Rock All Night (1957)

When a pair of killers take refuge in a bar it takes the little man with the big chip on his shoulder to disarm them while he shows the other customers the difference between their real selves and what they think they are.

The story begins at the dingy Cloud Nine Club where Al (Robin Morse) is the presiding bartender and The Blockbusters and The Platters are the attractions.

The plot is carried by Dick Miller’s portrayal of the 5’1″ protagonist (‘Shorty’) who is constantly besieged by real or imagined slights from “big people”. He exhibits a Richard Widmark attitude towards big men.

After a series of scrapes, Shorty, along with the patrons, including the hero’s favourite vocalist, Julie (Abby Dalton), are confronted by two fugitives fleeing a homicide charge.

Shorty’s barroom antagonists are cowed by the killers and in the process, they reveal their innermost insecurities.

Faced with the challenge, Miller is transformed into a “little big man” and overcomes the goons, and his size, winning Dalton.

Roger Corman directed the entire film in a mere five days and used a single set.

A small, neighbourhood, working-class bar with a stage for live entertainment was the locale for the entire 62-minute project.

The film was rightly overshadowed by the hot rod flick that showed on the same bill.

Shorty
Dick Miller
Jigger
Russell Johnson
Julie
Abby Dalton
Julie (singing voice)
Nora Hayes
Mabel
Jeanne Cooper
Al
Robin Morse
Sir Bop
Mel Welles
Steve
Richard Cutting
Angie
Chris Alcaide
Joey
Jonathon Haze
Syl, ‘The Kid’s’ wife
Barboura Morris
‘The Kid’ Lester
Beach Dickerson
Marty, ‘The Kid’s’ manager
Clegg Hoyt
Jerry
Richard Karlan
Charlie Thompson
Bruno Ve Sota
Pete
Ed Nelson
The Platters
Themselves
The Blockbusters
Themselves

Director
Roger Corman