1h 56min | Crime, Drama, Musical | 2 July 1958 | b/w, ws
Director: Michael Curtiz
Stars: Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau.
Charles O'Curran ... stager: musical numbers
~12 songs on Soundtracks; no title looks familiar, nor did any sound familiar. All songs were performed as part of a show or audition, except when EP sang along with a roaming crawfish vendor.
This is an unpleasant musical drama along the lines of the Joe E. Lewis story or Love Me or Leave Me (' 55). EP is charismatic, and his singing is good, but I didn't like any of the songs. With those other films, at least I liked the songs. With prior EP movies, some of the songs were big enough hits that I recognized them.
But if you're in the mood for a drama about a bad guy (WM) ruthlessly controlling everyone on whom he sets his sights, this is an ok film in its genre. You'll wish EP had killed the bad guy the first time he had the self-defense opportunity.
Wallis-Hazen, distr. Paramount, dir. Curtiz; 6-
