Friday, October 26, 2007

Movie review - Elvis #27 - "Speedway" (1968) **1/2

The common perception is that the quality of Elvis movies really dropped away in the second half of the sixties - I'd agree that that's true as an overall average, because he stopped making the odd really good movie after 1965, but the standards of his staple picture (i.e. the crappy musical) never really dipped.

I watched this just after It Happened at the World's Fair which was made five years earlier and thought the later film had far more energy and life - even if, surprisingly, it had a similar plot: Elvis gets into financial hock because of the gambling problems of his best friend (Bill Bixby), looks after some cute kids (a whole tribe here instead of just one), and romances a haughty dame.

Nancy Sinatra is the love interest; she's a bit awkward on camera, but has a charisma and gets to sing a song; she also looks cute, especially at the end when she puts on some nifty boots.
Elvis plays a speed car driver and there is some decent car racing vision; more fun, though, is the groovy night club pad - with its bright colours and go-go dancers it looks like something out of an Austin Powers movie.

The story does sag in spots (we don't find out Sinatra works for the tax office until way too late, they pull back on the conflict, there's no decent villain, no pay off with all those kids), and there are uncomfortable scenes of Bixby forcing himself upon women.

But there are strong moments, too, including an unexpectedly witty number about paying taxes complete with middle aged male dancers ("he's your uncle/ not your dad") and Elvis is having fun (he came a father is Lisa Marie during filming which might explain it). The producer was formerly director of entertainment at a hotel in Las Vegas and sometimes it shows, e.g. the old Borscht Belt comedian. I always get this confused with Spin Out but its far superior.

No comments: