Elvis’ Favorite Film

He said it himself. This was Elvis’ favorite film he starred in. There were several, of course, and with much more acclaim and popularity, ie. “Viva Las Vegas”. But Elvis was particularily proud of his work in this film. In my personal opinion, the Elvis film were no more than attempts to boost his rock star image. He was, much like singer-actors/actresses today, vainly aspiring for film fame as Madonna has done. It is best for some to remain singers and not try their hand at acting. Elvis was not a bad actor, but his films tend to be a variation of the same theme- he sings, he falls in love, he gets into trouble. It was the 50’s and 60’s after all- in which beach settings, rock’n’roll and camp was quite popular. Elvis was merely giving the audience of his time what they wanted.
In King Creole, Elvis plays a young graduate who works in a jazz club in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He has problems with his father, he is torn between the love of his high school sweetheart who is “the good girl” and his ganster friends’ wife, the seductive “bad girl” played by Carolyn Jones. Carolyn Jones was a lesser known 50’s and 60’s actress, most famous for her portrayal of Morticia Addams in the comedy sitcom “The Addams Family” which ran from 1965 to 1965. But Carolyn Jones was a great actress, able to portray a mobster’s wife, a troubled woman, a vixen, a beat nick, and many other personages. She was also in other tv shows, the cult classic “Batman” in which she played the villanious Marsha Queen of Diamonds and, in her older age in the Dynasty-style soap opera of 1982 “Dynasty”.
Elvis and Carolyn Jones chemistry is what makes this film work. It is quite impressive in its treatment of supposed “real” problems, especially for a young man growign up in this time. Rock and roll and nostalgia abound in this must have classic for fans of Elvis and Carolyn Jones.