IMDb RATING
5.5/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
Poor bookkeeping saddles stock-car driver Steve Grayson with a huge bill for back taxes which hampers his ability to continue racing competitively.Poor bookkeeping saddles stock-car driver Steve Grayson with a huge bill for back taxes which hampers his ability to continue racing competitively.Poor bookkeeping saddles stock-car driver Steve Grayson with a huge bill for back taxes which hampers his ability to continue racing competitively.
Victoria Paige Meyerink
- Ellie Esterlake
- (as Victoria Meyerink)
Beverly Powers
- Mary Ann Ashmond
- (as Miss Beverly Hills)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Typical Elvis movie of the period. A kind hearted stock day driving Elvis is quick on and off the track. This movie is a must see for any modern day NASCAR fan not so much for the action, but for vintage scenes from Charlotte Motor Speedway (now Lowe's Motor Speedway). Note the lap times compared to today...wow.
The gadgetry in his trailer is classic. Gale Gordon is excellent as a senior IRS investigator. Bill Bixby is hilarious as Elvis' sidekick. Sadly, there really wasn't enough chemistry with Nancy Sinatra.
The film is, of course, safe to view with the whole family with nothing more than some cartoon-like fight scenes. Not Elvis' best effort, but a good, lighthearted enjoyable film.
The gadgetry in his trailer is classic. Gale Gordon is excellent as a senior IRS investigator. Bill Bixby is hilarious as Elvis' sidekick. Sadly, there really wasn't enough chemistry with Nancy Sinatra.
The film is, of course, safe to view with the whole family with nothing more than some cartoon-like fight scenes. Not Elvis' best effort, but a good, lighthearted enjoyable film.
You might not think of Elvis to be a great actor. but it sure is fun to see him try and sing some great songs along the way.Enjoy this film with Nancy Sinatra and Gale Gordon.Bill Bixby plays scene stealing womanizer, remember the "hulk".You'll see Elvis racing car number 6 in the Charlotte 100 race.Along for the ride are Richard Petty,Buddy Baker Cale Yarborough,Dick Hutcherson and Tiny Lund.Elvis sings the hit song "let yourself go" and Nancy Sinatra sings "You groovy self" Premiered in Charlotte,North Carolina on June 12 1968.Two not known facts about this film are:Sonny & Cher refused roles in this film and Petula Clark turned down role of Susan Jacks.Available from Warner Brothers in 1968.If You enjoyed this one try "Spinout" also by Elvis.
Anytime I watch a tv show or film from this era I wonder who wrote that generic 'rock' music that the 'kids' are dancing to. You know, the kind of 'rock' music that you'd hear on
'My Three Sons' or 'Petticoat Junction' or 'The Beverly Hillbillies'. It's sort of a weird blend of Easy Listening and vomit. Anyway, not the worst Elvis vehicle, not 'Viva Las Vegas', either. Nancy Sinatra looks beautiful.
Speedway finds Elvis Presley cast as a stock car driver and some of the big names of that sport in 1968 make an appearance in the film. He also gets to co-star with Nancy Sinatra, daughter of another singing icon of the previous generation. They make some nice music together although none of the songs from this score really became hits.
Who could blame Elvis and his friend and manager Bill Bixby for thinking Nancy was just another NASCAR groupie hanging around the track as she does. But Nancy's on a mission, she works for the IRS and Bill Bixby as Elvis's manager has filed a most creative return.
Gale Gordon has never seen one like it and of course Presley and Bixby get called in for an audit. To satisfy Uncle Sam, Gordon appoints Nancy as his new financial manager. But Elvis has other creditors thanks to Bixby. Bill's got that old addiction to slow horses and fast women. If I had been the King I'd have kicked Bixby's arse around the Daytona track three times for good measure. Personally I think Elvis showed great restraint in not strangling him.
Racing fans will certainly love this film and in that group, I'm sure the King has a loyal following. But for me, I have to say I've never seen done in any film a song tribute to the Internal Revenue Service. While waiting to be audited, Elvis, Bixby and the rest of the people in the waiting room sing He's Your Uncle And Not Your Dad about the great privilege it is to pay taxes here in the USA. Of course once Elvis and Bixby are through with Gordon, they're singing a different tune. The number was like something out How To Succeed In Business
Speedway is a pleasant enough film and Elvis's still loyal legion of fans should like it.
Who could blame Elvis and his friend and manager Bill Bixby for thinking Nancy was just another NASCAR groupie hanging around the track as she does. But Nancy's on a mission, she works for the IRS and Bill Bixby as Elvis's manager has filed a most creative return.
Gale Gordon has never seen one like it and of course Presley and Bixby get called in for an audit. To satisfy Uncle Sam, Gordon appoints Nancy as his new financial manager. But Elvis has other creditors thanks to Bixby. Bill's got that old addiction to slow horses and fast women. If I had been the King I'd have kicked Bixby's arse around the Daytona track three times for good measure. Personally I think Elvis showed great restraint in not strangling him.
Racing fans will certainly love this film and in that group, I'm sure the King has a loyal following. But for me, I have to say I've never seen done in any film a song tribute to the Internal Revenue Service. While waiting to be audited, Elvis, Bixby and the rest of the people in the waiting room sing He's Your Uncle And Not Your Dad about the great privilege it is to pay taxes here in the USA. Of course once Elvis and Bixby are through with Gordon, they're singing a different tune. The number was like something out How To Succeed In Business
Speedway is a pleasant enough film and Elvis's still loyal legion of fans should like it.
Dusty, repetitious stock car comedy-musical with Elvis Presley as the driver being hounded by an IRS agent looking for taxable winnings. According to all the Elvis books I've read, "Speedway" opened with the usual Presley fanfare but died out quickly. Why? With sexy platinum blonde Nancy Sinatra as the love-interest, ostensibly rousing locales and races, and the usual quota of songs, this should have been another "Viva Las Vegas". Unfortunately, the two stars are a surprisingly icy match, creating no sparks, and Bill Bixby gets stuck with the agonizing part of the proverbial flunky. The stock car sequences are visually dull and, although director Norman Taurog supplies a few funny comic touches, the film has no life, no pep. It is also curiously anachronistic, playing like something coy from 1963, but this was 1968! No wonder Elvis was so unhappy in Hollywood. *1/2 from ****
Did you know
- TriviaNancy Sinatra sings the song "Your Groovy Self" in this movie. The song was also included in the soundtrack LP, making it the first and only song by another artist to be released on an official Elvis Presley record.
- GoofsIn all the scenes at the hangout, there is a band playing, yet none of the times are any of the guitars plugged in.
- Quotes
Kenny Donford: [Referring to Steve] If I were a girl, I would let the measles in my apartment before I let him in.
- Alternate versionsSome Southeast Asian prints of this film include three songs that were cut from the American print: "Western Union", "Five Sleepy Heads", and "Suppose."
- ConnectionsEdited into Elvis (2022)
- How long is Speedway?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,500,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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