Spinout

Spinout is somewhere in the middle of the pack of the Elvis Presley cinema output. It's an amiable comedy with the King about a singer with a group who is a celebrity racer. Along the lines of Paul Newman before and Tom Cruise afterwards. I don't include Steve McQueen because that man was serious about the sport and had he entered it earlier might have had that as a career.

Anyway Elvis is the target of three women with matrimony on their minds. Rich girl Shelley Fabares, Jacqueline Susann like author Diane McBain, and the drummer in the King's own group, Deborah Walley who is a gourmet cook on the side.

As usual Colonel Tom Parker got quality help for his boy behind and in front of the camera. Norman Taurog ended his career directing a series of Presley pictures and this is one of them. Such movie veterans as Frederic Worlock and Cecil Kellaway have small roles and this is the farewell big screen appearance of Una Merkel. Also in the cast is Carl Betz once again playing Shelley Fabares father as he did on the Donna Reed Show. Will Hutchins, television's Sugarfoot is also around as a policeman who appreciates good cooking and Jack Mullaney and Jimmy Hawkins are the other members of Elvis's group. Note that they play electric guitars or simulate playing them while Elvis sticks with a regular model.

Of course Spinout ends with the Big Race and I don't think I have to tell you who wins, but the race itself is 3/4 of the fun. No big songs came out of the score for Elvis, but he acquits himself in the vocal and comedy department. Spinout should please his fans.

Elvis Presley plays Mike McCoy, the leader of a small time combo on the road. Millionaire Howard Foxhugh played by Carl Betz wants McCoy to sing solo for his daughter's birthday. Daughter Cynthia is aptly played by Shelley Fabares. Entering the plot further, Foxhugh wants the singer to drive his new race car in an up and coming race. Deborah Walley plays the drummer in the combo and has a mad crush for her boss. Diane McBain plays an author looking for a subject for her next book; guess who? Auto racing, light comedy and plenty of music helps McCoy dodge the girls. Highlights from the soundtrack are "I'll Be Back", "All That I Am" and the title tune. This one made an Elvis movie fun again. Also in the cast are Will Hutchins, Dodie Marshall and Jimmy Hawkins.

Mike McCoy (Elvis Presley) is the lead singer of a rock and roll band. He's also a race car driver. He insists on being single despite some very fetching women in his life. Cynthia Foxhugh (Shelley Fabares) is a poor little rich girl. He's stalked by Diana St. Clair (Diane McBain) who is the author of girls getting the guy books. Les (Deborah Walley) is the female drummer but the guys see her as just one of the boys.

It's minor fun. It's fine. It's an Elvis movie. Don't expect more and you're fine. His band is fun especially Les. It's funny that nobody sees her as a girl. Elvis' chemistry with Fabares fails him in this movie. In a way, she gets blocked by Diane McBain. It may be better if those two characters are combined into one. As for the car racing, I wish to have more. Obviously, Elvis in a race car in the real world is the best option but I don't expect anything actually dangerous. I just want his face in a hot-looking fast car in the exterior real world. All in all, it is an Elvis movie from the Elvis factory production line.

This is not one of Elvis' best or most memorable films, but it is pretty good. For one thing, we get to see Elvis in his most suitable film role, as a racecar driver caught up with multiple ladies (seen that before? You have, but it's all good). Walley is great as his tomboyish drummer who hides her crush from him but ends up falling convincingly for policeman Hutchins. Fabares is always a good match for Elvis, and here as a scheming heiress she is virtually his film nemesis. The songs are generally poor, but there are a few highlights.

All in all, your basic Elvis movie, not harmful to the brain cells but certainly providing as little stimulation as possible to the nerves.

In this Elvis outing not only does he sing lead in a band, but he also drives race cars!

Two ladies are out walk down the aisle with Elvis, which one will win him over? Or will Elvis win the race and avoid the marriages?

Cute, but at some point all the Elvis movies seem like a carousel. Nonetheless enjoyable!