La Strip-teaseuse effarouchée

Elvis Presley was a hugely influential performer with one of the most distinctive singing voices of anybody. He embarked on a film career consisting of 33 films from 1956 to 1969, films that did well at the box-office but mostly panned critically (especially his later films) and while he was a highly charismatic performer he was never considered a great actor.

For a mid-60s onwards Elvis film, 'Girl Happy' is pretty good and while not one of his best films, like 'King Creole', 'Flaming Star', 'Jailhouse Rock', 'Viva Las Vegas' and 'Loving You', it is a long way from one of his worst (much worse followed).

The story is thin and formulaic, with parts not always making sense, and the dialogue is corn and silliness-heavy and enough to make one cringe. The extras' acting is indeed awfully wooden and just looks amateurish.

However, the settings are suitably exotic and the film is beautifully photographed. On the most part, the songs are good. Could have done without "Wolf Call" and "Do the Clam", the latter of which also being pretty embarrassingly choreographed, but the title song, "Puppet on a String", "Do Not Disturb" and "The Meanest Girl in Town".

'Girl Happy' is fun and good-natured, knowing exactly what it wanted to be, who to aim it at and never tries to do anything more. It's all competently directed and breezily paced, while Elvis is clearly enjoying himself and is well supported by charming and fiery Shelley Fabarres, menacing Harold J. Stone and perky Mary Ann Morbley. The chemistry between Elvis and Fabarres is great.

All in all, good bouncy fun. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Nightclub singer Elvis Presley (as Rusty Wells) is hired to chaperone sexy Shelley Fabares (as Valerie Frank), with predictable results... While it was not strong enough to have be trumpeted as a significant improvement at the time, "Girl Happy" is a cut above the (then) average Presley movie. Most importantly, director Boris Sagal, along with the writing team of Harvey Bullock and R.S. Allen, effectively make more of a situation comedy with Elvis music, than the more often used, and vacuously plotted, "Elvis travelogue" with tunes. The comedy is well-paced, nicely played, and includes some genuinely funny moments.

Ms. Fabares' innocent sexuality compliments Presley, and they play very well on screen together. Fabares was understandably invited to co-star in additional Presley movies (with mixed results, due to weakening material). Also very good are Elvis frantic band-mates Jimmy Hawkins (as Doc), Gary Crosby (Andy), and Joby Baker (Wilbur). Fabares and Mr. Hawkins had been a cute teenage couple on "The Donna Reed Show". Mr. Crosby was one of Bing's sons (which turned out to be less fortunate than you'd think). And, Mr. Baker was in a regrettably short-lived Dick Van Dyke-type comedy called "Good Morning World".

MGM wisely used RCA's soundtrack studio record takes for "Girl Happy" (for the most part). In the past, there were sometimes completely separate versions for film and record, with the lamer versions making the film. Presley recorded the "Girl Happy" songs in June 1964; in hindsight, these and the just completed "Roustabout" were the last gasp of Presley as a dependable pop soundtrack singer. Critics weren't enthusiastic about his 1960s film songs, but there were scattered gems throughout. Nothing herein approaches "Return to Sender", but there are no real dogs, either.

The speeded-up vocals evident on "Girl Happy" were not uncommon; recording stars and record companies routinely speeded-up recordings. In the 1960s, many radio stations speeded up every record they played; this way, they could play more records, and get in more commercials. Many old TV shows are speeded-up, also… but, back to Presley: His next film, "Tickle Me", featured no newly recorded soundtrack songs. After a long period of inactivity, he recorded "Harum Sacrum", the first wholly substandard soundtrack of his career. That was followed by "Frankie and Johnny". So, dig right in and "Do the Clam".

****** Girl Happy (3/27/65) Boris Sagal ~ Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Jimmy Hawkins, Gary Crosby

Elvis Presley formula movie at its best. Some catchy music, nice scenery and girls galore. Rusty Wells (Elvis) leaves the blowing snow of Chicago for the beaches at Fort Lauderdale during spring break. Rusty and his band are to guard a mobster's(Harold J. Stone) daughter(Shelley Fabares) without her knowledge. Boy sings; girls swoon. Best songs are "Cross My Heart And Hope To Die", "Puppet On A String" and "Got To Find My Baby". Cast seems like a party list featuring Mary Ann Mobley, Gary Crosby, Joby Baker, Jimmy Hawkins, Chris Noel and Nita Talbot. One of the most liked Elvis flicks. Soundtrack sold tons.

Elvis Presley and his band are "Girl Happy" in this 1965 film starring Shelley Fabares and featuring Gary Crosby, Mary Ann Mobley, Harold Stone, Nita Talbot, Joby Baker and Fabrizio Mioni.

Presley and his band are hired by the club owner (Harold Stone) they work for to go to Fort Lauderdale and make sure that his daughter (Fabares) doesn't get into trouble. This often means cutting the romantic evenings of the band short, but Rusty (Elvis) ends up combining business with pleasure.

This is pleasant enough Elvis fare. It's not the kind of movie he wanted to make, but thanks to Colonel Parker, we have a slew of them, part travelogue, part music video. Elvis looks great; the film has a lot of youthful energy and catches the spring break atmosphere.

After the success of Ricky Nelson on television, TV stars had to sing, and Fabares is no exception, and she makes a darling costar for Elvis. (Her description during an interview of being told she had to sing by the producer of "The Donna Reed Show" is quite funny. She refused and was asked, "Do you want to do the show next year?")

Former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley is the knockout Rusty tries to romance while on guard duty. Rusty's band, consisting of Crosby, Baker, and Hawkins, do well in their roles as lascivious lads.

I wasn't as taken with the music as some on the board. It was nice, but I missed a big hit like "Return to Sender." Elvis wanted to leave a more important film legacy. I for one am grateful for any chance to see him perform.

Enjoyable light-hearted fun. A good movie by mid-sixties Elvis standards. Elvis' favorite leading lady was Shelly Fabres and it's easy to see the chemistry they had together. Most of the songs are very good, unlike many of Elvis' movie soundtracks of the time. Most memorable to me is the wonderful "Wolf Call". And this time the story seems to hold together, as Elvis plays an actual professional singer, rather than a his typical race car driver or daredevil who also sings. His group, which appears regularly in Ft. Lauderdale during spring break, has been asked, after some convincing from Elvis, by his gangster-like employer at their Chicago club gig to keep an eye on his daughter while down there. Lots of funny scenes which keep things rolling along. Anyone looking to laugh and relax s little for 90 minutes should check it out.