Midwest by storm, so he goes to Missouri for a "Hootenanny Hoot!" There, college-aged crowds groove to several music acts. Aiming to sign some of the popular singers, Mr. Breck summons chum Joby Baker (as Steve Laughlin) to assist. Breck watches Mr. Baker to pursue a romance with shapely blonde Pam Austin (as Billie Jo Henley) while he tries to get over leggy ex-wife Ruta Lee (as A.G. Bannister). The "Hootenanny" TV series was on the air before the movie premiered; some musical guests appeared in both.

At the time, the biggest act appearing in this cast was arguably folk favorites The Brothers Four, who sing their hit version of the novelty song "Frogg" (from 1961). In hindsight, the enduring star is certainly a gauntly appearing Johnny Cash, reaching back for his version of "Frankie's Man Johnny" (from 1959). The biggest hit from the time of this film's release was George Hamilton IV's pretty pop version of John D. Loudermilk's "Abilene" (a #15 pop hit for him, in August 1963). The Brothers Four had a "Hootenanny" hit (from the then airing ABC-TV folk music variety show), but Sheb Wooley does it here, helped by some attractive young dancers.

Gospel duo Joe (Gilbert) and Eddie (Brown) do a rousing "There's a Meeting Here Tonight" and the humorous "The Frozen Logger" is sung by Cathie Taylor. It's unfortunate to see The Gateway Trio singing "Foolish Questions" on a trampoline, and downright embarrassing that Gary Crosby and Judy Henske were asked to perform in their bathing suits. Mr. Crosby's "Sweet Love" is more like recent Rick Nelson recordings. By the way, Ms. Henske singing "Wade in the Water" may make you wonder why you haven't heard her fine voice more often. The movie is truly mediocre, but director Gene Nelson allows his dancers to strut their stuff.

**** Hootenanny Hoot! (8/63) Gene Nelson ~ Peter Breck, Joby Baker, Ruta Lee, Pamela Austin