Prisioneiro do Rock and Roll

Great songs, a fine leading actor and actress (Elvis, not the world's greatest actor but doing his Method bit here; and the ill-fated Judy Tyler), and an engrossing story make 'Jailhouse Rock' a great rock 'n' roll musical, and by far one of the best movies made by The King at the peak of his powers.

Yes, there are some cringeworthy bits ('it's only the beast in me'), but in the main this is a rags to riches tale which showcases some raw Presley performances, especially the title track and the quieter 'Young and Beautiful' alongside a contemporary tale of fights, attitude, and the county jail.

The great surprise is that this film still looks and feels fresh after more than fifty years. The pity is that Elvis would only have a handful of decent performances before the rot set in with 'Kissin Cousins', 'Tickle Me', and the like.

I saw this film when it came out. I was a sophomore in high school, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just saw it again on TCM, and guess what? I still enjoy it! This is by no means a work of art; it's plain old fashioned entertainment. Some of the actors in the supporting parts are stilted, and Elvis himself will never be confused with Brando or Dean. But Elvis was a singer, to this day the greatest in rock and roll history, and the musical numbers are first rate. Mickey Shaughnessy, who I can't recall seeing anywhere else, is perfect for the part of Elvis's hillbilly cell mate, and the tragic Judy Tyler shines as the leading lady. (For trivia buffs, she was Princess Summerfallwinterspring on the Howdy Doody Show.) And for those too young to remember the 50s, which probably includes the majority of this website's users, this will provide a good sample of popular entertainment in that era. 7/10

Vince (Elvis Presley) is a backwoods boy with a HUGE temper problem. One day he beats a guy to death in a fight and is sent to prison. While there he's cell mates with Hunk (Mickey Shaughnessy) who gets him interested in playing the guitar and singing. When released Vince makes it big with the help of Peggy (Judy Taylor)...but becomes an obnoxious jerk. He treats Hunk and Peggy like dirt. Will he come around and treat them better? What do you think?

I tuned into this just to watch the "Jailhouse Rock" number. I'm not a fan of Presley but I heard this was good. I was surprised at how much I liked it. All the songs are good and the "Jailhouse Rock" number is just stunning--easily one of the best choreographed musical numbers ever caught on screen. Taylor is pretty and just charming in her role (sadly she died right after completing this) and Shaughnessy offers strong support. Also it's well-directed in Cinemascope.

The only debits are the overly familiar story and Presley's acting. He was a great singer but no actor--sometimes it was almost embarrassing to watch how badly he played scenes. But it's still worth watching for the songs and the other performances. I give this a 7.

I heard a young woman who hadn't seen "Jailhouse Rock" before leaving the Parkway Theater here in Oakland say "I didn't expect it to be so sad." And yes, it's a pretty dark version of Elvis' own early life. To add to the dark shadow over this film, Elvis' lovely and tolented young co-star, Judy Tyler, died before this film was released (I believe it was a car accident, but I could be wrong). Elvis was pretty broke up about it, and so am I. Well, enough said, it's got the classic "Jailhouse Rock" number (often excerpted and included in TV retrospectives on Elvis), with some pretty smooth dance moves revealed by the often immobile Elvis. E really shines in this one; one of his best films.

Perhaps Presley's best movie. It casts him as a young hothead serving a jail sentence for manslaughter.Released from jail he makes it big in the music-business.The sudden success goes to his head and alienates his best friends. Elvis delivers a very magnetic performance with the aid of director Thorpe's skilled handling.Judy Tyler's performance is also very good.The movie's sour tone makes it stand out in comparison with the later Presley vehicles.The famous production number of the title tune is a smash. Rating: ***1/2 of *****