Wild in the Country

Elvis Presley as a hell-raising juvenile delinquent? I don't think so. That's what `Wild in the Country' would have us believe, but in reality he's the only honest and decent male in the movie. He plays a misunderstood young man from a poor white trash background who is sent to a psychologist as part of his parole after he gets into trouble (which he often does through no real fault of his own, naturally). Hope Lange plays the `older woman,' who discovers a budding literary talent in her charge. However, according to director Philip Dunne's memoirs the part was originally offered to Simone Signoret (!). Contemplating this pairing is more exciting than anything that happens in this movie. Miss Lange gives it a good try, but she was only about 3 years older than Elvis. Signoret would have made a man out of him in no time! This was supposed to be Presley's big dramatic breakthrough in a non-singing role, but according to Dunne, the bosses at Fox insisted upon interpolating songs. The movie also suffers from the Production Code censorship of the time (no actual going to bed with Lange, thank you), and Elvis was too nice to be really bad. Considering all the strikes against it, it's surprising that `Country' is still as watchable as it is. Presley is as good as he's allowed to be, and Tuesday Weld also spices things up as the requisite `bad girl' who tempts him. Call this one a `bad movie to love.'

"A troubled young man discovers that he has a knack for writing when a counselor encourages him to pursue a literary career." Do me a favour: Do not think of this movie as any other Elvis flick, because this is one of the best classic films I've seen. Well, he sings a couple songs to his lovers and he gets into a couple of fights, but here it just doesn't happen randomly. The plot is excellent and Elvis blew me away with his acting. There's one specific scene where he's sharing stories about his dead mother with Hope Lange and it almost brought me to tears. His acting was very natural, as was Hope Lange's, Tuesday Weld's and Millie Perkins'. This is a fantastic movie and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Released in 1961, Wild In The Country would offer Elvis his last serious role in a film by a significant director (Philip Dunne). He gives what may be his finest acting performance as a troubled young man from a dysfunctional family whose passion is really writing.

There were fine supporting roles played by Millie Perkins as his girlfriend Betty Lee, Tuesday Weld as his cousin Noreen, and Hope Lange as his psychiatrist.

Wild In The Country is ranked high as one of my all time favourite Elvis movies, it's a bit slow moving at the start, but as you keep watching it gets better and better, this movie is worth the watch to see Elvis as an actor... He is great in this movie!

Conclusion - Great Movie.. 7/10.

This is yet another great Elvis movie. It's great to see how a young kid who is dealt a very bad hand in life, with an abusive father and brother, with the death of his mother as a child and being guilty until proven innocent by the town comes out on top. It has good songs, but is not a musical. Again another great plot with a strong supporting cast, with Tuesday Weld and Gary Lockwood to name a few. I give this movie 4 and a half stars.

Wild in the Country is a solid film and one of Presley's best.

Elvis is excellent as a delinquent who happens to be a potentially terrific writer. Psychiatrist Hope Lange helps Elvis achieve his potential and they slowly fall for each other. Elvis only sings a couple of songs here and therefore, instead of a musical, we get a dramatic story that's well acted by all three leads and is genuinely captivating, only falls short towards the end and goes for a sappy conclusion. Overall, one of Presley's best films and he once again proves what a great actor he could have been. 7 out of 10.