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In January 1963 Elvis began work on Paramount's Fun in Acapulco
with Hal Wallis serving as producer once again. Appointed as director on the project
was Richard Thorpe who had directed Elvis several years earlier in MGM's Jailhouse
Rock. Some location filming of course took place in the popular Mexican
resort of Acapulco - but minus one vital ingredient, that being Elvis himself.
None of Elvis's scenes supposedly in the resort were actually shot there, but
were all done in Hollywood. Considering all the locations Elvis had travelled
to for filming up to that time - New Orleans (King Creole), Napa
Valley, California (Wild in the Country), Florida (Follow
That Dream), Hawaii (Blue Hawaii, Girls! Girls! Girls!),
Idyllwild, California (Kid Galahad) and Seattle (It Happened
at the World's Fair) it was rather strange that he did not go on location
this time round, given that the entire story was set in Mexico.
The leading lady on this occasion was Swiss-born star Ursula Andress, here following
her role in the first James Bond film, Dr. No, with Sean Connery.
The beautiful Ms. Andress was a formidable presence and proved a very engaging
co-star. Another important role in the film, that of a celebrated female bullfighter,
was played by Mexican actress Elsa Cardenas. A nice twist on the well-worn path
of 'experienced, ageing, street-wise manager/agent' type of individual guiding
a protege to better things was provided with the casting of child star Larry Domasin
as Elvis's tireless, self-appointed mentor. (Colonel Tom Parker must have been
proud of him) Oscar-winning, Hungarian-born veteran actor Paul Lukas was cast
as a hot-tempered chef and father to Ursula Andress. Latin actor Alejandro Rey
played the part of the requisite rival to Elvis.
There was just a little more drama in this story with Elvis cast as a member of
a trapeze artist family - 'The Flying Windgrens' - who was more or less running
away from a tragic accident in which his brother had been killed during the family's
act. His mysterious arrival in Acapulco begins the chain of events that leads
the audience to the revelation about his past.
The soundtrack music for the film consisted of 11 songs - all specifically written
for the movie and many featuring a distinctive Latin flavour. Elvis performed
this style very well and gave a rendition (featured at the film's finale) of the
song Guadalajara completely in Spanish. The album - which also included
2 'bonus' songs - achieved a high of no.3 and no.9 in the U.S. and U. K, charts
respectively. A single was issued to promote the film - Bossa Nova Baby
coupled with Witchcraft (a song not from the film) and reached a high of
no.8 in the U.S. and no.13 in the U.K.
This information was produced by the Elvis Presley Film Society in November 2003
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