Elvis on DVD

(see bottom of page for previews of Flaming Star and Wild in the Country)

Now this is how movies starring singing icons should be made!

Love Me Tender, Elvis’ first foray into Hollywood, is a darn good western drama that could stand on its own even if The King weren’t there. In fact, Elvis doesn’t even really star in this movie; instead, he has a large supporting role (and he carries it off very well, too, thank you very much) in what’s basically an ensemble cast made up of real actors - and Elvis.

The story is set immediately after the Civil War ends (in fact, when it begins our heroes - Confederate soldiers - don’t even know it’s over). When the three Reno brothers do learn of Lee’s surrender, they head back home to their Texas farm where eldest brother, Vance (Richard Egan), intends to marry Cathy, the girl of his dreams.

But war causes upheavals everywhere and upon returning home they discover that they were presumed dead and - a knife in Vance’s (Egan) heart - Cathy has fallen in love with, and married, the youngest brother Clint (Presley).

A decent man, Vance does his best to live with the new arrangements, but it eats him up inside and he decides that California’s the place he oughta be - but before he can load up his horse and move to Beverly his wartime record comes back to haunt him, leaving him and his two other ex-soldier brothers as fugitives from the law, and he and Clint on the opposite sides of a romantic triangle.

Maybe it sounds trite, but this is actually a very good story about decent (and some not so decent) men doing their best to cope with situations they didn’t create. The cast is excellent, the writing is tight - and even when the movie stops to let Elvis sing they’ve worked the songs into the plot so that they actually make sense. And who’d have thunk they’d kill Elvis off? But they did - and the movie’s better for it.

The DVD is well done. Its black and white image is presented in anamorphic widescreen (16x9 TV compatible), with Dolby Digital stereo sound. The picture quality is very good, sharp and clean, and the sound’s about as good as you’d expect from such a film (which means it ain’t great, but it’s okay).

Extras are limited to the theatrical trailer (two versions) and the trailers for Fox’s other initial Elvis outings, Flaming Star and Wild in the Country.

Love Me Tender, from 20th Century Fox Home Video
89 min, black and white, anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital stereo
Starring Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley, Robert Middleton, William Campbell, Neville Brand
Produced by David Weisbart,
Written by Robert Buckner, Directed by Robert D. Webb

Flaming Star

Sam Burton's (John Mclntire) second wife Neddy (Delores del Rio) is Indian and their son Pacer
(Presley) is a half-breed. As trouble starts between the whites and the Kiowas, the Burton family is
split between loyalties. Neddy and Sam are killed; Pacer sides with the Indians, his half-brother Clint
(Steve Forrest) with the whites. Also starring Barbara Eden as Roslyn Pierce. (1960)
Featured songs: (1) Flaming Star, (2)A Cane and a High Starched Collar

Wild in the Country
The story of a rebellious farm boy (Presley) who finds himself facing a manslaughter charge. To
complicate matters he becomes involved with three beautiful women from the Shenandoah Valley
(Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld and Millie Perkins). (1961)
Featured songs: (1) Wild in the Country, (2) I Slipped, I Stumbled, I Fell

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