Runtime: 91 minutes
Directed by: Norman Taurog
Starring: Elvis, Annette Day, John Williams, Yvonne Romain, That Guy actor Michael Murphy
From: MGM
At least Elvis respects the consent laws...
As I continue to pare down what I have on the DVR this will be the first of three reviews I post today. This picture-recorded off of TCM the first night they started showing Elvis each Thursday night in July-was viewed. To be honest, the idea of Elvis in Europe was interesting, although in actuality much of it was filmed in California. That was the least of its problems.
The King is a musician in Europe who gets mixed up w/ multiple women, jewel thieves, a trio of bumbling detectives, and an actual clever allusion to the Sword of Damocles. Much of this sounds funnier and more entertaining than it it in execution... in fact, in terms of the execution of those detectives, I am in favor of it. Much of this was annoying rather than funny and there were too many idiotic characters; it was like a bad cartoon. Not even Elvis doing his KING-FU in one scene could save this. Another scene has The King sing a version of Old MacDonald, with additional lyrics. Him singing a nursery rhyme isn't even the nadir of his career... he once did Yoga is as Yoga Does & another song called Dominic, where Presley wants a bull to mate... honest.
To be frank, there isn't much else to say about all the buffoonery on display. There are other famous faces: British actor John Williams (of a few Hitchcock films) and That Guy actor Michael Murphy. The lead girl was played by Annette Day in her only film role-it was one of those “discovered by a producer on the street” sort of scenarios. Her character is for certain part of the creepiest aspect... she immediately falls in love with Elvis, which is understandable-but she's only 17! While Presley understands the statutory issues there once he discovers the truth... he is still interested once she becomes legal, which is not in great taste either. You'll be in double trouble if you see this before the better King films out there.
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