G.I. Blues

I'm not sure too many other G.I.s in Germany after the war looked quite so pristine as "Tulsa" (Elvis Presley) and his squad as they bet that "Dynamite" (Edson Stroll) can't get a date with the lithe local dancer "Lili" (Juliet Prowse) who has a bit of a reputation rejecting the amorous advances of soldiers. If they win, well there ought to be enough cash for "Tulsa" to go home and own his own nightclub. Thing is though, about five minutes after the bet his pal is posted to Alaska and so he must try to fulfil the wager himself! Initially she's not remotely interested, but yes... it is all that predictable. Elvis fans will probably enjoy this as an expertly staged, choreographed and lit vehicle for a star who doesn't look remotely natural at any stage and who simply cannot mime to his own songs. His regular "Jordanaires" get in on the gig too, but most of the renditions of songs like Carl Perkins's timeless "Blue Suede Shoes" as well as "Wooden Heart" and "Pocketful of Rainbows" look like they are episodically shot and inserted into the weakly constructed drama that does, to be fair to Prowse, offer us one glimpse of her dancing skills. This is a very sanitised image of "The King" that looks like production line stuff from the most risk averse of marketing departments from end to end. Not great from anyone, sorry.

_**Elvis as a G.I. stationed in Germany trying to score with a hot German nightclub dancer**_ An American tank specialist serving in Deutschland (Presley) dreams of running his own nightclub and bets that he can win the favor of a hard-to-get German performer with legs from here to Frankfurt (Juliet Prowse). Robert Ivers is on hand as the protagonist’s soldier pal. “G.I. Blues” (1960) was Elvis’ 5th movie of the 31 in his acting filmography. The highlights here are the German locations, the tank action and Juliet Prowse, especially her two sizzling dance routines. Letícia Román (Tina) and Sigrid Maier (Marla) are also featured in the feminine department. While this is one of the more obscure Presley flicks, it has its own uniqueness and delivers the goods as an entertaining Elvis vehicle. The film runs 1 hour, 44 minutes, and was shot in Germany (Hessen & Barvaria) and Paramount Studios, Los Angeles. GRADE: B-/B