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Roustabout | Year: 1964 Classification: Musical Directed: - John Rich Actors/Actresses: - Elvis Presley - Barbara Stanwyck ROUSTABOUT--ELVIS' MOST ENTERTAINING FILM Since "Roustabout" debuted in 1965, I've become an expert on it. The cast includes a screen legend as well as recognizable supporting actors. Besides Barbara Stanwyck, there is Pat Buttrum, Sue Ann Langdon, and Norman Grabowski as the cement-headed college student who tries to muss Elvis's hair. Joan Freeman is Elvis' romantic interest. She later co-starred with Don Knotts in "The Reluctant Astronaut". Imagine kissing Elvis in one movie and Don Knotts another. Well, I guess that's why they call it "acting". As for the story, it revolves around Elvis as a temporary carnival worker while aiming for the BIG time. There is a fistfight with Elvis nemesis Steve Brodie, Elvis riding his "bike", Elvis as the saviour of the carnival, and Elvis with a new girlfriend. What more could you ask for? If you can think for yourself, and not be content with "Blue Hawaii" as your favorite, then check out "Roustabout". It's more fun than a circus, "cheap at half the price" AND, you won't have to "bite any heads off chickens". Can you believe it? A leather-clad drifting biker! "Roustabout" has Elvis playing a karate-chopping, drifting motorcyclist who is picked up after an accident involving him being knocked off his bike by local carnival foreman Leif Erikson, with his daughter Joan Freeman and owner Barbara Stanwyck. After his bike and guitar are damaged, he is hired by Stanwyck to work as a roustabout in her carnival. Elvis, of course, soon falls for Joan Freeman who is a little reluctant at first. Over time the carnival becomes the local night spot around as Elvis attracts people for singing along the midway. In come the teenagers and crowds in droves. Rival carnivla owner Pat Buttram asks if Elvis is interested in joining his big carnival. He refuses. After some confrontation involving a stolen wallet Erikson is convicted of and Joan Freeman's unhappiness with Elvis, he quits Stanwyck's outfit. Then it's off to the Carver show. Elvis is a hit. Back at the other carnival, business is failing and troubles with the bank build. Joan Freeman tries to bring him back, but to no avail at first. Later Elvis decides to go back, pay off the debt, win Joan Freeman, and make the carnival a swinging place again. Quintessential! Wheels On Your Heels! I won't bore you with a plot synopsis or my opinion of the borderline interesting story - this movie IS WORTH SEEING for one jaw-dropping sequence: For the rockingest song in the movie, "Wheels On My Heels", Elvis is driving his own motorcycle on a real location road and lip-syncing at the same time - without a helmet! This is not some lame rear projection process and most of the time the entire bike is shown, so it's not being towed - I just found it amazing, no kidding. I mean, what if he lost his concentration...boom! Brain damage.<BR>Oh and Leif Erickson will make you really uncomfortable in this movie - what a loser slime. Buy Roustabout at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Roustabout Search with the Priority Search Engine on Roustabout This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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