Roustabout (1964)

ROUSTABOUT

Theatrical-Release: 1964
Studio: Paramount
Director: John Rich
Producer: Hal B. Wallis
Film Length: 101 mins
Colour/B&W: Colour


Cast:

Charlie Rogers - Elvis Presley
Maggie Morgan - Barbara Stanwyck
Cathy Lean - Joan Freeman
Madame Mijanou - Sue Ane Langdon
Harry Carver - Pat Buttram
Little Egypt - Wilda Taylor


Story:

The movie starts out with Elvis being a singer at a roadside cafe. During one of his performances he's more or less challenging some college students, resulting in a fight outside the cafe.

After being set free from prison he wanders about the land on his motorcycle and runs into some carnival folks while on the road.
He has an accident with his motorcycle and is invited to the carnival by the manager Barbara Stanwyck.
At this carnival Elvis meets a girl, Joan Freeman, and he falls in love with her.

The carnival business is very slow, but when Elvis starts singing at one point and the news gets around, people from all over start visiting the carnival.

After getting into a fight with a nasty customer Elvis decides to leave the carnival. At that point he's also sure he's lost Joan Freeman.
So eventually he signs a contract with a rival carnival, which earlier in the story had made him an offer.

The Stanwyck carnival seems to go downhill fast after Elvis leaving and she has a hard time paying the bills to keep it running.

Joan Freeman finally goes out to see Elvis and persuades him to come back and help the carnival.

All things end well, naturally.


Behind The Scenes:

Working title for this movie: "Right This Way Folks!".

Filming started on March 9, 1964 at Thousand Oaks, California. The interior shots were done at three main soundstages at Paramount, opened and combined fot the first time in the studios history.

It's said that Mae West was offered the Stanwyck part and that she turned it down.

Raquel Welch made her screen debut in this movie. She's featured in the first view minutes and her opening line is: "uh, how come they call this place a teahouse?".

"Roustabout" reached No.8 on the years top grossing Variety's list.

Movie Trailer:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJYSK4TEAMo"]YouTube- Roustabout Trailer[/ame]

Songs:


Roustabout
Poison Ivy League
Wheels On My Heels
Hard Knocks
It's A Wonderful World
Big Love Big Heartache
One Track Heart
It's Carnival Time
Carny Town
Little Egypt
There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon

Related Links:

Pictures: www.tcb-world.com/gallery/browseimages.php?c=67userid=

I saw this up on the big screen back in '64 when I was a kid of 14. Back then
carnivals like the Morgan Shows used to come to small towns like where I was born and raised. I'd done my share of "hanging around" carnies. I'd seen and experienced much of what was now unfolding up on the big screen in Technicolor. But this was even better. Because the "Morgan Shows" had Elvis. Good script, great supporting cast and soundtrack. I've never tired of this film. I bet the "Colonel" felt right at home in the carnival setting.

Definately a fun movie to watch more than once.

Once again it has Elvis playing a rebel, but dressed in his leather jacket and with some cool one liners, this works out fine here!

It's also one of the few movies where Elvis is actually driving the motorcycle himself, while playbacking to "Wheels On My Heels".

Barbara Stanwyck is a great actress, but most likely this was one of her lesser roles.

This one also has Raquel Welch showing up in the very beginning of the movie, when the students enter the diner.
If I'm not mistaken she's also one of the girls taking a shower at the carny.

Updated,

Sonny

I like this movie, and the album of that soundtrack: is great no.1
i love:
ITS A WONDERFULL WORLD
ONE TRACK HEART
HARD KNOCKS
BIG LOVE, BIG HEARTACHE

LIOR

here's a clip of Big Love, Big Heartache...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnRbbus_Ttk

franny

I mentioned this earlier, that I kinda like Barbara Stanwyck, although people don't understand it. It's not that I'm attracted to any woman playing in Elvis' movies - it's about her style. I like this sentence: 'you're a cruel boy.. you must have been hurt pretty bad' - sounds like she's talking to me!

You are right Sonny, Rachel Welch was in Roustabout. It was her very first screen appearance.

I also like this movie and have watched it several times.

Doesn't Raquel Welch play a role in the third Naked Gun movie? That's a gap of 30 years.. impressive!

I must admit I kinda liked Priscilla's role of miss Jane Spencer (later Drebin).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o-vwwWfVew

Here is Tom Hanks' review of Roustabout [around 4:01]. Glad to see an Elvis movie get a plug. This movie is in my Top 5 Favorites, too.

Updated with movie trailer.

Sonny

Albert,
Was excited when I saw movie songs in blue, thought each to be clickable, linking to its clip from movie. My clicker is sad, as am I, to find blue may just be your favorite color. And, thought, just maybe, we can actually view movies on your site. Thank you for what you DO offer.

I've seen this movie only once. So :cool: to see Elvis in leather and riding a motorcycle. :D Roustabout, Little Egypt and There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon are my favs songs from this soundtrack. :clap:

Updated with trailer.