What movie (non musical) would Elvis have been good in?

Delboy · #15198

With all this talk of Oscars and Elvis' contribution to the motion picture industry, I was thinking: If Elvis had his wish and was taken seriously as an Actor, and the likes of 'Old McDonald' and Rick Richards were just a bad dream; what great movies (not musicals) would he actually have been any good in??

I personally think he would have done a half decent job of Robert Redford's role in 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid'.

Any other offers that the Academy might have considered???

#15227

I think Elvis would have been ideal for the role he was offered of Joe Buck in "Midnight Cowboy". Though playing a hustler who does work for homosexuals would not have pleased him so there is no way he would have done it. Still that role calls for an Elvis-type.

I also think Elvis could have converted the Tony Curtis role in the "Defiant Ones". Also Jim Stark in "Rebel Without a Cause" since he essentially played a variant on that role (very well) in "King Creole".

Sidney Lumet said that he thought Elvis could have done a great job in Tennessee Williams play and movie "The Fugitive Kind". Dave Marsh suggested "Rocky" as a good potential Elvis vehicle.

Delboy · #15305

Good suggestions!

Talking of Tennessee Williams, Elvis could have done a good job of Paul Newman's role in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. He would probably have taken the opportunity to get to know Elizabeth Taylor a little better also, what with his track record with his co-stars! Not convinced about Rocky though!

#15339

I have always pictured the Elvis of 67 - 70 to be a perfect lead for the James Bond type movies. There were many out during the time. With his physical abilities and easy with comedy he could have done well with doing a movie with a lot of great action and a little humor tossed in.

#15358

I think Elvis could have been good in the Columbo movies, Johnny Cash played a excellent part in one of 'em. I reckon Elvis could have, he was a good actor, I'm sure given the chance he could have played a good serious role. Maybe a good western, with Clint Eastwood even.

KEEP ON ROCKIN'

#15361

Get rid of Mel and put Elvis in the "Lethal Weapon" movies.

#15362

Interesting issue. I think Elvis would have been perfect in the Fellini movie "La dolce vita".

#15411

I guess Elvis would've been great in some of those fifties John Wayne westerns. Imagine him playing the Ricky Nelson part in Rio Bravo, or better yet the James Caan part in El Dorado. That particular movie came out in 1966. It would have been a great part opposite John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.
In 1963 he could've played opposite Steve McQueen in The Great Escape. Maybe the James Garner part in that movie...

I could go on and on... Missed chances...

Sonny

#15412

Elvis would have been great as "Sheriff Brody" in the movie "Jaws."

Eagle

His Truth Is Marching On...

#15478

For me, WALKING TALL would have been a perfect role for Elvis.
During that string of drive-in-oriented Joe Don Baker
action films in the 70s, Baker often played the roles
in an Elvis-like manner anyway. With Elvis' love
of Dirty Harry films and black exploitation films,
this role would have been a natural.

epfan22 · #15494

A STAR IS BORN

#15533

Just imagine how perfect Elvis (and maybe Charlie and Lamar) might have been in "The Boys In The Band."

#15541

Always thought that film 'Heartbreak Hotel' would have benefitted from having Elvis in the lead role !

#15591

I could see Elvis as the Gator character that Burt Reynolds played. I also think Elvis would've been good in the role that Brando played in the film The Chase. If Elvis had been allowed to develope as an actor I think he could've been like a southern Steve McQueen.

#15596

Speaking of Burt Reynolds, how about Elvis cast in the lead role in "Smokey and the Bandit" (co-starring Jerry Reed)? I think Elvis could have played the "Bandit" role very well.

#15623

The movie "What's Up Doc?":
The part that Ryan O'Neal played.
(This is the part that should've been offered to Elvis)

The movie "True Grit":
The part Glen Campbell played.

Smokey and the Bandit:
Playing the part that went to Burt Reynolds - or even Jerry Reed's role in that film

Brannigan:
I do like John Wayne. Elvis would've been great in that movie.

Those Daring Young Men In Their Jaunty Jalopies:
Not to take away from Tony Curtis, but Elvis would've been great in this race car comedy.

Dirty Harry

The Undefeated:
The part that went to Rock Hudson

Support Your Local Sheriff!:
The role (of the gold prospector-turned sheriff) that James Garner played.

Tom (from Ohio)

#15818

Among many others, a somewhat odd choice: "Apocalypse Now."

Sure, he could have played Martin Sheen's character but I think it would have exploited his natural talents far more to play the brooding and menacing (tormented, ultimately) Colonel Kurtz. I can see Elvis filling Brando's boots on this circa 1974, with or without the physical heft that Brando brought to the role and that Elvis would himself develop further.

That role would have changed a few peoples' ideas about Elvis' place in Hollywood.

#15832

With all due respect houndawgg, I can't picture anybody but James Garner in the "Support Your Local Sheriff" role. The part screams for his unique talents. I don't think ANYBODY else would have done it justice.

Elvis as Col. Kurtz would have been interesting but Elvis would have needed some strong roles leading up to it to handle such a complicated part.

The "Our Man Flint" part might have also worked with Elvis in the lead.

#15880

I'd agree with you about Kurtz except that Brando's own admissions about his lack of preparation or commitment to the part (he just wanted to make his money and get out without putting any effort into it) and the stories of others who paint him as drunk, lazy, and basically almost a total catastrophe in this film, have made me recognize that the intensity of his performance is less genius than winging it on his part and careful editing by the director.

Sure Brando at his least is still powerful, but I really do think that Elvis could have been up to this part by the mid-70s and particularly so if he were coached NOT to try too hard.

A Kurtz from Elvis in the '70s would have been a natural progression from his 1960 Pacer Burton, a part initially written for Brando.

But, yes, perhaps there are a ton of other movies that would have been a more natural choice for his acting talents.

#16110

likethebike wrote:With all due respect houndawgg, I can't picture anybody but James Garner in the "Support Your Local Sheriff" role. The part screams for his unique talents. I don't think ANYBODY else would have done it justice.

Excellent point likethebike!

Just like you, I really can't see anyone but James Garner playing the role in "Support Your Local Sheriff". Garner was too good in that role.
In this case, I will stand corrected.

Tom (from Ohio)

#16335

My kind of subject!

I agree wholeheartedly with the above assesments of Walking Tall and Midnight Cowboy. W.T. is perfect because Elvis was a real political reactionary at that period and would have loved playing the role, just as he loved screening it the Memphian.

Another missed opurtunity was Robert Mitchum's invitation to be in Thunder Road - how perfect that could have been. Just working with Mitchum or any great icon such as him could have turned his film career around - if Elvis had the guts to reject Colonel Satan's worthless advice on the matter that is. It's also too bad the kabosh was put on him being in The Hank Williams Story.

Along the Tennessee Williams lines, he could also have done the Paul Newman role in The Long Hot Summer.

Generally he would be best in roles that make use of his Southern rhythm. Almost any decent Burt Reynolds role would have been good. The best use for his comic ability would have been Reynold's Starting Reynolds' Oscar-worthy performance in that film is hard to beat, but Elvis could have shined also.

How about Kris Kristofersons role, not in the cheesy Star Is Boring, but in something like Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore?

Would like to think of more but I gotta go.

#16374

Okay, since we're obviously having a lot of fun with this thread, let's really go to town! An older Elvis with grey in his hair would've made a terrific western hero in the Sam Elliot mold. And how about Elvis in a big screen remake of Have Gun Will Travel (as Paladin of course). And can you picture Elvis as one of the confederate officers in Gettysburg?

For Elvis CD Collectors

What movie (non musical) would Elvis have been good in?

What movie (non musical) would Elvis have been good in?

Elvis in a non-musical film

Many films