Love Me Tender

Released November 15th 1956

20th Century Fox     89 minutes

Produced by David Weisbart

Directed by Robert D. Webb and Stanley Hough

Music by Lionel Newman

Written by Maurice Geraghty

Songs:
Love Me Tender / Poor Boy / We're Gonna Move / Let Me

Cast:

Richard Egan (Vance Reno), Debra Paget (Cathy Reno), Elvis Presley (Clint Reno), Robert Middleton (Mr. Siringo), William Campbell (Brett Reno), Neville Brand (Mike Gavin), Mildred Dunnock (Martha Reno), Bruce Bennett (Major Kincaid), James Drury (Ray Reno), Russ Conway (Ed Galt), Ken Clark (Mr. Kelso), Barry Coe (Mr. Davis)

Story:

This film, which established Elvis as a movie star, concentrates on romance and family jealousy in the aftermath of America's Civil War. Clint Reno stays at home while his brother, Vance, enlists and fights for the Confederacy. Believing his brother to be dead, Clint falls in love with his girl, Cathy, and marries her, only to see him return at the end of the war. While struggling to come to terms with this it is revealed that, during his enlistment, Vance was involved in a train robbery, stealing Federal money. Further conflict arises for the family when Vance tries to return the money against the wishes of some of his former comrades.

Notes:

Working title: 'The Reno Brothers'. The only film in which Elvis doesn't get top billing. The movie recouped its budget on the first weekend of release. The title song, 'Love Me Tender' was taken from the Civil War ballad 'Aure Lea', written by W. W. Fosdick (lyrics) and George R. Poulton (music). One of two films in which Elvis' character dies - the other is 'Charro!'.

Loving You

Released July 9th 1957

Hal Wallis Productions / Paramount Pictures     101 minutes

Produced by Hal B. Wallis

Directed by Hal Kanter

Music by Walter Scharf

Written by Mary Agnes Thompson
(screenplay by Herbert Baker and Hal Kanter)

Songs:
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Loving You / Mean Woman Blues
Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do / Hot Dog / Party / Lonesome Cowboy

Cast:

Elvis Presley (Deke Rivers), Lizabeth Scott (Glenda Markle), Wendell Corey (Walter 'Tex' Warner), James Gleason (Carl Meade), Ralph Dumke (Jim Tallman), Paul Smith (Skeeter), Kenneth Becker (Wayne - as Ken Becker), Jana Lund (Daisy Bricker), Dolores Hart (Susan Jessup), Heather Ames (Rowdy Girl at Concert - uncredited), Bill Black (Eddie - Bass Player - uncredited), Madge Blake (Hired Agitator - uncredited).

Story:

In what is almost a parody of Elvis' own career, Deke Rivers is a delivery boy whose talent is discovered by publicist Glenda Markle and washed-up country and western singer Tex Warner after his flashy and somewhat violent conduct but undoubted singing talent attract their attention. Warner believes he is the key to revitalising his own career and they work hard to promote him on the road to fame and fortune, but is brought down to earth when Glenda tells him that the promoters don't want him involved. Relational complications arise as Susan, a singer in the group, is besotted by him while Glenda leads him on with promises of a star-studded career.

Notes:

Working titles: 'Running Wild' (pre-release title), 'Something for the Girls' and 'The Lonesome Cowboy'. Jana Lund gives Elvis his very first screen kiss in this movie. Elvis' parents Vernon and Gladys were cast as audience members. For his first colour film, Presley decided that he would look better on screen with black hair.

Jailhouse Rock

Released October 17th 1957 (Memphis), November 8th USA,
January 17th 1958 (London premiere), February 27th 1958 UK

Avon Productions / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer    96 minutes

Produced by Pandro S. Berman

Directed by Richard Thorpe

Music by Jeff Alexander

Written by Guy Trosper from a story by Nedrick Young

Songs:
Jailhouse Rock / Treat Me Nice / Young and Beautiful
I Wanna Be Free / Don't Leave Me Now / Baby I Don't Care

Cast:

Elvis Presley (Vince Everett), Judy Tyler (Peggy Van Alden), Mickey Shaughnessy (Hunk Houghton), Vaughn Taylor (Mr. Shores), Jennifer Holden (Sherry Wilson), Dean Jones (Teddy Talbot), Anne Neyland (Laury Jackson), Bill Black (Bass Player - uncredited), D.J. Fontana (Drummer - uncredited), Scotty Moore (Guitar Player - uncredited), Mike Stoller (Piano Player - uncredited).

Story:

Vince Everett is a construction worker who saves a woman but kills her drunk attacker in a brawl, for which he is sent to prison for manslaughter. His cellmate, washed-up singer Hunk Houghton, teaches him to play guitar and, with his superb singing voice, Vince becomes a sensation following a show at the prison but he doesn't realise this until his release,when, after signing an equal partner contract with Hunk, discovers that all his fan mail had been hidden from him. The fame gives him an oversized ego which causes problems with both his new girlfriend, music promoter Peggy Van Alden and, on his release, his former cellmate.
A dark movie with a happy ending.

Notes:

Judy Tyler died in a car accident three days after filming was completed. While filming a scene, Elvis swallowed a tooth cap and had to have it removed in hospital. The film was not shot in widescreen but converted to Cinemascope in the final print. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote 4 of the songs in 5 hours when their publisher, under deadline, locked them in a hotel room.

King Creole

Released July 2nd 1958 USA , August 28th 1958 UK

Hal Wallis Productions / Paramount Pictures     116 minutes

Produced by Hal B. Wallis

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Music by Walter Scharf

Written by Herbert Baker and Michael V. Gazzo based on
'A Stone for Danny Fisher' by Harold Robbins

Songs:
As Long As I Have You / Crawfish / New Orleans / Lover Doll / Trouble / Dixieland Rock / King Creole / Hard-Headed Woman/
Don't Ask Me Why / Steadfast Loyal and True / Young Dreams

Cast:

Elvis Presley (Danny Fisher), Carolyn Jones (Ronnie), Walter Matthau (Maxie Fields), Dolores Hart (Nellie), Dean Jagger (Mr. Fisher), Liliane Montevecchi (Forty Nina), Vic Morrow (Shark), Paul Stewart (Charlie LeGrand), Jan Shepard (Mimi Fisher), Brian G. Hutton (Sal - as Brian Hutton), Jack Grinnage (Dummy), Dick Winslow (Eddie Burton), Raymond Bailey (Mr. Evans - School Principal), Gavin Gordon (Mr. Primont - Druggist).

Story:

Danny Fisher is a tough young man from Bourbon Street, New Orleans, who works in a night club to help support his family. He is thrown out of school and gets involved with bad guys, helping them to rob a store by creating a diversion with his singing. During the robbery he meets Nellie and becomes so smitten with her that he decides to go straight but, as a result of a meeting with night club owning mobster Maxie Fields Danny finds himself forced to prove
that he can sing. He impresses Charlie LeGrand, owner of the King Creole Club and is offered a job. He becomes increasingly in demand, and Fields tries to get him back to sing in his own club using underhanded means.

Notes:

Working titles: 'Sing, You Sinners' and 'Danny'. This film was the personal favourite of Elvis of his own movies and his last black and white film. The stripper's scene, originally cut along with her song 'Banana', was restored in 2009. Elvis was instructed to lose fifteen pounds and shave his sideburns for the role. On December 27th 1957, Elvis received a 60-day deferment on his military draft to allow him to complete the filming.

Elvis - That's The Way It Is

Released November 11th 1970

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer     108 minutes

Produced by Dale Hutchinson and Herbert F. Solow
(Rick Schmidlin - special edition)

Directed by Denis Sanders

Music by Joe Guercio

Cinematography by Lucien Ballard

Credited Cast:
Elvis Presley, Terry Blackwood, Estell Brown, James Burton, Richard Davis,
Joe Esposito, Joe Guercio, Glen D. Hardin, Charlie Hodge, Felton Jarvis,
Millie Kirkham, Armond Morales, Joe Moscheo, Jim Murray, Jerry Scheff,
Sylvia Shemmell, Myrna Smith, Ronnie Tutt, Del 'Sonny' West, Red West,
Roger Wiles, John Wilkinson, Ann Williams.

The Film is a documentary that shows Elvis in rehearsals, preparations and the opening night in Elvis' third season at the International Hotel in Las Vegas during August 1970 after he returned to the live concert stage following his decade-long exile.

Elvis is filmed relaxing in his hotel suite with members of his entourage, intercut with footage of fans offering comments about what Elvis means to them; officials at the International Hotel; and interviews with celebrities.

The opening credits contain footage of his show at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix on September 9th 1970, the first show of Elvis' first tour in 13 years. Elvis and his band are filmed rehearsing for the Vegas show at MGM Studios in Culver City, California during late July 1970.

Later rehearsals were filmed in Las Vegas with backing vocalists The Sweet Inspirations and Millie Kirkham and The Imperials.

There are also scenes from rehearsals that took place in the Showroom Internationale of the International Hotel in Las Vegas on August 7th 1970 and footage of an Elvis Appreciation Society convention in Luxembourg that was shot on September 5th 1970.

Songs include:

Mystery Train/Tiger Man medley, That's All Right Mama, I've Lost You, Love Me Tender, Patch It Up, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', I Just Can't Help Believin', Tiger Man, Sweet Caroline, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, One Night, Blue Suede Shoes, All Shook Up, Polk Salad Annie Suspicious Minds, Can't Help Falling in Love, Words, The Next Step Is Love, Crying Time, Little Sister/Get Back (medley), What'd I Say, Stranger In The Crowd, How The Web Was Woven, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Mary In The Morning, Just Pretend.

Elvis On Tour

Released November 1st 1972

Cinema Associates / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer      93 minutes

Produced by Robert Abel

Directed by Robert Abel and Pierre Adidge

Music by Joe Guercio

Written by Robert Abel and Pierre Adidge

The Film is a follow-up documentary to the 1970 release, following Elvis as he prepared and embarked on a tour 15 cities in the USA during April 1972.
Apart from scenes from the various concert performances, the film attempted to reveal the real Elvis Presley backstage and offguard with his friends and entourage.

The movie contains vintage footage of Presley's appearances on the 1956 Ed Sullivan Show and behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, interspersed with clips of fan reactions and commentary. Also shown are parts of a 40-minute interview with Elvis where he chats about his life and career before filming began.

Concert Performance Songs:

'Also Sprach Zarathustra' was performed by The Joe Guercio Orchestra but was not used in the film due to issues with the copyright, being replaced by a similar-sounding composition.
See See Rider, Polk Salad Annie, Proud Mary, Never Been to Spain, Burning Love,
Bridge Over Troubled Water, Funny How Time Slips Away, An American Trilogy,
I Got A Woman/Amen, A Big Hunk O' Love, You Gave Me A Mountain, Lawdy, Miss Clawdy

Sweet Sweet Spirit (performed by J.D. Sumner and the Stamps)
Can't Help Falling In Love (closing vamp performed by the TCB Band and the Joe Guercio Orchestra)

Studio and Other Recordings:

Separate Ways (unreleased studio take), Memories (original studio recording played over closing credits), 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Ready Teddy' (from The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956), 'That's All Right' and 'Mystery Train' (original Sun recordings)

Rehearsal and Informal Songs:

Johnny B. Goode*, For The Good Times, The Lighthouse (J.D. Sumner and the Stamps), Lead Me, Guide Me (Elvis with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps), Bosom Of Abraham (Elvis with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps), 'Love Me Tender' and 'I, John' (sung informally by Elvis, J.D. Sumner and the Stamps and the Sweet Inspirations during rehearsal)
Other snippets of songs were sung informally.
*The DVD release included some footage and songs replacing those in the original film.

Notes:

Working titles: 'Sold Out' and 'Standing Room Only'. This was Elvis' 33rd and final film, which won the 1972 Golden Globe Award for 'Best Documentary', the only Elvis film to win a movie award. Martin Scorsese supervised the montage sequences.