|
'''''King Creole''''' is a 1958 American [[Musical film|musical]] [[drama film]] directed by [[Michael Curtiz]] and based on the 1952 novel ''[[A Stone for Danny Fisher]]'' by [[Harold Robbins]]. Produced by [[Hal B. Wallis]], the film stars [[Elvis Presley]], [[Carolyn Jones]], [[Walter Matthau]], [[Dolores Hart]], [[Dean Jagger]], [[Vic Morrow]], [[Liliane Montevecchi]] and [[Paul Stewart (actor)|Paul Stewart]], and it follows a nineteen-year-old (Presley) who gets mixed up with crooks and involved with two women.
Presley later indicated that of all the characters that he portrayed throughout his acting career, the role of Danny Fisher in ''King Creole'' was his favorite. To make the film, Presley was granted a 60-day deferment from January to March 1958 for beginning [[Military career of Elvis Presley|his military service]]. Location shooting in [[New Orleans]] was delayed several times by crowds of fans attracted by the stars, particularly Presley.
The film was released on July 2, 1958, by [[Paramount Pictures]] to critical and commercial success. Many critics were unanimous in their praise ofpraised Presley's performance, and the film peaked at number five on the ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' box -office earnings chartschart. The soundtrack song "[[Hard Headed Woman]]" reached number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' singles chart]] and number two on the R&B chart, and was certified gold by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)]], while the soundtrack album peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' album chart.
==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=August 2024}}<!--Plot is nearly 900 words; per [[MOS:FILMPLOT]], plot summaries should be between 400 and 700 words per [[MOS:FILMPLOT]]-->
Nineteen-year-old high school student Danny Fisher ([[Elvis Presley]]) works before and after school in order to support his father (Dean Jagger) and sister Mimi (Jan Shepard). After Danny's mother died, his grieving father lost his job as a pharmacist, and moved his impoverished family to the [[French Quarter]] in New Orleans.
[[File:King Creole 1958 (Elvis Presley and Carolyn Jones).JPG|thumb|left|Danny protects Ronnie from one of Maxie Field's customers]]
At work one morning, Danny rescues Ronnie ([[Carolyn Jones]]) from her abusive date. After a taxi ride to Danny's high school, she kisses him. Danny responds to some schoolmates' teasing by kissing Ronnie back and then punching one of them in the face. That earns him a trip to the principal's office. Miss Pearson (Helene Hatch), his teacher, tells Danny that he will not graduate. Principal Mr. Evans (Raymond Bailey) is sympathetic, but powerless to help, so Danny decides to drop out of school.
When he leaves the school grounds, three young men take him into an alley. Their leader, Shark (Vic Morrow), wants revenge for Danny hitting his brother. Danny defends himself so well that Shark invites him to join them. LaterMr. Fisher tries to convince his son to stay in school. Instead, he helps Shark's gang shoplift at a [[Variety store#North America|five-and-dime]] by singing "Lover Doll" to distract the customers and staff.
Mr. Fisher tries to convince his son to stay in school. Instead he helps Shark's gang shoplift at a "[[Variety store#North America|five-and-dime]]" by singing "Lover Doll" to distract the customers and staff.
[[File:King Creole 1958 (Elvis Presley and Dolores Hart).JPG|thumb|right|Nellie confesses to Danny that she is willing to see him again]]
Only Nellie ([[Dolores Hart]]), working at the snack bar, notices his complicity in the theft, but she does not turnreport him in. Danny invites Nellie to a fictitious party in a hotel room; finding nobody else there, she starts crying and leaves after admitting that she still wants to see him again, but not under those conditions.
[[File:Belair Drive-in Ad - 2 July 1958, Fontana, CA.jpg|left|thumb|150px|[[Drive-in theater|Drive-in]] advertisement from 1958]]
That night, Danny meets Ronnie again at "The Blue Shade" night club, where he is working. At first, she pretends not to know him, as she is accompanied by her boyfriend and the club's owner, Maxie Fields, aka "The Pig" ([[Walter Matthau]]). When Maxie does not believe her, she claims that she heard Danny sing once. Maxie insists that Danny prove that he can sing. His rendition of "Trouble" impresses Charlie LeGrand ([[Paul Stewart (actor)|Paul Stewart]]), the honest owner of the "King Creole" club, the only nightspot in the area not owned by Maxie;. heHe offers Danny a job as a singer.
Meanwhile, Mr. Fisher gets work as a pharmacist in a drug store, but his boss, Mr. Primont ([[Gavin Gordon (actor)|Gavin Gordon]]), is constantly demeaning him, much to Danny's embarrassment. That makes it easier for Danny to go against his father's wishes and take Charlie's offer. When Danny is a hit, Maxie tries to hire him. Danny declines his offer out of loyalty to Charlie.
Shark, now working for Maxie, suggests to Danny they beat up Primont to help his father. When Mr. Fisher leaves the store dressed in Primont's hat and coat (lent due to a rainstorm), Shark recognizes him, but decides to mugmugs him anyway, as that would be even better for Maxie's purposes. Danny's father is so badly injured, that he needs an expensive operation;, which Maxie pays for a specialist to perform it. Maxie later blackmails Danny into signing with him by threatening to tell his father about his involvement in the mugging, then does it anyway. Danny pummels Maxie for the betrayal and helps Ronnie leave him.
Maxie sends his henchmen after Danny. Shark and another gang member trap him in an alley. Danny knocks out one of his pursuers. Then Shark stabs Danny, but is himself killed. Ronnie finds Danny and takes him to her house on a bayou to recover. She asks him to forget her sordid past and pretend to love her. Danny replies that it would not be difficult and kisses her. Maxie drives up, accompanied by Dummy (Jack Grinnage), a member of Danny's former gang. Maxie fatally shoots Ronnie. Dummy, who had been befriended by Danny, grapples with Maxie;, but the gun goes off, killing its owner.
Danny returns to the "''King Creole "''. He sings the lines , "Let's think of the future, forget the past, you're not my first love, but you're my last" , to Nellie in the audience. Mr . Fisher shows uparrives to listen to his son sing. ▼
▲Danny returns to the "King Creole". He sings the lines "Let's think of the future, forget the past, you're not my first love, but you're my last" to Nellie in the audience. Mr Fisher shows up to listen to his son sing.
==Cast==
{{div col}}
==Production==
[[Hal B. Wallis|Hal Wallis]] acquired the rights to ''[[A Stone for Danny Fisher]]'' in February 1955 for $25,000,<ref>{{citation | title = Hal Wallis, producer to the stars | last = Dick | first = Bernard | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=y_ibD5RpKzMC&q=Hal%20Wallis%3A%20producer%20to%20the%20stars&pg=PA162 | page = 162| publisher = University Press of Kentucky | isbn = 0813129079 }}</ref> with the intention of giving the lead role of a New York boxer to either [[James Dean]] or [[Ben Gazzara]]. The role was originally written for Dean, but the project was cancelledcanceled after his death in 1955.<ref name = Jagger>{{citation | last = Jagger | first = Dan | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=b67-82VZctUC&q=Elvis%20Presley%3A%20Silver%20Screen%20Icon%3A%20A%20Collection%20of%20Movie%20Posters&pg=PA20 | title = Elvis Presley | year = 2002 | page = 20| publisher = The Overmountain Press | isbn = 9781570722325 }}</ref> In January 1957, following the success of an [[off-Broadway]] stage version of the story, Presley was suggested as a possible replacement.<ref name="Elvis Enc-286">{{citation |title = The Elvis Encyclopedia | last = Victor | first = Adam | page = 286}}</ref> After negotiations were completed, the character of Fisher was changed from a boxer to a singer and the location was moved from New York to New Orleans.<ref>{{citation | last = Doll | first = Susan | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fjDg4ueH-MYC&q=elvis%20for%20dummies&pg=PT108 | title = Elvis for Dummies | date = 5 June 2009 | page = 110| publisher = John Wiley & Sons | isbn = 9780470562086 }}</ref>
Wallis selected [[Michael Curtiz]], a noted director of the [[Studio system|Hollywood studio system]] whose works included ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood]]'', ''[[Yankee Doodle Dandy]]'' and ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]''.<ref name="Elvis G-286">Guralnick, Jorgensen p. 286.</ref> Curtiz decided to shoot the film in [[black -and -white]] for dramatic ambiance and to give the streets a [[film noir]] appearance. He also selected an experienced cast to support Presley, including Walther[[Walter Matthau]] and [[Carolyn Jones]], as well as [[Dolores Hart]], Presley's co-star in the 1957 film ''[[Loving You (1957 film)|Loving You]].''<ref>{{citation | last = Dick | first = Bernard | title = Hal Wallis, producer to the stars | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=y_ibD5RpKzMC&q=Hal%20Wallis%3A%20producer%20to%20the%20stars&pg=PA163 | page = 163| publisher = University Press of Kentucky | isbn = 0813129079 }}</ref> Curtiz instructed a "taken aback" Presley to lose fifteen pounds and shave his sideburns for the role, both of which Presley did.<ref name=gural450>{{cite book |last=Guralnick|first=Peter|title=Last Train to Memphis |url=https://archive.org/details/lasttraintomemph00gura_0|url-access=registration|year=1994|page =[https://archive.org/details/lasttraintomemph00gura_0/page/450 450]|publisher=Little, Brown, and Co. |isbn=978-0-316-33220-0 }}</ref>
On December 20, 1957, a month before filming was due to begin, Presley received his [[Conscription|draft notice]].<ref name = "Day by Day-116">Guralnick, Jorgensen p. 116</ref> Presley and Paramount had to request special permission to defer Presley's enlistment to allow him to finish the film. Both pointed out to the draft board that a delay in filming would cost them a large sum of money invested in the pre-production of the film. On December 27, Presley received a 60-day deferment.<ref>{{citation | last1 = Jeansonne | first1 = Glenn | last2 = Luhrssen | first2 = David | last3 = Sokolovic | first3 = Dan | title = Elvis Presley, Reluctant Rebel | year = 2011 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kUXPpQAhsCkC&q=deferment&pg=PA147 | page = 147| publisher = Bloomsbury Academic | isbn = 9780313359040 }}</ref><ref>{{citation | last = Doll | first = Susan | title = Elvis for Dummies | date = 5 June 2009 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fjDg4ueH-MYC&q=elvis%20for%20dummies&pg=PT95 | page = 95| publisher = John Wiley & Sons | isbn = 9780470562086 }}</ref>
Filming took place between January 20 and March 10, 1958, mostly at [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount Studios]] in Los Angeles, California,<ref name="Elvis Enc-286"/> and on location in the [[French Quarter]] in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], while theLouisiana, scene of the bayou was filmed at [[Lake Pontchartrain]].<ref>{{citation | last = Widmer | first = Mary Lou | title = New Orleans in the Fifties | date = 31 July 2004 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=36yYPH5XNvkC&q=New%20Orleans%20in%20the%20Fifties&pg=PA126 | page = 126| publisher = Pelican | isbn = 9781455609505 }}</ref> During filming, Presley was constantly moved to avoid the crowds of fans who came to see him on location, which delayed the film-makingfilmmaking. Wallis had rented a house for Presley's privacy, and a second one after one of his assistants noticed that the back of the houses in the block led to the back of the houses on the adjacent street. To escape from the crowds, Presley would climb to the roof of one house and cross over onto the roof of the other.<ref>Doll, Susan (1994); pp.61, 62</ref><ref>Wallis, Hal B; Higham, Charles; p.150</ref> After a fan discovered his path, he resided on the tenth floor of the [[Beverly Wilshire Hotel]], which was rented for the whole cast.<ref name="Day by Day-116" />
Before filming began, Curtiz was convinced that Presley would be a "conceited boy", but after a few weeks of working together, he described Presley as a "lovely boy" who would go on to be a "wonderful actor".<ref name=gural450/> Presley, after seeing an early copy of the finished film, thanked Curtiz for giving him the opportunity to show his potential as an actor; he would later cite Danny Fisher as his favorite role of his acting career. Fourteen days after the completion of ''King Creole'', Presley was officially inducted into the U.S. Army.<ref name="Elvis Enc-286"/>
==Reception==
[[File:King Creole advertisement - Modern Screen, August 1958.jpg|thumb|right|Advertisement in ''[[Modern Screen]]'' (Aug 1958)]]
The film was first shown at [[Loew's State Theatre (New York City)|Loew's State Theater]] in New York City<ref name="Reid"/> on July 2, 1958.<ref>{{citation | last = Landers | first = Steve | title = The Life of Elvis Aaron Presley | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KPF3HdGV_K0C&q=The%20Life%20Of%20Elvis%20Aaron%20Presley%20Elvis%20Facts%20For%20Elvis%20Fans&pg=PA1957 | page = 1957| publisher = Lulu.com | isbn = 9781435739055 }}</ref> During the opening week, it ranked number five in box -office earnings on the ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' national survey.<ref>{{citation | last = Jagger | first = Dan | title = Elvis Presley, Silver Screen Icon | year = 2002 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=b67-82VZctUC&q=Elvis%20Presley%3A%20Silver%20Screen%20Icon%3A%20A%20Collection%20of%20Movie%20Posters&pg=PA21 | page = 21| publisher = The Overmountain Press | isbn = 9781570722325 }}</ref> The film received critical acclaim.
During the May of 1959 Mexican premiere at Américas Cinema in [[Mexico D.F.|Mexico City]], a riot started when, according to the local newspapers, 600 teenagers broke into the theater without paying the admission fee. The crowd occupied the balcony area and destroyed the seats, while they threw litflaming papers and debris to the attendants. As some women tried to leave the premises, they were stripped of their clothing by the rioters. The group was reported to be a mixture of university students and other locals that joined. The [[Riot control|anti-riot]] police arrived to the scene, whereand they scattered the crowd, whilebut no arrests were made.{{sfn|Zolov, Eric|1999|p=47}} Writer Parménides García Saldaña later recounted the incident on his article "El Rey Criollo", in which he detailed the presence of gangs and their harassment of the women in attendance.{{sfn|Zolov, Eric|1999|p=48}}
===Critical reception===
</blockquote>
''[[Variety magazine|Variety]]'' declared that the film "Showsshows the young star [Presley] as a better than fair actor".<ref>{{citation | last = Victor | first = Adam |title = The Elvis Encyclopedia | page = 287}}</ref>
[[Howard Thompson (film critic)|Howard Thompson]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' also gave a favorable review:
<blockquote>Mr. Curtiz and his players have got it snugly draped around Mr. Presley's shoulders. And there it stays, until a limp melodramatic home stretch, even with eight or so of those twitching, gyrating musical interludes. ... These also perfectly typify the Bourbon Street honky-tonks that Mr. Curtiz and his fine photographer, Russ Harlan, have beguilingly drenched with atmosphere. Matching, or balancing, the tunes are at least seven characterizations that supply the real backbone and tell the story of the picture. ... for Mr. Presley, in his third screen attempt, it's a pleasure to find him up to a little more than Bourbon Street shoutin' and wigglin'. Acting is his assignment in this shrewdly upholstered showcase, and he does it, so help us over a picket fence.<ref>{{cite news| title= Actor With Guitar|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D05E0D91E31E73BBC4C53DFB1668383649EDE|author=Howard Thompson | date=July 4, 1958|work=The New York Times| access-date= June 20, 2011}}</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>The girls in his (Michael Curtiz's) latest film, King Creole, are both played by good, serious actresses: Carolyn Jones and Dolores Hart... Both are shown to be hungrily, desperately, unpridefully in love with him (Presley's character). They have no existence, except in him; do nothing but wait for him; hope for nothing but a little rough affection... Instead of being kissed, they beg for kisses, which Mr. Presley sulkily and reluctantly hands out now and then, with the air of a small, fastidious boy being pressed to eat marshmallow and, though he feels a bit sick, not quite knowing how to get out of it... As the most extreme example of a contemporary idol, Mr. Presley is pretty fascinating, and, though you may be put off at first by his pale, puffy, bruised looking babyish face, by the weary cherubic decadence you might imagine in Nero, and the excessive greasiness of his excessively long, spiky locks, his films, however bad (and King Creole is pretty low on his list), are well worth taking a look at.<ref>''The Spectator''; p.307</ref></blockquote>
About Presley's performance, ''[[Down BeatDownBeat]]'' wrote:, "Let it be noted that Elvis Presley's latest, King Creole, is his best picture thus far--comparatively speaking, of course. Maybe about 10 more films (and as many drama coaches) from now Elvis might begin to get an inkling of what acting's all about."<ref>''Down Beat'', p.44</ref>
''[[Macfadden Publications|TV-Radio Mirror]]'' magazine praised Presley's acting over his past roles: "Elvis Presley does his strongest acting job so far. Two years ago, Presley on the screen was a laughing stock. But nobody is laughing now.".<ref>{{citation | last = Kirchberg | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RdhpXMEZbcQC&q=king%20creole&pg=PA59 | title = Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon, and the American dream |date = January 1999| page = 59| publisher=McFarland |isbn = 9780786407163}}</ref>
Meanwhile, The ''[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' criticized the violence depicted in the film and rated the movie a III, denoting poor, stating, "This entangled series of cliches, each with more unlikely motivation than the last, provides the most unattractive Presley vehicle so far. His numbers only offer intermittent relief from the calculated violence and viciousness, and he can do little to balance the disagreeable movie"."<ref>{{citation | last = Caine | first = Andrew James | title = Interpreting Rock Movies | year = 2004 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=S1FVg61QpxEC&q=Interpreting%20rock%20movies%3A%20the%20pop%20film%20and%20its%20critics%20in%20Britain&pg=PA65 | page = 65| publisher = Manchester University Press | isbn = 9780719065385 }}</ref>
''[[Commonweal (magazine)|Commonweal]]'' lamented the lack of punishment to the main character for his actions, but praised the director for his influence on Presley:
''[[TimesDaily|The Florence Times]]'' wrote of Presley:
<blockquote>theThe fellow isn't a bad actor. Of course, he's nothing at all sensational and the Academy Award isn't in danger, but there are Hollywood habitues who've gotten by for years with less ability. In fact, given the normal amount of the more painstaking type of direction, it is entirely possible that Mr. Wiggle-hips could develop into a really competent actor. As long, however, as he can continue to attract audiences in present proportions there's little need in worrying with drama schools.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dxYsAAAAIBAJ&dq=king-creole&pg=767%2C4748525|title='King Creole' has Elvis, little Else ... But He's Quite Sufficient|work=The Florence Times|date=July 14, 1958|access-date=November 7, 2011|page=11|volume=99|number=105}}</ref></blockquote>
''[[Allrovi]]'' rated the movie with four stars out of five, stating:, "The film's highlight is a brief exchange of fisticuffs between Elvis and Walter Matthau. Together with ''[[Jailhouse Rock (film)|Jailhouse Rock]]'', ''King Creole'' is one of the best filmed examples of the untamed, pre-army Elvis Presley"."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/king-creole-v27384 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720111856/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/king-creole-v27384 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |title=King Creole |work=AllRovi |publisher=Rovi |access-date=June 20, 2011 |first=Hal |last=Erickson }}</ref>
{{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/king_creole/ |title=King Creole |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=April 1, 2022 }}</ref>
==Home media==
The film was released on [[VHS]] by [[Paramount Pictures]] in 1986.<ref>{{cite book|title= Complete Video Directory |volume = Book 1 |publisher= Bowker|year= 2002| isbn= 978-0-8352-4478-7}}</ref> In 2000, it was re-released on [[DVD]] with remastered sound and image, featuring the original [[Trailer (promotion)|theatrical trailer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/release/king-creole-e8336 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720175638/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/release/king-creole-e8336 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 20, 2012 |title=King Creole DVD (2000) |work=Allrovie |publisher=Rovi |access-date=June 20, 2011 }}</ref> On April 21, 2020, it was released on [[Blu-ray]] for the first time as part of the Paramount Presents label.
==Soundtrack==
[[Category:1950s American films]]
[[Category:1958 drama films]]
[[Category:English-language musical drama films]]
|
