Runtime: 99 minutes
Directed by: Arthur H. Nadel
Starring: Elvis, Shelley Fabares, Will Hutchins, Bill Bixby, Gary Merrill
From: United Artists
About as good as you can expect from a movie that calls itself “Clambake.”
This month on Turner Classic Movies, each Thursday evening they will play several films starring Elvis. How many I'll see in July is unknown; this one was selected due to its silly title and being able to see South Florida/Miami in the latter half of the 60's.
The story is not exactly complex: The King plays a scion of an oil family but not only is he nonplussed about the business, but gold diggers are really souring his mood. Thus, he takes advantage of an opportunity to switch places with a goofball, who is about to become a ski instructor at a swanky hotel, who has a British concierge that might as well have been played by Kenneth Williams. Of course he runs into gold digger Shelley Fabares, which is to be expected. The story turning into following a big speedboat race where Elvis competes against cocky Bill Bixby... that was more unexpected. So was a magical plot device substance known as GOOP which will assist The King. No, it's not the hand cleaner nor a product from that vapid Gwyneth Paltrow.
It's the typical cornball movie you expect from Presley but while it does not have too many wacky moments (even though there is more than one example of WHITE PEOPLE DANCING, I've seen worse and more infuriating from him so I am content with something that is simply mediocre. Speaking of that, the music... actually, it's not that bad yet there's no standout tune. Teri Garr, Lee Majors and a kid Corbin Bernsen do appear, albeit in brief bit parts. At least there were some stereotypes as broad as the broadside of a barn and a few wacky dance numbers that provided a modicum of entertainment.
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