A little known directorial effort from Corman - it wasn't for AIP or Allied Artists, he did it for Howco, it's not sci fi. It's not even a teenpic despite featuring musical acts like the Platters - it's a melodrama, adapted from a TV play, with musical acts inserted, rather like Corman's Rock all Night.
The melodrama has Douglas Stewart as a nightclub owner who is hopelessly in love with singer Susan Cabot. She's got the hots for Brian Hutton though.
Dramatically it's a little undercooked because Cabot isn't interested in Stewart and appears to never be interested in her - it's just plain old sexual harrasment. I mean maybe if Cabot was leading on Stewart to get his money he'd have more reason to be devastated - or if he and Hutton had a relationship - like if they were brothers or something. But Stewart's too old and not as good looking as Cabot so he can't be that shocked. Yet he goes on and on about it - and bizarrely winds up walking around in a clown make up being taunted by a baby boomer.
There's an interesting subplot about gangsters shaking down Stewart for money - really they needed to start shooting people. And Dick Miller plays Stewart's sidekick and is so devoted to his boss its very easy to do a gay reading of this relationship - indeed, it would make more sense. Stewart goes so berserk at the end he tries to kidnap Cabot and then causes a fire which burns down the club - yet he doesn't die or get arrested; Hutton agrees not to press charges and Stewart goes off into the sunset with Miller. It's a shame. I actually found this watchable in parts but the drama was undercooked - the characters didn't go for it. Cabot needed to be money hungry, Stewart needed to die or be punished in some way. It was unsatisfactory.
Ed Nelson and Jonathan Haze from the Corman stock company pop up.
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