I've wanted to see this film for years, and now that I have, I'm quite impressed. The plot is basically a rewrite of Jailhouse Rock or Wild Guitar, with the innocent but talented young singer/guitarist making his way up the lower rungs of the ladder of success, while learning how rotten and corrupt the music business can be. Waylon basically plays himself, which is better than any forced dramatics. There are also performances by many vintage country stars-- Faron Young, Tex Ritter, Loretta Lynn with the Wilburn Brothers, etc. There's also an odd scene at a club where Henny Youngman tells jokes about Arlin Grove (Waylon's character) to try to destroy his career! The film has a similar look to many southern drive-in films of the mid-60s, with some nice location shooting of the 1966 Nashville edited in here and there for atmosphere. Gordon Oas-Heim, as the sleazy manager (he was previously seen in H.G. Lewis' Color Me Blood Read), is suitably arrogant and oily, although one wonders how someone who undercuts his artists' credibility BEFORE they become big stars has ever made much money! Overall, this should appeal to the Jennings fan (he carries the film quite well in his smoldering, laid-back way), the vintage C&W fan, or the lover of rural southern drive-in films. I'm surprised this film hasn't received more attention-- it certainly captures the era well and is an important chapter in the career of one of country music's greatest talents, Waylon Jennings.
Review of Nashville Rebel
