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

[MikeTCB]

I would also say that Flaming Star is the better Elvis western.

[jurasic1968]

Agree.

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

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.

Always when I see this movie I am thinking about Elvis could have been great in this one:

[jurasic1968]

Agree.

[Alexander]

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

Probably also one of the movie in which he looks at his best. No bonus points for that?

[jurasic1968]

Right.

[Greystoke]

I thought the ads and articles below were worth adding here.

A double-page spread advertising Charro! in Box Office magazine.

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A few seasonal advertisements for Love Me Tender from Variety.

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Seven Arts Associated advertising Love Me Tender in 1963, after they licensed the film for its first television broadcasts. Seven Arts Associated had a licensing agreement with Allied Artists, Monogram Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and 20th Century Fox.

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From 1956, regarding the print order for Love Me Tender, which was higher than usual.

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An early notice in the press regarding "Flaming Lance" being set up at Fox as Elvis's next film for the studio. This, after numerous projects were non-starters at the developmental stage, when Fox was looking to cast Elvis in his second film for the studio, e.g., "Enough Rope," "Solo," and "The Live Wire."

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Notice in the trades when Stay Away, Joe was in development. As mentioned, Burt Kennedy had written the screenplay and he was also attached to produce and direct at one stage, although he dropped out and Douglas Laurence was brought on board to produce.

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[jurasic1968]

Elvis looks great in Stay Away, Joe. No doubt about it. But the movie was bad.

[jurasic1968]

The script was awful.

[Greystoke]

The script was awful.

Whatever the script might have been, especially after it was re-written by Michael A. Hoey, the film's director, Peter Tewksbury, apparently veered away from the script with an improvisational approach instead. Hoey, however, said he was inspired to write something influenced by "Hud," which starred Paul Newman in 1963.

Perhaps the script was wanting in any regard. Although it would have been interesting to see Elvis in a film directed by Burt Kennedy.

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..

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

Elvis looks great in Stay Away, Joe. No doubt about it. But the movie was bad.

It was more like the real Elvis than all other Elvis movies. It looks like almost half like a real life documentary of having fun.
I love it.
In the late 1960s, they tried to go in a slightly different direction.
No Blue Hawaii or Fun in Accapulco in a different location.
They kept trying something new with Charro, Change of Habit, The Trouble With Girls, Stay Away Joe. All films had to fit in with Elvis' image and not be too expensive to produce.
Sergio Leone would certainly have made a better western with Elvis.
I think the biggest problem Tom Parker had was that he never saw Elvis as the artist but more as a brand with which one always wanted to make a quick buck.
Elvis, who came from Tupelo as a poor boy and became the most famous musician, probably lived in great wealth from about the age of 21 and was certainly very grateful to Tom Parker.

[jurasic1968]

But in the late 60's the profits from the movies went down.

[jurasic1968]

Elvis was successful in the movies with a formula in the 60's. 10 or 12 songs or even 14 songs in Blue Hawaii. That was all.

[Jokerlola]

I’ve never liked Love Me Tender. Flaming Star is a classic, sprawling western. It’s certainly not the best in its genre but it’s the best Elvis did. I loved his look in Charro and its ad campaign and it had so much potential but unfortunately, it comes off as a mediocre TV western. Although his last few movies didn’t do well at the box office, I liked the direction they were going, into more gritty, adult subjects. I wish he could have continued to do movies into the 70’s along with his concert appearances. I would have liked to have seen Elvis in the type of movies that were being made in the 70’s.

[Greystoke]

But in the late 60's the profits from the movies went down.

There were reasons for this, of course, although this does come with the territory for any actor that stars in numerous films. Every film can't and won't be successful. Every film doesn't have the same opportunities. Box office takings do and will fluctuate. And this can and will have a bearing on what we've been discussing on your other recent topic regarding the money Elvis made in Hollywood.

Both have made for good conversations, incidentally, so thank you for that.

[Greystoke]

Quite an appealing double-page spread advertising Flaming Star. Although the "Elvis singing . . . " tagline might have been misjudged.

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[jurasic1968]

It was discussed many times why Flaming Star was not a hit as GI Blues was. Because of less music, that is all.