Elvis Presley‘s second movie gives us a precious look at the King in his rock ‘n’ roll prime. He appeared in colour for the first time, delivering a great soundtrack and a solid performance.
When young hillbilly singer Deke Rivers is hired to boost the waning popularity of Tex Warner’s cowboy band, he becomes a teenage sensation in the process.
The plot allows Presley to re-enact his rise to stardom, under the guidance here of director Hal Kanter, who studied Presley on stage beforehand for authenticity.
Musical highlights include Teddy Bear and Lonesome Cowboy (the film’s original title).
Scorned in its day (but not by fans), this looks better by the decade, and Presley’s natural screen presence reminds us of his considerable early raw talent.
Deke Rivers
Elvis Presley
Glenda Markle
Lizabeth Scott
Tex Warner
Wendell Corey
Susan Jessup
Dolores Hart
Carl Meade
James Gleason
Tallman
Ralph Dumke
Skeeter
Paul Smith
Wayne
Ken Becker
Daisy
Jana Lund
Director
Hal Kanter
