Year: 1969
Director: Peter Tewksbury
Country: US
Language: English
We are nearing the end of Elvis' filmography and frankly I'm flabbergasted at how many pictures The King made in such a short period of time. He made 31 in a period of just over 13 years. In the mid-late 60's he made 3 films a year! I can imagine that at once time Elvis was thrilled to be in Hollywood, but once he realized his formula and understood that he would not be a serious player he became disenfranchised. By the end of his film career he didn't seem to care if his career was a hit or miss, he just wanted out.
Chautauqua manager Walter Hale (Elvis Presley) and his loyal business manager struggle to keep their traveling troupe together in small town America.
While overshadowed by Elvis’s return to the stage, The Trouble With Girls was polarizing among major newspapers. Variety, which had given fairly positive reviews of Elvis' pictures, felt the film was poor. New York Times, which had given fairly negative reviews, felt the film was great. In this Elvis sings only three songs and overall it has a far more serious tone. It is a very un-Elvis like picture.
Elvis himself would not appear in the picture until about the 30 minute mark. Presley never looked more handsome in his big screen career. His acting work is steady, confident, and convincing throughout. The film's realistic 1920's setting is remarkable. The set design is exceptionally detailed and the costuming is quite unique. This picture, though even a relic at the time, is well made.
The Trouble With Girls is an overlooked Elvis picture that ought to get far more praise. Despite the man already being sick of his film career, I thought this showed a glimmer of genius. It's an entertaining film that needs to be rated more highly.
No comments:
Post a Comment