Roustabout (1964)

As Good As It Gets

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

my above summary cleverly leaves out some negatives: too many songs (as good as they all are, esp. a Classic remake of a semi-hit for the COASTERS, called LITTLE Egypt) and too many embarrassing moments from a script just one draft short of "done".we must believe that Elvis, as itinerant odd-jobber, riding his Honda (in lieu of a Harley? Paramount, how could ya?), geetah strapped on back (his best gig is rockin' wherever there's an opening) gave his role some thought as the great Barbara Stanwyck took the challenge to play Owner of struggling Carny.yes, the Big El swaggers in, reluctantly to...save the day and fall in....NO SPOILER!. Elvis really sells his scenes (a coupla times, I had to look away, in epic embarrassment, but...OK).typically, he has to fight off young ladies and middle aged drunks. (fight scenes are pretty damm good).most of the vinyl and CD soundtrack is horribly mixed. as usual, the *movie* mix is more professional.NOTE: terrific, uptempo "alternate" theme song, I'M A ROUSTABOUT, was canned, originally, in favor of the more politically-correct Perry Como style tune. thankfully, it finally came out in the early 2000s! check it out!

Vagabond singer Elvis Presley (as Charlie Rogers) gets a job working at a carnival owned by strong-willed Barbara Stanwyck (as Maggie Morgan). There, after years "playing the field," Mr. Presley gets the urge to settle down with one woman, pretty Joan Freeman (as Cathy Lean). But, Presley doesn't get along with folks like Ms. Freeman's alcoholic father Leif Erikson (as Joe Lean). After a misunderstanding, Presley leaves his budding "family", and goes to work for Ms. Stanwyck's sleazy rival, Pat Buttram (as Harry Carver). Will chip-shouldered Presley stay with the bad influence Buttram, or return to stable Stanwyck and sweet Freeman? The waste of cast and crew involved in this boring film is criminal. The musical highlight is the Leiber-Stoller classic "Little Egypt"; although Presley lip-syncs lethargically, dancing girl Wilda Taylor is a sight for sore eyes. Presley, who hides a growing paunch and occasionally appears "under the influence," looks better during the nicely photographed "Big Love, Big Heartache". The studio mixes of the other songs sound much better on the nicely sequenced "Roustabout" stereo album, especially "Poison Ivy League", "Roustabout", and "One Track Heart". "It's a Wonderful World" received some "Best Song" Oscar buzz.*** Roustabout (11/11/64) John Rich ~ Elvis Presley, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Freeman, Leif Erickson

It has Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck) from The Big Valley, Big John Cannon (Leif Erickson) from The High Chaparral, Wilbur Jonas (Dabbs Greer), the general store owner from Gunsmoke, Pat Buttram who was Gene Autry's sidekick from his western TV series, and Joan Freeman who played Cathy Lean did a guest role on Gunsmoke as a kidnapped girl named Annie Shields. Sue Ane Langdon who played Madame Mijanou, Fortune Teller was in one western movie that I can name, "The Cheyenne Social Club". Elvis of course was quite a western actor himself in such movies as "Love Me Tender", "Flaming Star" and "Charro". This is all just a point that I'm making. Elvis was born to be a cowboy actor as well as a singer. He wasn't only King of Rock and Roll, he was also another King of the Cowboys, as was Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry.

I just watched one of my Christmas presents, the ROUSTABOUT DVD and was sad to observe that they "cut" parts of it out from the regular movie and video......The Tea Room scene where Raquel Welch appears after the fight scene, her part was cut! Plus the Red West bit-part was cut.And on the DVD box it mentions Raquel Welch's "girls in shower" scene as her debut which is a GOOF. That's not her. Her debut was in the first scenes in the movie which was cut from the DVD version. Why Paramount, oh why?Bill Kaval 12-29-03