Year: 1967
Director: Norman Taurog
Country: US
Language: English
Some have considered Double Trouble to be Elvis Presley's James Bond picture, Elvis would later comment on this by saying "I wasn't exactly a James Bond in this movie. But then, no one ever asked Sean Connery to sing a song while dodging bullets". It was a notable first, and only, film for Annette Day, who producer Judd Bernard first encountered while visiting London in an antique shop.
A rock singer (Elvis Presley) touring England gets involved with a wealthy teenage heiress in London. Turns out the girl's uncle is trying to steal her money, putting her life in danger, and is also involved in a jewel smuggling operation.
On the musical side, Elvis performs eight songs in the film. In his role as a traveling discotheque singer, five of the tunes fit well into the picture’s structure. Three others exist just to have Elvis burst into song for no particular reason; they don't even fit the mood of the scene. Almost every song is adequate, except for "Old Macdonald", that one in particular is horrendous.
English newcomer Annette Day gives a good performance as Elvis' love interest. The two have a good chemistry that keeps us spellbound throughout the film. Elvis' performance is a bit unique in Double Trouble as it's far more physical than the King of Rock is used to. The script calls for plenty of fight scenes, ranging from Elvis getting punched out to him using his kick-ass karate moves on the enemy.
The box office receipt on this film was a bit of a disappointment. By 1967 audiences demanded more from the King and it was clear that his star power alone couldn't push ticket sales. Overall the film is adequate, though an ultimately forgettable blip in his career.
No comments:
Post a Comment