Loving You

This was Elvis Presley’s second film, and the first to be filmed in gorgeous Technicolor. Elvis plays a delivery boy called Deke Rivers, and when a very persistent press agent (Lizabeth Scott) hears him singing, she convinces him to join her ex-husband’s small traveling musical entourage, gradually promoting him into a huge sensation. First playing small town gigs and then advancing onward into bigger city shows, Rivers eventually becomes the lead act of the modest group and a popular star in his own right. This movie feels close in spirit to the true story of Presley’s own career beginnings, and he gives a pretty decent performance which includes a terrific down and dirty fight scene. The songs are all well chosen and incorporated into the story this time out, beginning with the title ballad and then the hit song “Teddy Bear”. The soundtrack benefits too from some heavier rockers like “Mean Woman Blues”, “Got a Lot O’ Livin To Do”, “Hot Dog”, and “Party”. Truthfully, I can’t usually take much of Lizabeth Scott in general, but she’s well cast here as the older and very tactical manager, and there’s an interestingly offbeat side relationship between Scott and her ex (Wendell Corey). Not a great film, and I do think it could have worked even better if about 15 minutes were clipped, but this is still good, solid, early vintage Elvis before the same tired movie formula became a little too routine.

Love Me Tender