Is the army at fault?

[4THEHEART]

Trust me, any soldier has a choice, always!

(referring to this topic of course!)

oh sure! only in a dreamland army of course..

[Brian]

Walk the Line is one of my pet peeves, LOL.

It's pure and absolute fiction. About the only true thing in it is that June Carter married Johnny Cash.

Elvis takes enough heat for things he actually did. Getting Johnny Cash hooked on drugs wasn't one of them.

hi nyc

I find myself agreeing with you a lot. Johnny Cash said in interviews and in his book that Elvis wasn't on drugs at that time and the movie depicts Elvis as talking drugs and introducing him to those drugs. Even if Elvis did introduce Cash to uppers it would have been up to him whether to take them or not.

I was disappointed in I Walk the Line for one thing it's not really about Cash's life and career it's about his relationship with June and the only two actors that get any lines are Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon with everybody else in the background I don't think Cash's band members got any lines at all.
I found the movie to be inaccurate as it had Waylon Jennings touring with Cash and Elvis in the 50's. I saw Ray and I felt I Walk the Line had the exact same script just insert Johnny Cash instead of Ray Charles and that's the movie. I felt I Walk the Line was okay but overrated as I felt Ray was a lot better. I had heard that a biopic about Carl Perkins is in production and is scheduled for release in 2009 I hope it's more accurate than I Walk the Line

P.S.It's ironic but I don't think Carl Perkins was depicted at all in the film.

[nyc]

hi nyc

I find myself agreeing with you a lot. Johnny Cash said in interviews and in his book that Elvis wasn't on drugs at that time and the movie depicts Elvis as talking drugs and introducing him to those drugs. Even if Elvis did introduce Cash to uppers it would have been up to him whether to take them or not.

I was disappointed in I Walk the Line for one thing it's not really about Cash's life and career it's about his relationship with June and the only two actors that get any lines are Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon with everybody else in the background I don't think Cash's band members got any lines at all.
I found the movie to be inaccurate as it had Waylon Jennings touring with Cash and Elvis in the 50's. I saw Ray and I felt I Walk the Line had the exact same script just insert Johnny Cash instead of Ray Charles and that's the movie. I felt I Walk the Line was okay but overrated as I felt Ray was a lot better. I had heard that a biopic about Carl Perkins is in production and is scheduled for release in 2009 I hope it's more accurate than I Walk the Line

P.S.It's ironic but I don't think Carl Perkins was depicted at all in the film.

Wasn't Perkins part of that fictional "Sun artists" tour in the movie? Which had Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and I think Roy Orbison on the same bill?

Obviously, he didn't stand out to me either, if he even was there. And given how close Cash and Perkins were, that shows part of the problem with WTL.

I wonder if there's a real audience for a film about Carl Perkins.

But I'm cringing just thinking about it, because I know they'll have Elvis stealing Perkins' glory by singing Blue Suede Shoes on TV while Perkins was in the hospital after his car accident.

[Kentucky Rain]

In regards to the military (states) and handing out drugs/situations..or rather not being upfront with their soldiers.

Two examples..first being my father..long ago when they (military) tested "mustard gas"..my father chose to participate..unknowing (not told) of its devasting power of destruction to a human body...eventually caused him to pass away when he was 69..residuals ...kidney damage. Which eventually the military admitted to. My father was a military "lifer" and very much believed the military could do him no wrong..to his dying day he thought that.

Second example..a nephew..gulf war..he and fellow soldiers were given a type of "spray" to increase alertness..keep them awake/up. No choice given..the spray was "misted" over them. He still suffers from this "medication"..yearly or less trips to the military drs..mysterious goings on still happen within his body.

On topic..Elvis..drugs/army..I do not doubt in my mind the military gave these uppers to the troops..and they knew what those drugs did. Uppers are age old drugs.

In summary and in agreement with 4theheart...the troops do not have a choice and they are not told of the consequences.

[Brian]

Wasn't Perkins part of that fictional "Sun artists" tour in the movie? Which had Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and I think Roy Orbison on the same bill?

Brian's answer: No I don't think so and the guy playing Roy Orbison looked like Buddy Holly, the guy playing Jerry Lee Lewis was a dead ringer for James Dean




But I'm cringing just thinking about it, because I know they'll have Elvis stealing Perkins' glory by .

Probably but Carl's version went to #2 on the pop charts while Elvis version only hit #20. I have read that RCA wanted to release Elvis version as a single to compete with Carl's but Elvis refused saying to release it in Europe and Canada but not here in the states. Elvis version went to number 9 in the U.K.
I believe RCA finally did release it as a title track to an E.P. and then Elvis gave Carl the money from the sales of that E.P. to help pay his hospital bills.

[beckelvis]

I Belive That The Exercise Was Not What They Gave Him Wing Drug Addiction,that Sooner Or Later Would Have Used Those, Who Had A Lot Of Preassure With The Concerts,and Besides The Came Her Mother And Separation,i Think It Was Unable To Face The Problems.

[renapap05]

I can't blame anybody except Elvis himself. I'm sorry to say that but noone puts a gun on anyone's head to make him/her take pills. If he didn't want to take them he wouldn't have. Simply as that. As ehollier said it's all about choices...

I totally agree with you,Liana.

[WHITETIGERMAN]

No, I do not blame the army for his drug addiction. It's all about choices and he made the choice to continue taking these uppers when he was discharged. Also, I think his financial status and popularity made it very easy for him to obtain these drugs while in the army and after he was discharged.

Good question Diane...

Most likely, Elvis would have found his way into the prescription drug usage anyway, but I do often think that him being introduced to them so early on did have an effect. Elvis seemed to have an addictive personality...which made it very hard for him to stop using them once he started. And too, although he made the choice to use them, I have to argue that once hooked, the person loses sight of the fact that they actually have a problem. Most of the time, they will swear that they can quit whenever they want...but they just don't want to quit. This is not always true, as we all know. But it is a vicious cycle that usually does not have a happy ending.

I agree with you both on that......I do believe he had an addictive personality.
I remember Linda Thompson speaking about this in a documentary also stating this on certain foods as well.But I think we all have addictions to something.........reguardless of what it is.

[KPM]

Its funny people in positions of authority are charged every day for using those positions in the wrong manner or in a harmful way toward people they interact with. The reason they are held to a high standard is because we see them as authority figures who are suppose to help. Huge trust is placed in their hands by people below them.
People who are in such positions-Doctors, Clergymen, politicians, policemen, Platoon leaders,etc.....are such people- we trust them and they have a "personal responsiblility" to not give us bad advice or to do anything which may lead to harm.
I do not think the Army is to blame for giving uppers to Elvis-but if this were brought to light today (in todays world)-someone would most probably be investigated and charged in a similar situation.
In Elvis's case, the sleep problem would have led to a doctor somewhere down the road prescribing uppers to help Elvis wake up in the mornings-even if he had not been given them in the Army.
The reverse happened to Judy Garland-she was given the uppers at MGM to help with her weight problem, which led to the downers at night to help her sleep and the cycle was started. Funny but after MGM no longer needed Garland-there were no follow-ups by the MGM doctors to make sure she broke that cycle.
IMO Elvis was a man who needed guidance in many ways (who doesn't in life)-and I do not think he got much truthful guidance from many.
He was a star and the glare of that star blinded many who could have given better guidance-especially authority figures who Elvis may have had respect for. Most do not follow advice from people they do not fully respect-common nature.

[Diane]

I totally agree.

Diane

[epmoodyblue]

no its not the armys fault...and we will leave it at that..what happened had to happen in his life..i believe in destiny

[dstrattenfan]

Speaking as a recovering alcoholic I can tell u it is no ones fault but the addict!

My brother who was 15 years older than me first introduced me to pills when I was 13 or 14, first it was pain pills then it was nerve pills, then alcohol. I never smoked pot until I was 16 or 17 but I remember getting drunk at 13..

Do I blame him no! I knew that what I was doing was wrong! It was my choice to continue to drink and use drugs. My brother never forced me to take or drink anything, that was my choice..

There is a time when one has to take responsibility for ones own actions... No doubt it was wrong but I knew better just like Elvis did...He knew good and well that what he was doing was wrong thats why it was such a guarded secret. And that is not the army's fault

[ricardo b. prospero]

Sorry to say but that is how the cookies crumbled and it is really part of his destiny.