Film Snail

Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas

6.2

Viva Las Vegas

NR·1964·85m

Summary

Lucky Jackson arrives in town with his car literally in tow ready for the first Las Vegas Grand Prix - once he has the money to buy an engine. He gets the cash easily enough but mislays it when the pretty swimming pool manageress takes his mind off things. It seems he will lose both race and girl, problems made more difficult by rivalry from Elmo Mancini, fellow racer and womaniser.

Cast

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

Lucky Jackson

Ann-Margret

Ann-Margret

Rusty Martin

Cesare Danova

Cesare Danova

Count Elmo Mancini

William Demarest

William Demarest

Mr. Martin

Nicky Blair

Nicky Blair

Shorty Fansworth

Robert Aiken

Driver (uncredited)

Don Anderson

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Larry Barton

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Toni Basil

Toni Basil

Dancer (uncredited)

Herman Boden

Casino Patron (uncredited)

William Burnside

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Carl Carlsson

Juggler (uncredited)

Ruth Carlsson

Juggler (uncredited)

Regina Carrol

Regina Carrol

Showgirl (uncredited)

Steve Carruthers

Steve Carruthers

Maitre 'd (uncredited)

Jack Carter

Jack Carter

Casino Performer (uncredited)

Taggart Casey

Taggart Casey

Guard (uncredited)

George Cisar

George Cisar

Manager of Swingers (uncredited)

Howard Curtis

Starter (uncredited)

George DeNormand

Bartender (uncredited)

Dan Dowling

Son of Lone Star State (uncredited)

Roy Engel

Roy Engel

Mr. Baker (uncredited)

Harry Fleer

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Alan Fordney

Race Announcer (uncredited)

Teri Garr

Teri Garr

Dancer (uncredited)

Barnaby Hale

Mechanic (uncredited)

Claude Hall

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Alean 'Bambi' Hamilton

Alean 'Bambi' Hamilton

Showgirl (uncredited)

John Hart

John Hart

Casino Patron (uncredited)

James Hibbard

James Hibbard

Dancer (uncredited)

George Hoagland

Resort Guest (uncredited)

George Holmes

George Holmes

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Jimmie Horan

Race Official (uncredited)

Birl Jonns

Dancer (uncredited)

Pete Kellett

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Larry Kent

Larry Kent

Race Official (uncredited)

Ingeborg Kjeldsen

Ingeborg Kjeldsen

Showgirl (uncredited)

George Klein

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Jonathan Kramer

Dancer (uncredited)

Joseph La Cava

Waiter (uncredited)

Esther Ying Lee

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Lance LeGault

Lance LeGault

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Brad Logan

Guard (uncredited)

Victor Masi

Son of Lone Star State (uncredited)

Kent McCord

Kent McCord

Casino Patron (uncredited)

William Meader

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Jim Michael

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Rickey Murray

Delivery Boy (uncredited)

Robert Nash

Big Gus Olson (uncredited)

Murray Pollack

Cowboy (uncredited)

Paul Power

Resort Guest (uncredited)

Beverly Powers

Beverly Powers

Showgirl (uncredited)

Eddie Quillan

Eddie Quillan

Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)

Mike Ragan

Mike Ragan

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Fred Rapport

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Francis Ravel

Francois (uncredited)

Anthony Redondo

Club Patron (uncredited)

Leoda Richards

Show Spectator (uncredited)

Christopher Riordan

Christopher Riordan

Dancer (uncredited)

Clark Ross

Cowboy (uncredited)

Mark Russell

Mark Russell

Son of the Lone Star State (uncredited)

Reb Sawitz

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Bernard Sell

Cowboy (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Bert Stevens

Resort Guest (uncredited)

Kay Sutton

Kay Sutton

Showgirl (uncredited)

Kay Tapscott

Dancer (uncredited)

Ivan Triesault

Ivan Triesault

Head Captain (uncredited)

George Washburn

Club Patron (uncredited)

Red West

Red West

Son of Lone Star State (uncredited)

Luree Wiese

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Lori Williams

Lori Williams

Dancer (uncredited)

Robert B. Williams

Robert B. Williams

Swanson (uncredited)

Crew

Director

George Sidney

Screenplay

Sally Benson

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

September 5, 2019

7

Viva the King and Annie.

Elvis Presley movies, by and large, aren't very good. Thirty one feature length pictures he made, of which arguably only half a dozen are jointly watchable and entertaining. But even the stinkers have fans, and not just fans of the King in general, also cinema fans happy to embrace the cheese and kind of just run with it. Yet to totally dismiss Presley's input into the world of cinema is doing a disservice to the small number of movies he made that actually hold up well under scrutiny. One such film is Viva Las Vegas. A film that is of course a frothy hip shaking colourful bonanza, but one that also shows that given a quality co-star to work off, Presley had it in him to move successfully away from the cash cow dirge that his manager Colonel Tom Parker was binding him to.

The plot sees Presley as race car driver "Lucky Jackson" who arrives in Vegas for the Grand Prix that is being held there. But his car is in need of engine repair and he just hasn't got the money to fix it. Taking a job as a waiter, things are further complicated when he meets sexy pool attendant/dance teacher Rusty Martin {Ann-Margret}. Not only is she spurning his advances, but he has a rival for Rusty's affection; Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova), who is also a fellow race driver and is set on winning the Grand Prix himself.

That's really all there is to it, plot simplicity at its finest. Naturally the film is an excuse for Presley to chase the girl, sing some tunes and become a race car hero too. But Viva Las Vegas has a real fun quality that is so lacking in most of his other musicals, it's vibrant, savvy and, yes, sexy. Due in no small part to the chemistry between Presley and Margret. It's believed there was an affair between the two, but casting aside that fact, there was also to be a friendship between them both that lasted up until Presley's sad and untimely death. This film serves as a fitting testament to the birth of that friendship. Old professional George Sidney directs the piece unfussily, even if we perhaps get one too many camera shots of the lovely Miss Margret's derrière (seriously, see how many rear shots you can spot). While Joseph F. Biroc is on hand for cinematography duties as the Vegas piece is brought to life in Panavision & Metrocolor.

The film is also notable for two other points of worth, it's one of Elvis' highest grossing pictures and it contains arguably the best set of songs assembled for one of his film's. Along with the wonderful title song we also get the likes of "The Lady Loves Me", "Come On Everybody", "The Yellow Rose Of Texas", "The Eyes Of Texas Are Upon You", "I Need Somebody To Lean On", "Today, Tomorrow And Forever", "What'd I Say", "If You Think I Don't Need You" & Margret weighs in too with the delightful "Appreciation" & "My Rival". Oddly, and the subject of much criticism over the passing decades, RCA pretty much ignored the soundtrack for the film. Cutting some highly regarded tunes from the film and failing to truly market and utilise what was on offer. The fools.

With both stars looking and sounding terrific (Presley looks like he is cut from porcelain), and Margret matching the King for energy and ants in your pants dancing, Viva Las Vegas is a ball of fun. An ode to love, joy and music, so really there's no excuse to not let the Pelvis and the Derriere take you to foot tapping Nirvana. 7/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$1,000,000.00

Revenue:

$9,400,000.00

Keywords

dancing
rock 'n' roll
helicopter
gambling
photographer
car crash
swimming pool
talent show
singer
sexual harassment
las vegas
race car driver
showgirl
water skiing
race car
drag race