Originally posted on 3/29/21
Currently rewatching: GIRL HAPPY (1965). One of my two favorite "bad Elvis" movies along with the immortal "Tickle Me."
I used to think "Tickle Me" was the worst, but upon reappraisal I find it positively charming compared to this oozing mass of unmitigated stupid.
"Girl Happy" contains a whole album's worth of Elvis' worst songs. No wonder he'd lost interest in making movies with a script this dumb and songs such as "The Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce" and "Do The Clam" for him to warble with absolutely no enthusiasm whatsoever.
His character, "Rusty Wells", heads an awful rock and roll combo consisting of guys like Gary Crosby and Joby Baker, who entertain the easily-pleased patrons of a club owned by mob-connected Harold J. Stone.
When the boss' daughter, played by Shelley Fabares, decides to run off to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break, Daddy sends Elvis and his boys down there to keep an eye on her with the warning that failure will result in serious consequences for them.
Needless to say, daughter Valerie hooks up with a fast Italian lothario who wants to do more than hold hands, and while trying to keep her pure Elvis falls in love with her himself which seriously cramps his style with erstwhile romantic interest Mary Ann Mobley.
The script, surprisingly co-written by Harvey Bullock of "The Andy Griffith Show" fame and directed by Boris "The Omega Man" Sagal, can hardly muster up a single decent joke or sight gag, which leaves the cast working overtime to come off as more than just a bunch of stiffs.
Watching them struggle to be funny is, in fact, way more entertaining than the script itself. They're joined in this futile endeavor by such stalwarts as Jackie Coogan, John Fiedler, Olan Soule, and the ever-delightful Nita Talbot as a brassy stripper.
Even a grown-up Jimmy Hawkins, who played Gail Davis' little brother Tagg in the 50s western series "Annie Oakley", is on hand to join the rest of the cast in having the life sucked out of them by this stupefying cinematic experience.
As bad as it is, however, Elvis at his worst is pure entertainment for bad movie fanatics such as myself, which is why "Girl Happy" is one of my favorite "bad Elvis" movies and why I just bought the DVD when I could've spent the same money on something infinitely better.
After all, it wouldn't have featured anyone performing "Do The Clam", would it?
Worth noting too, not only is the music bad (as most of the Elvis soundtracks at this point were) but they also sped it up slightly to make him sound more "youthful". Apparently, this was one of the final straws which got him out of Hollywood. Still, the theme song is catchy, if dumb.
ReplyDeleteGreat info, Rob--thanks!
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