Roustabout (1964)
I recently revisited the movie Roustabout and found it still holds up very well as one of Elvis' better film musicals. Yes, it may venture into lightweight territory here and there, but at it's heart lies an enjoyable, entertaining and cohesive storyline. So much so, the screenplay received a nomination for a Writers Guild Of America award.
Elvis, looking more like he did in King Creole than at anytime since 1958 appears this time as the character Charlie Rogers, a roving singer who at times displays an arrogant attitude reminiscent of an earlier role as character Vince Everett.
Indeed, one early scene in which Elvis pulls leading lady Joan Freeman (Cathy) towards him is somewhat reminiscent of the 'that ain't tactics' scene with 1957 co-star Judy Tyler.
Whilst the character of Charlie Rogers has an attitude that often gets him into trouble, getting into fights does not appear to be the motivation. Though, as he yells at Cathy's father Joe after being told he talks mighty big, "I can back it up too".
For example, in the lead up to the first fight scene of the movie, he walks away from a fist fight until confronted. He's challenged in the tea house and he walks outside, only to be followed, and then he still gets on his bike ready to ride off until challenged to get off it.
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On two further occasions he is hit by Joe first before retaliating - the second time he lets Joe hit him several times unchallenged. Even when ridiculed for not riding the wall of death and having already said he's a coward by way of explanation,he still walks away, not throwing a single punch. Instead defiantly getting on the bike and riding the wall of death after all.
As did Vince, so Charlie also finds redemption by the end of the movie - going from someone who is at times arrogant and selfish with an attitude that often gets him into trouble, to someone who finds love, a place to belong and someone who starts to consider other peoples needs as much as his own.
And as in King Creole, Elvis finds himself the prize in a battle between two rival enterprises, though the motivations and repercussions of that are less sinister in Roustabout.
Performances And Cinematography
Overall performances are very good, with Barbara Stanwyck giving a standout performance by being effortlessly convincing as Carnival owner Maggie Morgan. Although Elvis at times almost shouts his lines at the other actors, in this movie it seems in keeping with the character. He also displays some lighter touches in his acting and some good comedic timing.
Location filming is very effective with the occasional movie back lot or rear projection scene a little distracting.
Good use is made of the widescreen cinematography which really comes into it's own with production numbers Little Egypt and Big Love, Big Heartache - the difference in staging demonstrating the huge scale of Harry Carver's rival carny in comparison to Maggie's far smaller business.
Stunt work is top notch, the movie really sells that it's Elvis crashing through the fencing on his motorbike early in the film.
And it is the bike crash that is the pivotal moment of the film, one which leads Elvis to have to spend several days at the carnival while he waits for his bike to be repaired. A stay prolonged while parts are sourced for his Japanese Honda. It is this first encounter with Cathy, Joe and Maggie that sets everything in place for the rest of the story to unfold.
From the moment he's riding down the road singing Wheels On My Heels, through the initial interaction with Cathy, Joe and Maggie, to the bike crash and onto the journey to the carnival, this crucial scene is perfectly constructed. With just a few lines of dialogue, the audience already knows the characters and learns that Joe is a bad tempered drinker, and very protective of his daughter and that Maggie is the steadying influence within the dynamic.
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Production number It's A Wonderful World is somewhat inventively filmed, with both the cinematography at the beginning of the scene and the instrumentation to the song complimenting the gentle motion of the big wheel that Elvis and co-star Joan are on while he performs the song.
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Even action sequences such as where Elvis does eventually ride the carnival's 'wall of death' are well utilised, not only to depict Charlie Rogers' defiant arrogance when challenged, but as an opportunity to advance the movie's narrative by having a particular item, important to the plot, fall out of his pocket when he takes a spill from the bike while descending the wall.
Songs And Soundtrack
Whilst 'It's Carnival Time' and 'Carny Town' are the weakest links on the Roustabout soundtrack album, when taken within the context the movie itself, much like It's A Wonderful World described above, they do very much suit the scenes they are used in. And so it's useful to take into account that such songs were recorded for use in particular scenes of the movie first and foremost, when assessing such soundtrack songs and their place in Elvis' recorded output.
Songs such as Wheels On My Heels are well used to advance the narrative, as is the main love song of the movie, Big Love, Big Heartache, which signals Cathy's (Joan Freeman) arrival at the rival Carny just in time to find him declaring his love for her in song.
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And, such situational songs were in good company in the charts at the time. The Roustabout LP topped the U.S. charts during the first week of 1965, and soundtracks for musicals Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music also went on to take the top spot later the same year. Mary Poppins actually becoming the best performing album of 1965.
Roustabout Trivia
Other than Raquel Welch making her movie debut in Roustabout, and an appearance from Richard Keil (who went on to star as Jaws in two Bond movies) - Roustabout also features a number of people that have themselves appeared in other Elvis films. Including Sue Ann Langdon, Pat Buttram, Norman Grabowski, Billy Barty, Terri Garr, Marianna Hill, Red West and Lance LeGault.
Hey you, sideburns .... I fixed your bike.
Interesting to find Kenneth Becker ('hey you, sideburns' from Loving You) making his 4th appearance in an Elvis movie with Roustabout. This time as the guy who repairs and delivers Elvis' motorcycle back to him.
There is a moment where Elvis asks him about the extent of the damage his bike had sustained after crashing through the fence. Kenneth replies along the lines of 'nothing really, it just ran out of gas' , before going on to list the actual repairs. A fairly amusing moment - with maybe even an air of improvisation about that particular line.
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Elvis and Kenneth Becker in the classic Mean Woman Blues scene from the film Loving You (1957)
There could be an interesting topic to be found in just how many people appeared in more than one Elvis movie, with so many cropping up in Roustabout alone.
. Just a thought, with all the donations (thousands of $$$) Elvis gave during lifetime!. Did he get benefits on his annual tax returns.? 
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. Bye for now 
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