Elvis Presley has his hands full in his 13th movie as Mike Windgren, a former trapeze artist (until an accident which killed his brother) turned Lifeguard and would-be cliff diver who is attempting to simultaneously cure his acrophobia (fear of heights) and win the hand of aloof Margarita Dauphine (Ursula Andress) – whose daddy, Maximillian, (Paul Lukas) is a displaced duke reduced to working as a hotel chef.
Added to the mix are pint-sized impresario Raoul Almeido (Larry Domasin), who is hoping to break our hero as a lounge act, inevitable swarthy romantic rival Moreno (Alejandro Rey), and sultry lady bullfighter Dolores Gomez (Elsa Cardenas).
There’s no particular reason for her being a lady bullfighter other than it gives Elvis a chance to sing The Bullfighter Was a Lady.
Fun in Acapulco was Teri Garr’s first film. She appears as a dancer but has no lines. She would appear in three more Presley films as a dancer (as well as in several other productions) before ever uttering a line onscreen.
The film features a particularly peppy production number of Bossa Nova Baby, which probably showcases Presley’s best dance moves of the decade.
Although the movie is set in Acapulco, Elvis never set foot there. He was actually barred from entering Mexico as he had been declared “persona non grata” by the Mexican government.
John Derek, then husband of Ursula Andress, was so jealous that he constantly showed up unannounced on set and had Elvis followed by a private detective to make sure he wasn’t having an affair with his wife.
Whether they ultimately did have one is unknown.
Mike Windgren
Elvis Presley Margarita Dauphine
Ursula Andress Dolores Gomez
Elsa Cardenas Maximillian
Paul Lukas Raoul Almeido
Larry Domasin Moreno
Alejandro Rey Jose Robert
Carricart Janie Harkins
Teri Hope Mr Harkins
Charles Evans
Director
Richard Thorpe
Video
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Added to the mix are pint-sized impresario Raoul Almeido (Larry Domasin), who is hoping to break our hero as a lounge act, inevitable swarthy romantic rival Moreno (Alejandro Rey), and sultry lady bullfighter Dolores Gomez (Elsa Cardenas).
Although the movie is set in Acapulco, Elvis never set foot there. He was actually barred from entering Mexico as he had been declared “persona non grata” by the Mexican government.
