Roustabout

Most people don't think too much of this Elvis romp compared to any other, but for me it stands out as one of the better "formula" movies the man made in the '60s. As club singer Charlie Rogers, Elvis is a little different from his usual stock characters from this period because the young man has a chip on his shoulder. He's a reckless person who never had a family and is prone to being self-centered and dismissive. After getting fired from a gig one day, he and his motorcycle are smacked up by a threesome of small-time carnival owners driving in their car, so they invite him to stick around their modest fairgrounds and work as a "roustabout" for a little cash while waiting for his bike to get back from the repair shop. Rogers is able to boost business with his singing to lure customers to the Fair.

Barbara Stanwyck plays the strong-willed carnival chief who breathes the carny lifestyle, but she's saddled with a crotchety and hard-headed partner (Leif Erickson) who once caused a tragedy to a customer by not safely securing one of the rides at the fair, and who tries to keep Charlie away from his daughter Cathy (Joan Freeman). It's refreshing to see a leading girl who can hold her own and not easily succumb to Elvis' whims. There are a few decent songs here and there, if no great ones. Raquel Welch can be spotted in the beginning of the film as one of a group of young folks going to see Charlie Rogers perform at the club. *** out of ****

Hot-headed singer who's prone to getting into fights gets a hankering for the daughter of a woman who runs a traveling carnival, eventually finds himself with a guitar working the run-ways. Good Elvis Presley musical, although the King himself is awfully pouty throughout. He sings several mediocre tunes in-between romantic bouts with pretty but bland Joan Freeman (who resembles both Susan Dey and a young Dorothy McGuire). Barbara Stanwyck is typically mercurial as Freeman's no-nonsense mother, and she gives the movie some kick. There are the usual carnival rowdies, a dim sub-plot involving a missing wallet, but the cinematography is colorful and the rural locations are well captured. There's a sensational tracking shot at the end done in one take, with the camera up and over the heads of the crowd, down along the run-way with the attractions and then onto the stage. A brunette Raquel Welch has a bit part at the very beginning, and Teri Garr is one of the carny dancers. An enjoyable star-vehicle for E.P.'s fans. **1/2 from ****

This is a very entertaining film. Elvis (Charlie Rogers) is a rebel biker who has a reputation as fighter and a womanizer. He makes a living as a traveling singer.

Early on in the film he is fired for getting into a fight with a group of college toughs. While riding his bike to the next engagement, the father of a girl he was flirting with tries to run him off the road. To make ends meet, and to earn enough money to repair his bike, he joins up with a traveling carnival.

The carnival is run by Maggie Moran, played by legendary actress Barbara Stanwyck. Elvis falls quickly for her lovely daughter Cathy, (Joan Freeman). The film takes off from there.

It's a wonderful adventure and is sure to entertain. Plus there are some great music tracks. "Little Egypt", "Roustabout", and "Big Love, Big Heartache" are great examples. The soundtrack went to #1 on the Billboard charts.

Some fun facts: Raquel Welch has a bit part at the very beginning of the film, and Teri Garr is one of the dancers. The title song, Roustabout is one everyone remembers. However Elvis also recorded another song for the film called "I'm a Roustabout". "Roustabout" was picked and "I'm a Roustabout" was never released. The song was recently discovered and was released as a bonus track on a CD in 2003. The motorcycle Elvis rides throughout the movie is a Honda 305 Superhawk.

Elvis plays a happy-go-lucky guy with a small chip on his shoulder. After his cycle is wrecked, he takes on a part time job at Barbara Stanwych's almost bankrupt carnival. Elvis' character sings a few songs and starts bringing crowds to the traveling show again. Joan Freeman plays the goody two shoes that for some reason has the new roustabout going in circles. Leif Erickson is a believable alcoholic, trying to protect his daughter. The soundtrack features "One Track Heart" "Big Love, Big Heartache" and "Little Egypt", plus several very short songs. Contrary of most of the songs being under two minutes long, this was a very popular album. A very pleasant movie directed by John Rich.

Released the same year as Viva Las Vegas, Roustabout is often viewed as one of the lesser lights in Elvis' 1960s movie output. Which is a shame given that it has vitality in abundance, sees the King playing a two dimensional character, features the professional workings of Barbara Stanwyck and Leif Erickson and is beautifully staged and photographed (Lucien Ballard) amongst a Carnival backdrop.

Plot sees Presley as night club singer Charlie Rogers who has a big chip on his shoulder, getting into yet another fight he gets fired and via a motorcycle run in with Maggie Morgan (Stanwyck) and Joe Lean (Erickson), ends up working at Maggie's carnival operation while he waits for his bike to be fixed. He has his eyes on Joe's daughter, Cathy (Joan Freeman), but Joe, himself carrying a heavy burden, has a big dislike for the young upstart. With the bank closing in ready to close the struggling carnival, hope may come in the form of Charlie's singing attributes, but will he stay? Will he be lured away by a lucrative offer from a rival Carnie promoter? With Charlie struggling to ingratiate himself to the Carnie way of life, and him constantly failing to show his true emotions to win around a hard to convince Cathy, the odds against him staying seems short.

Well how do you think it's going to end? Exactly the way you expect it too of course. But there is great fun and frolics along the way and it is a true spirit raising finale. The clutch of songs are not the best, though the beautiful tenderness of "Big Love, Big Heartache" and the interesting take on "Little Egypt" are reason enough to be pleased with the musical contributions. Presley delivers a good turn, a nifty blend of rebel yell and housewives baby, the carnival atmosphere is well born out and crucially the film manages to not undersell the graft that carnival workers did to put on a show for the public's entertainment. It also opens up a game for spotters of future "names", see if you can spot Raquel Welch, Teri Garr and Richard Kiel in teeny tiny roles.

A lovely enjoyable Elvis film, foot tapping and smiles guaranteed, and the King, quite frankly, rocks in this one. 7/10