JAILHOUSE ROCK

US, 1957, 96 minutes, Black and white.
Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor, Dean Jones.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Jailhouse Rock is one of Elvis Presley's earliest films, made when he was 22. Its plot is very familiar - and echoes something of Presley's own career.

It shows a boy from the backwoods, the manslaughter incident, his time in prison and the discovery of his talent, his leaving prison determined to make a name for himself, his friendship with an agent yet his harshness with her, his going on to be a success, interested only in money, finding success in records and television - and then finally having to face the truth about the unpleasant and ambitious side of himself.

The film has a number of popular songs - and has imaginative staging of `Jailhouse Rock'. The supporting cast includes Mickey Shaughnessy (who has the chance to sing twice) as the associate in prison who wants to promote him and then finally brings him to his senses. Dean Jones appears briefly as a disc jockey. Direction is by Richard Thorpe, veteran director of thrillers and many MGM musicals and pageants (Knights of the Round Table, Quentin Durward).

1. Enjoyable Elvis Presley movie? Familiar plot? The personality of the star, his character? The songs?

2. Black and white photography, Cinemascope? The prison sequences? The city, recording studios, offices? Television background?

3. The selection of songs? Staging? Style? Choreography?

4. The focus on Vince: his being a boy from the backwoods, pay, at the bar, his temper, the fight and the manslaughter? His sentence? In jail, the meeting with Honk? Honk and his singing, teaching Vince the chords? The television show and his singing? Not getting the mail? The contract with Honk? Getting out, ambition, reading the letters? The meeting with Peggy? Recording, people not interested? The stealing of his record and its release? His anger? His treatment of Peggy - loving her, humiliating her? The visit to her parents and his rudeness with the guests? The decision to form his own company, persuading the bank manager? Following his own style? The success of the record, the disc jockey promoting it (after playing it underneath the commercial)? Signing the records? The company, profits? The continued clashes with Peggy? His relationship with the girls, on tour? Honk and his release, wanting his help? Honk and the television show - the success of `Jailhouse Rock', the cutting of Honk's song? His serving Vince? The final confrontation, the fight? The operation and the danger of Vince losing his voice? Peggy and her angers? The company? The finale - and his not having lost his voice, having regained his character - and on the road to success again?

5. Peggy, promoting records, fascination with Vince? Hearing him sing - and his tantrum in the cafe, breaking his guitar? Her wanting to promote him, singing, cutting the record? The visit to her parents and his rudeness? The continued clashes? His kissing her and her antagonism? The company, success, going to Hollywood? Keeping away from him? The return - and the reconciliation?

6. Honk, the singer, in prison, robbing the bank? Teaching Vince the chords? His performance in the TV show? His decision not to give him the mail? The 50-50 contract? His reappearance, demanding the contract - and Vince knowing the truth? The opportunity on the TV show but being cut? As Vince's flunkey, walking the dogs? His anger over Peggy, fighting him? His being sorry about the punch to the throat?

7. The record companies, the cutting of the discs, the manager who stole the record? His being hit by Vince? The bank manager and his faith in Vince? The world of records and promotion? The public, the disc jockey? The girls and the autographs?

8. The world of Hollywood, contracts, his escorting the starlet all around Hollywood and enjoying it - and she bored? The film and his performance?

9. The parallels with Presley's own career? And his future?