 |
 |
Projecting a positive image
Officially recognised by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc
|
|
SPINOUT U.K. title CALIFORNIA HOLIDAY (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1966) |
|
| In February 1966, Elvis reported to MGM's Culver City studios to begin work on his 22nd feature film, Spinout (California Holiday). This would re-unite him with director Norman Taurog, and Shelley Fabares (from Girl Happy) returned as one of the female co-stars, alongside newcomers Deborah Walley and Diane McBain. Male co-stars included Jimmy Hawkins (also returning from Girl Happy), Jack Mullaney (from Tickle Me) and Will Hutchins (who would appear with Elvis again in Clambake). This role was something of a mixture for Elvis in that he was not only the leader of a travelling band, but a successful race car driver also. The film represented a continuation of the lighthearted vehicles Elvis had been involved with for quite a period at this point in his Hollywood career. There were clearly no demands on his acting talents in such productions, and they certainly fitted into the pattern of acceptable mid-1960's musical comedies. As a man clearly opposed to the idea of marriage, but nonetheless chased by three different females all intent on wedding bells, Elvis gave a competent enough performance. With the band storyline, and with some nicely crafted comic moments, the film was at times reminiscent of Girl Happy but somehow lacked the chemistry evident in that movie. Set mostly around California's Santa Barbara area, the story featured nicely judged performances by Cecil Kellaway and Una Merkel as an elderly and somewhat eccentric, wealthy couple. At one point during production the film had a working title of Never Say Yes, which was certainly a more appropriate choice, given the main theme of the story. A song with the title of Never Say Yes was written for the film by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman (writers of hit songs such as His Latest Flame and Little Sister) and did of course feature on the soundtrack, but the film title eventually became Spinout and changed again to California Holiday for European release. The music
on the soundtrack consisted of a blend of soft ballads and up-tempo numbers. Stop,
Look and Listen and Adam and Evil showed a welcome return to a form
of rock song, if not exactly as memorable as earlier material. A single was lifted
from the soundtrack album, coupling the romantic ballad All That l Am with
the gutsier Spinout title song. In the U.S. it only reached no.40
in the charts, but reached the no.18 spot in `the U.K. The album itself climbed
to no. 18 and no. 17 in the U.S. and U.K. respectively. What is very interesting
about the soundtrack album is that it contains - as a bonus song - Elvis's wonderful
(and very lengthy) version of Bob Dylan's Tomorrow is a Long Time. It was
later reported that Dylan considered this one of his favourite albums of all time
as Elvis had agreed to record his song. The album also featured another bonus
song in the form of the haunting I'll Remember You, written by Kui Lee,
the Hawaiian artist for whose cancer fund Elvis performed the Aloha From Hawaii
concert some years later. This information was produced by the Elvis Presley Film Society in September 2003 |
||