A top of the western movies made by Elvis, from best to worse

[jurasic1968]

I was thinking now about a top five of Elvis western type movies, from best to worst. So, it goes something like this, in my opinion:
1. Flaming Star (the best).
2. Love Me Tender.
3. Tickle Me.
4. Charro.
5. Stay Away, Joe (the worst).
What do you think?

[musiclover1979]

Calling Tickle Me a western is a stretch, but otherwise I agree with this list.

[r&b]

I'd remove Tickle Me, dont think its a western, but if included it would be just above Stay Away Joe which really isnt a western either in the true sense of the genre. I'd have Charro after Love me Tender only because it truly was a western even tho a bad one

[jetblack]

'Flaming Star' and 'Love Me Tender' are the only ones I personally rate. The others were not worthy of the man's talent.

With co-star John McIntire on the set of 'Flaming Star'.

0d1e84a34ba41439fc5698f8a298bbe8.jpg

Andy

[jurasic1968]

Thanks.

[Igotstung]

I was thinking now about a top five of Elvis western type movies, from best to worst. So, it goes something like this, in my opinion:
1. Flaming Star (the best).
2. Love Me Tender.
3. Tickle Me.
4. Charro.
5. Stay Away, Joe (the worst).
What do you think?

Agree with your list. Stay Away Joe is the worst Elvis movie. The only saving grace is that Elvis looks fabulous in it.

[jurasic1968]

Yes, he looked great, but the script was very bad. Maybe his very worst film.

[Greystoke]

Yes, he looked great, but the script was very bad. Maybe his very worst film.

It seems as though Peter Tewksbury was dismissive of the script (according to Micheal A. Hoey), which had been through several rewrites before the director took an improvisational approach. Which didn't work. It's a rambling mess of a film that's hampered even further by racial stereotypes. It isn't clever and it isn't funny.

Elvis does look great and he's on quite bright form, even though he doesn't do much. And this film also boasts one of the better casts that Elvis ever worked with. Thankless as their roles may be, namely Katy Jurado, Burgess Meredith, Thomas Gomez, and Joan Blondell.

Coincidentally, after Mike C mentioning James Cagney on another thread earlier today, Joan Blondell frequently acted with Cagney in the 1930s and was one of his finest co-stars in their seven films together. And Blondell was still finding good roles in the sixties and seventies, even if Stay Away, Joe wasn't one of them. She's very good in The Cincinnati Kid with Steve McQueen. And she's a welcome presence in Grease, too.

Stay Away, Joe does boast some good location work, although the scenery is more impressive than the acting. But I think a case can be made for this being Elvis's worst film. Then again, the bar did get very low. It's between this and Tickle Me for me.

bathtub_399x5002.jpeg

[jurasic1968]

Well, I think that Elvis was good to play in a non singing Western type movie role. Maybe in Easy Rider with Peter Fonda.

[jurasic1968]

And with Steve McQueen, like Greystoke said earlier.

[Walter Hale 4]

i'll answer you in two ways:

The films in general:

1. Flaming Star (Indeed it is the best by the entire cast ).
2. Love Me Tender.
3. Charro
4. Stay Away, Joe (the worst).


Elvis' own performances in his roles:


1. Flaming Star (brilliant, absolutely brilliant ).
2. Charro
3. Love me Tender
4. Stay away, Joe (clearly he was going through the motions with this dud)

[Greystoke]

Well, I think that Elvis was good to play in a non singing Western type movie role. Maybe in Easy Rider with Peter Fonda.

I can't see or imagine Elvis in Easy Rider. The very existence of this film was the antithesis of everything Elvis was doing in Hollywood at the time. I do think he might have been good in The Sons of Katie Elder alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin, in the role Earl Holliman had as Matt Elder. And I think he would have been better than Glen Campbell in True Grit.

Unfortunately, the kind of compromises that might have been needed for Elvis to act in films such as these seems inconceivable, considering the way Elvis and Tom Parker operated in Hollywood.

[clambake1967]

1. Flaming star
2.Charro
3. Tickle Me
4. Love me tender
(...)
31. Worst Elvis " scripted" movie...Stay Away, Joe.

[jurasic1968]

Yes, Stay Away, Joe was the worst movie Elvis ever did.

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

I don`t know why so many here do not like the movie "Stay Away, Joe"?
I like it for what it is, a great comedy and party neo western movie.
We get the best looking and coolest Elvis here.
We get some great fights, some great filmings of Arizona.
"Stay Away" and"Stay Away, Joe" are great songs.
I like the funny scene when Elvis was singing "All I Needed Was the Rain" with all the dogs.
It´s about comedy, slapstick and not to be taken so seroius, but I gues that is one point of many todays people to think to much about other than to just enjoy.

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

His best Western movie is "Flaming Star"

[jurasic1968]

No doubt about it.

[yellowstone]

I don`t know why so many here do not like the movie "Stay Away, Joe"?
I like it for what it is, a great comedy and party neo western movie.
We get the best looking and coolest Elvis here.
We get some great fights, some great filmings of Arizona.
"Stay Away" and"Stay Away, Joe" are great songs.
I like the funny scene when Elvis was singing "All I Needed Was the Rain" with all the dogs.
It´s about comedy, slapstick and not to be taken so seroius, but I gues that is one point of many todays people to think to much about other than to just enjoy.

I'm absolutely with you regarding Stay Away Joe. I love Sedona and Oak Creek. I love Elvis' look. I love the movie songs (including Going Home) and I love the movie as Elvis plays Elvis in this movie. The sense of humor, the fighting around and everything. It was not the artificial embarrassing gag scenes. It was fun with a taste of chaos. You can tell by the way he acts and the way he smiles .. that this was Elvis as he really was. Not the yoga Elvis or the chicken-truck Elvis. It was the fighting-fun Elvis like we know him from the home movies where he tries to beat his entire entourage on the roadside).
I don't think it would be the first movie I would show to an outsider to convince him to become an Elvis fan. But for me, who loves Elvis, this movie is a great work of entertainment. And many of my friends think this way, too. So, we are not alone.

1. Flaming Star
2. Charro
3. Stay Away Joe
4. Love Me Tender

[jurasic1968]

Ok.

[mike edwards66]

Stay Away Joe - love it (Burgess Meredith - Would either of you like to use the toilet?)

Love Me Tender - Elvis at his most endearing.

Flaming Star - Elvis looked great and its watchable without being memorable. I would have gladly swapped this and Wild In The Country for two more delicious musicals (with 28 more great recordings) in the style of Blue Hawaii and GI Blues.

Charro - awful.

[jurasic1968]

Agree. Charro was bad, really bad.

[jurasic1968]

Wild in the Country was not good, Flaming Star was better in my opinion.

[bajo]

I was thinking now about a top five of Elvis western type movies, from best to worst. So, it goes something like this, in my opinion:
1. Flaming Star (the best).
2. Love Me Tender.
3. Tickle Me.
4. Charro.
5. Stay Away, Joe (the worst).
What do you think?

I think I must revert to some of my children. Back in the day, I don't remember when, one simply loved Charro. A poor video copy! But, he simply loved it! He never could get enough of it! Another liked Tickle Me, because of those"spooky"scenes. But, for me, I think Flaming Star was a good Elvis performance! I never considered Love Me Tender an Elvis movie! It was what it was, at that time! Nice thread though!

[jeanno]

3. Charro => 1.5/5
2. Love me tender => 2.5/5
1. Flaming Star => 4/5

Neither Stay Away Joe nor Tickle Me are "westerns" to me.

[elvisfan51]

3. Charro => 1.5/5
2. Love me tender => 2.5/5
1. Flaming Star => 4/5

Neither Stay Away Joe nor Tickle Me are "westerns" to me.

I agree!