Elvis in Flaming Star

[Brian]

Much has been made of Elvis performance in King Creole and I know many fans and critcs consider it the best film he ever made but what about Flaming Star?

The movie Flaming Star has actually been praised by many who have seen it and some say it's a better film than King Creole.
Elvis gets to do a largely non singing role in this film which is not the case with his pre army films and most of his films after this one

Many people point out that in King Creole Elvis got to work with Michael Curtiz but in Flaming Star he works with another good director Don Siegel

When people talk about Elvis best performances or roles they say Jailhouse Rock etc. but Flaming Star rarely gets a mention.

I happen to think the movie is underrated and deserves more recognition than it gets


1. Do you think Flaming Star is a good film?
2. Do you feel it's underrated?
3. Do you think Elvis does a good acting job in it?
4. Do you think Flaming Star is a better movie than King Creole?

[WHITETIGERMAN]

My answer is yes on the first three questions......as far as the last question.....I think that one was as good as the other.Elvis did a great job in both.In my opinion I think he did a d*** fantastic job in Wild In The Country.That's another one that falls in with Flaming Star.
Not trying to take away from your point on Flaming Star.
But people are gonna always harp on the standard Elvis films......instead of giving him credit for the others like Flaming Star,Wild In The Country also Charro.Too bad he was not given more roles like those....because to me in those roles he showed how good an actor he was and could be.

[easyrider]

Flaming Star is a good film and Elvis is a good actor!!!!!!!

[renapap05]

My answer to the 3 first questions is "yes"....As for the other one...No,I think King Creole is much much better than Flaming Star...No doubt about it!

[Dino78]

Well,
1. Flaming Star is an excellent movie
2. Yes it's underated.
3. Elvis did one of his greatest performances as an actor.
4. You can't compare them.

[cbg84]

I need to watch both of them again and then I'll give my answer

[Brian]

Not trying to take away from your point on Flaming Star.
But people are gonna always harp on the standard Elvis films......instead of giving him credit for the others like Flaming Star,Wild In The Country also Charro.Too bad he was not given more roles like those....because to me in those roles he showed how good an actor he was and could be.

Thank you for the reply

that's true

however I feel that fans and people like Jerry Schilling for example who had been around a long time forget Flaming Star

when mentioning Elvis best films Jerry says that the first four were the best now that's his opinion but he forgets a couple of good movies that Elvis made after the army. I would certainly say that Flaming Star is better than Love me tender and loving you. Jerry always talks about how Elvis wanted to do non singing dramatic roles well Flaming Star gave him this chance.
King Creole is a good film but Elvis still plays the singing teenage rebel
I think Jailhouse rock is a good film but again the singing.
Flaming Star gave Elvis a more mature role.

[KPM]

1-Yes
2-Yes
3-Yes
4-I think each in its way showcases Elvis the actor-but since Flaming Star had little music in it I would give the nod to Flaming Star.
Although Elvis does cry in King Creole during the scene in which the doctor tells him that his father will be okay. My daughters have a rating system for actors and if they can cry convincingly that ranks high on their scale-they have seen King Creole and both said yes it was convincing to them.

[Brian]

1-Yes
2-Yes
3-Yes
4-I think each in its way showcases Elvis the actor-but since Flaming Star had little music in it I would give the nod to Flaming Star.
Although Elvis does cry in King Creole during the scene in which the doctor tells him that his father will be okay. My daughters have a rating system for actors and if they can cry convincingly that ranks high on their scale-they have seen King Creole and both said yes it was convincing to them.

Have your daughters seen Flaming Star?

What did they think about it?

[KPM]

Have your daughters seen Flaming Star?

What did they think about it?

Well its a western-they are not big western movie fans.
I know they have watched pieces of it-but have not sat throught the whole movie.
They did watch all of King Creole only because one of them heard that it was Elvis's best dramatic role-so they asked to watch it. I guess it was oh 8-10 years ago. They felt Elvis did a great job-but the plot was a little too
"50s"
They have been "movie nuts" since they were little. As little kids I mean around 5 and 7 they liked the movie "Frankie and Johnny" one summer they watched it at least once a week-go figure.
My son, who is now 26, likes "Tickle Me" "Stay Away Joe" and "Kissin Cousins" he says they are fun movies.

[WHITETIGERMAN]

Thank you for the reply

that's true

however I feel that fans and people like Jerry Schilling for example who had been around a long time forget Flaming Star

when mentioning Elvis best films Jerry says that the first four were the best now that's his opinion but he forgets a couple of good movies that Elvis made after the army. I would certainly say that Flaming Star is better than Love me tender and loving you. Jerry always talks about how Elvis wanted to do non singing dramatic roles well Flaming Star gave him this chance.
King Creole is a good film but Elvis still plays the singing teenage rebel
I think Jailhouse rock is a good film but again the singing.
Flaming Star gave Elvis a more mature role.

I understand your point on this......and you are right......and everyone has their own opinion.I think it's great when two or more people can see things on the same level.Flaming Star is a great film and I really love watching it.....they did have him sing Cane And A High Starched Collar.In Charro he only sang the title in the opening credits........that movie was also a mature role with no singing scenes at all.Flaming Star does go unnoticed and did give him a d*** good shot and chance at what he would consider a more challenging role.I think that Flaming Star is a better movie than Charro also....I'm just comparing the two.

[KPM]

Thank you for the reply

that's true

however I feel that fans and people like Jerry Schilling for example who had been around a long time forget Flaming Star

when mentioning Elvis best films Jerry says that the first four were the best now that's his opinion but he forgets a couple of good movies that Elvis made after the army. I would certainly say that Flaming Star is better than Love me tender and loving you. Jerry always talks about how Elvis wanted to do non singing dramatic roles well Flaming Star gave him this chance.
King Creole is a good film but Elvis still plays the singing teenage rebel
I think Jailhouse rock is a good film but again the singing.Flaming Star gave Elvis a more mature role.

Well many films have good light drama but also have singing in them. For what is was-it was a great film. Of all rock n roll films Jailhouse Rock certainly has to be near the top of the list.
I would agree that Flaming Star is better than LMT or LY(better script, better direction overall better finished film)-but the fact that these 2 films were his first ever acting attempts-and he did pretty well with them- may be what causes them to be ranked high in some minds.

[laura17]

robert wagner was offered the role of elvis brother in flaming star.

[rickb]

It is a very good film, one of Elvis' best, and he gives a strong performance bettered only by King Creole
What could have been...

[Wendy56]

Each movie has something interesting. I like KC very much (is black&white and love it cause it captures that old scenary) but FS is a great one too. Elvis did a great job in both movies. Too bad --audience back then-- asked for a song to include it in the movie. Maybe they were not appreciating the good story and nice acting there.
I go for both. Big change in three years as well.

[goodelvisgirl]

its a good movie and elvis shws his acting ability in this one the sotry line was good i enjoyed the movie he should have had more movies like that one and king creole

[shelley.m.]

Without a doubt 'Flaming Star' was one of Elvis' best serious films he ever made.

[SleepyJack]

A definite "yes" to the first three questions......as to the comparison with "King Creole"..that would be a tough one to make,they are too different to really compare them..."Flaming Star" stands up well by itself as a western movie...if it came down to a choice between the two I would always go with "King Creole"...there is just more "Elvis" to it...the style,the music...it`s just got a lot more "cool" to it. I think you can only really compare "Flaming Star" to "Charro" really...and I think that,to me anyway,"Charro" would win..... by a nose.

[boogie]

YES, YES, YES, YES
my all time Fav.Movie

[RustyWells]

Flaming Star is a great film, Elvis really got a chance
to use his acting skills and he was very convincing,
it's a shame it got underrated such as it did, as well as
Wild in the Country, but I do like KC much better, but
I enjoy Flaming Star as well.