Clambake (1967)

Very well executed

Absolutely the worst movie.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Elvis Presley reunites with Shelley Fabares for this typical Elvis film, filled with girls, music, and fast vehicles. This film includes a Corvette concept car and some racing boats. But the music is mediocre at best.Shelley is a gold-digger looking to trap a wealthy man. She sets her sights on Bill Bixby, race boat driver. Elvis is a wealthy man masquerading as a water skiing instructor, so he flies under her radar. Inevitably, of course, the ruse is revealed.This is one of the thinner Elvis films. In my opinion, Shelley Fabares--despite the writing--is the highlight of this production.Because there is actually a song titled "Clambake" in this film, you have to wonder if they were naming these films just to make it difficult for the songwriters, as a joke.

Hey,i really like the movie,i don't know why people give for it bad critics and ratings,i've seen about 7 Elvis movies and this one is probably my favorite,sure when the movie was filmed Elvis had his issues but this doesn't affect the result of the movie.Yes the plot is a common one like the most are..., Elvis changes places with a ''poor'' guy and pretends to be him,most movies use typical scenarios,what's the problem with that?i've still enjoyed the movie:).I found it very entertaining.I have both the soundtrack and the movie,the first song i really noticed and loved from the movie was 'a house that has everything' in which Elvis sings to Shelley Fabares while they were went out together.I love Shelley Fabares as a co-star she was such a pretty and charming girl ,here she plays the girl who is trying to find a rich guy and make a wealthy marriage.Generally the soundtrack is very good and the songs fit to the plot.many say that Elvis movies were bad cause they were not serious but why should they be only dramatic to take them seriously?many actors made a careers playing in light-hearted movies,the fact they are light-hearted does not make them bad and this movie it is really nice to watch .So i think the movie is great and very underrated when they rate it as a bad one while it is a great one,i'm glad i bought it

Although it has the worst title of any Elvis movie, "Clambake" (1967) is actually one of his better films. Which is surprising as it is one of his last and generally speaking each film seemed a bit worse than its predecessor. "Clambake's" salvation is certainly not in the soundtrack which is at best very ordinary, only the title song has any energy. Although there is an actual clambake scene on the beach about midway into the film, it seems thrown in just to justify the title, more impressive is a cameo of "Flipper" who had his own television show at that time.I'm inclined to credit Shelley Fabares for the good vibe I got from this film. She plays "golddigger with a heart of gold" Dianne Carter, Elvis' ultimate love interest. I never cared for her uptight Mary Stone character on reruns of "The Donna Reed Show", and therefore paid almost no attention to her until recently. But since seeing her in "Ride the Wild Surf" and "Clambake" I've had a major attitude adjustment. "Clambake" was the third time she was tapped for the love interest role in an Elvis film so obviously she and the King had grown comfortable working together. Their romance is a little different than the Elvis standard. In "Clambake" she does not start out hating or ignoring him. Instead they quickly become friends and she is obviously attracted, but she puts the brakes on any romance because she is hunting for a rich husband and has tycoon J.J. Jamison (Bill Bixby) squarely in her sights. She comes around in the end and their chemistry actually feels real, much like it did with Ann Margret in "Viva Las Vegas".The comfort factor is also apparent between Elvis and Will Hutchins, his real-life buddy. Oil tycoon Scott (Elvis) pulls a "Prince and the Pauper" and swaps places with drifter Tom Wilson (Hutchins). He wants to find someone who loves him for himself. Hutchins is supposed to provide the film's main comic relief as he enjoys the life of the rich and famous, driving Scott's "Munsters" inspired convertible and surrounding himself with gorgeous women who can't dance very well. Although the director had Hutchins overplay the part it is so poorly written that they can't squeeze many laughs out of the premise. But having most of his scenes with Fabares and Hutchins seems to have relaxed Elvis considerably, which makes both he and his film more likable. Contrary to most, I enjoyed the corny playground scene with the little girl who was afraid of the slide. The "Confidence" song is not a rip off of "High Hopes", the whole scene is a variation on the "Bounce Right Back" number Donald O'Connor did in "Anything Goes". While "Confidence" is not much of a song, this surreal scene is priceless. I wonder what long-time fans thought as they watched Elvis and Hutchins do something so totally "Guffman"? Most entertainers only do embarrassing stuff like this when they are first breaking into the business. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Although this film is not brilliant and nothing compared to the ingenuity that was "Jailhouse Rock" I enjoyed this film immensely and it is, as many Elvis films are, simple light-hearted fun. I would much rather watch Elvis in this than in the embarrassment of "Live a Little, Love A Little" where even the most devoted Elvis fan finds it hard to watch the icon suffer in such an embarrassing predicament. This film however is fun to watch and I did enjoy it although if you're looking for Elvis at his best or a serious film then this isn't the one for you. The plot, although predictable, was amusing and despite numerous goofs such as the scenery Elvis certainly had an on-screen presence and it was hard to keep my eyes off him!