Girl Happy
| Girl Happy | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Boris Sagal Jack Aldworth (ass't) |
| Produced by | Joe Pasternak |
| Written by | Harvey Bullock & R. S. Allen |
| Starring | Elvis Presley Shelley Fabares |
| Music by | George E. Stoll |
| Cinematography | Philip H. Lathrop |
| Editing by | Rita Roland |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | April 7, 1965 |
| Running time | 96 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Girl Happy is a 1965 American musical romantic comedy in the beach party film and spring break style, starring Elvis Presley. This was the last mega-successful Elvis Presley film at the box office, finishing at #25 on the Variety year-end top-grossing films of 1965 chart and making $3 million, although all of his subsequent films would still be profitable. The movie won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category Top Musical of 1965.[1] The movie featured the Top 40 Billboard hit "Puppet on a String", which reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart and in Canada, and was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Rusty Wells and his band are just about ready to leave Chicago for their annual spring break trip to Fort Lauderdale. That is, until Big Frank extends their stay at his club. Big Frank's daughter decides to go to Lauderdale with her friends for spring break, so he gets Rusty and his band to look after her and to make sure she stays out of trouble. While he attempts that, Rusty has to contend with a good-time girl, Deena, who has no patience for guys who stand her up or keep her waiting.
[edit] Primary cast
- Elvis Presley as Rusty Wells
- Shelley Fabares as Valerie Frank
- Harold Stone as Big Frank
- Gary Crosby as Andy
- Joby Baker as Wilbur
- Jimmy Hawkins as Doc
- Nita Talbot as Sunny Daze
- Mary Ann Mobley as Deena Shepherd
- Fabrizio Mioni as Romano Orlada
- Jackie Coogan as Sgt. Benson
- John Fiedler as Mr. Penchill
- Chris Noel as Betsy
- Beverly Adams as Girl #2 (uncredited)
- Dan Haggerty as Charlie (uncredited)
- Red West as Extra in the Kit Kat Club (uncredited)
[edit] Production notes
Although MGM presented Girl Happy as a beach party film ("Elvis brings his beat to the beach!" "Elvis jumps with the campus crowd to make the beach 'ball' bounce!") and while Presley had previously appeared shirtless in films prior to this, he never appears without a shirt at anytime throughout his many scenes at the pool and on the beach, even wearing long sleeves for most of the film.
Alternate titles considered were The Only Way to Love and Girl Crazy. Joe Pasternak had produced the similar spring break movie Where the Boys Are, which was also set in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1960.
Shelley Fabares, Mary Ann Mobley, and Chris Noel had each appeared in a beach party film movie prior to this: Fabares in Ride the Wild Surf and Mobley and Noel both in Get Yourself a College Girl. Shelley Fabares and Nina Talbot sing the song "Read All About It". This would the first of three movies in which she would co-star with Elvis Presley. Dan Haggerty, who plays Charlie, would later appear in the The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams movie and TV series.
[edit] Soundtrack
[edit] Home media and DVD reviews
The film made its home video debut in 1988, being released on VHS. When it was reissued on VHS in 1997, the song "Startin' Tonight" was deleted. It was eventually reinstated back into the film when it made its DVD debut in 2007.
[edit] DVD reviews
- Elvis - The Hollywood Collection (Kissin' Cousins/Girl Happy/Tickle Me/Stay Away, Joe/Live a Little, Love a Little/Charro!) Review by Stuart Galbraith IV at DVD Talk, September 11, 2007.
- Review by Mike Noyes at The DVD Lounge, 08.07.2007.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- For Elvis Fans Only Website decitated to Elvis Presley's Movies.
- Girl Happy at the Internet Movie Database
- Girl Happy at AllRovi
|
|||||||||||
