Le tombeur de ces demoiselles

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.

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.

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.

As far as Elvis films go, 'Spinout' belongs in neither extreme of best or worst. It's average fare that serves as a serviceable enough one-time watch, but not particularly distinguished and one for completests intent on checking out all of Elvis' films (like me). It's no 'King Creole', 'Flaming Star', 'Jailhouse Rock', 'Viva Las Vegas' and 'Loving You', but it is far better than 'Kissin' Cousins', 'Frankie & Johnny', 'Paradise Hawaiian Style' and particularly 'Harum Scarum' as well as his later efforts.

'Spinout' benefits in particular from the climactic big race, an incredibly fun scene that is the most energetic everything gets, and a generally polished supporting cast (with Shelley Fabares, Diane McBain, Dodie Marshall and Carl Betz lighting up the screen and Cecil Kellaway and Una Merkel nearly stealing the show).

It is a decent looking film, there are better-looking Elvis films but it is a long way from cheap apart from the racing footage looking artificial but the photography and sets are fine. The soundtrack is generally unimpressive (though there are far worse Elvis film soundtracks), but there are a few standouts, such as the title song, "I'll Be Back" and "All That I Am". Usually a hit and miss director, Norman Taurog gives some of his most enthusiastic directing of his numerous collaborations with Elvis.

However, there are exceptions with the supporting cast and they are Jack Mullaney and Deborah Walley, both very annoying in roles written in a way that grates on the nerves fast. Most of the soundtrack is forgettable at best, with "Beach Shack" and "Smorgasbord" being disposable songs that one can easily do without.

Regarding Elvis himself, he has certainly been far more disengaged before and since but he has also been much more enthusiastic and it was like he didn't trust the material. Not that one can blame him, because the script is more cringe-worthy than funny and flags in energy. The story has its slow spots, but also suffers from being too busy.

Overall, you can certainly do with far worse but Elvis and the cast did deserve better. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Elvis juggles a career as singer/race car driver in this typical but harmless '60s Presley vehicle. Looking more pudgy than usual, he is an unmarrying kind of guy contending with the attentions of three beautiful women.

Shelley Fabares is one delicious cutie I could stare at all day long, and Diane McBain exudes sophisticated beauty. But putting up with the over-animated antics of Deborah Walley as Presley's jealous tomboy drummer wears on my nerves.

This one's got a ton of Elvis songs, none of which are great but range from pretty good ("Spinout" "All That I Am") to unbearable ("Beach Shack", "Smorgasbord").

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.