I used to think I didn't like Elvis Presley movies. I think this was because I'd only seen a few of his later films....and his earlier films are remarkably different. In the early movies, he usually had excellent supporting casts and Elvis took some risks with some of these roles. Later, the films simply became formulaic...with not much in the way of support because the movies were ALL about Elvis. In the later ones, he's like catnip to the women and the films offer him no chance to actually act...and he played essentially the same character in most of them. I chose to watch "Loving You" because it was only his second movie...and I have really enjoyed most of the movies he made in the 50s and very early 60s.
The story begins with some guy barnstorming Texas, as he's running for governor. On a lark, one of his assistants asks a local boy, Deke Rivers (Elvis), to sing before the man's speech. Well, Deke goes over so well that suddenly tons of young people being attending these rallies. They are so successful that soon Deke is touring on his own...and woman are going gaga over him. But things can't go perfectly...otherwise, it would be a very short film! So what is next? See the picture.
This film offers less of a stretch for Elvis than pictures like "Charro!" and "Flaming Star", but it is still a very enjoyable movie...with support from the likes of Lizabeth Scott, Wendell Corey and James Gleason. It also helps that Elvis sings some of his most iconic songs in the picture...such as "Teddy Bear" and "Mean Woman Blues". And finally, filming the movie in vivid color was a good choice. While many early Elvis flicks were black & white, this one snaps. Overall, a fun film...not his best but among his best.
The story begins with some guy barnstorming Texas, as he's running for governor. On a lark, one of his assistants asks a local boy, Deke Rivers (Elvis), to sing before the man's speech. Well, Deke goes over so well that suddenly tons of young people being attending these rallies. They are so successful that soon Deke is touring on his own...and woman are going gaga over him. But things can't go perfectly...otherwise, it would be a very short film! So what is next? See the picture.
This film offers less of a stretch for Elvis than pictures like "Charro!" and "Flaming Star", but it is still a very enjoyable movie...with support from the likes of Lizabeth Scott, Wendell Corey and James Gleason. It also helps that Elvis sings some of his most iconic songs in the picture...such as "Teddy Bear" and "Mean Woman Blues". And finally, filming the movie in vivid color was a good choice. While many early Elvis flicks were black & white, this one snaps. Overall, a fun film...not his best but among his best.