Double Trouble

The best Elvis movies were a trifle (or more than a trifle) surreal. They were slender plots like clothes lines to hang his songs on like Dali's melting watches.

"Double Trouble" is plumped out with a bit more story as Elvis gets involved with jewel smugglers.

The cast is pretty good, too. John Williams, Leon Askin and the Wiere Brothers. The Wiere Brothers, remnamts of Vaudeville, were famous as an acrobatic dance trio. I've caught some of their stuff on Youtube.

I usually fast forward through his songs but this one has "Long-legged girl with the short dress on," a favorite of mine. And "I love only one girl." Rank plagiarism and that's why it's good.

The problem here is that Elvis starts out too truculent for my taste and even sarcastic. Unintentionally amusing is Elvis tossing a girl out of his life for being too young, considering Priscilla's age when they met.

This movie isn't "Lawrence of Arabia." It's not even "Viva, Las Vegas." And his co-star isn't Ann-Margaret. Though they do go to Sweden (by way of the studio).

Whether one likes this flick depends strongly on one's tolerance for Elvis movies. Like black olives, they can be an acquired taste. I know. I used to hate black olives.

Guy Lambert (Elvis Presley) is a rock star touring Europe and chasing girls. In London, he brings Jill Conway back to his hotel room but it turns out badly. Jill's uncle Gerald Waverly is trying to keep her and her inheritance under his control. Guy is shocked to learn that she's a love-struck underage girl but she continues to pursue him. They get stuck in a jewel smuggling scheme when two criminals hide their jewels in her luggage. Someone is also trying to kill them.

Elvis always has his natural charms. I actually like his womanizing troubles. They humanizes him. I would change Jill age by advancing it four days. It would be funnier if she considers him her birthday present and less awkward if there isn't the smell of illegality. He can still try to keep her at arm's length due to her clinginess. Otherwise, I really like her character and she has fun with Elvis. I am surprised that Annette Day did not continue to act. This is her one and only notable appearance. The three idiot cops do go too far but I do understand having the Insp. Clouseau wannabes for comedic purposes. The movie struggles to keep going after someone dies. The death should be the climax instead of being in the middle. As for Elvis, he sings, he charms, and he Karate-chops. It's light Elvis fun with murder and mayhem.

In this one, singer Guy Lambert (played by Elvis) is touring Europe. Actually, most of the film takes place in Belgium. Lambert is all tangled up in a spy, diamond smuggling and love affair. All that is very complicated for nothing because the movie is not so good. Actually, if you're not an unconditional fan of Elvis, you could easily skip this one. You won't miss anything. For the fans though, Elvis sings a few songs including: Long-Legged Girl, Could I Fall in Love and a unique version of Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Annette Day is not very convincing in the role of Jill, the girl who's falling for Elvis. I gave it a 5.

Amusing Elvis fare, in which E is stuck protecting a wealthy heiress (Day) from her greedy uncle (Williams) who wants her killed before her 18th birthday so it won't be discovered that he's been stealing from her inheritance. Of course, this same date also explains why Elvis is reluctant to hook up with the petite Brit, and enables the evil uncle to send bumbling Belgian cops on E's trail for kidnapping. Also, groupie Romain turns out to be after more than E's autograph -- she's in the employ of the uncle too! Elvis sings some pretty good songs, some pretty bad songs, and gets involved in some funny situations. He even kills a guy in a fight (well, actually, he does that in a lot of his movies).

Did frozen funds inspire this Anglicization of Presley? hmmmmm......

We've seen Elvis as the racecar driver, millionare texan, boxer (kid galahad), convict, hillbilly (kissin' cousins), dumb hilbilly again (follow that dream) Now we see the Tourist Elvis singing his way through England (although it's really Belgium, I'm told.)

Elvis is actually at his best when he is glib and cynical. In those instances his acting is really quite good in a comical way. Sort of like the wisecracking Jim Rockford of Rockford Files. When he tries to get serious, in most of his films, he appears wooden and scripted. This is not a bad Elvis movie, mostly due to the funny antics of the bumbling detectives following him, and Elvis' more relaxed acting style.

The fact that he breaks out in a song at the drop of the hat in some of the corniest situations doesn't matter. After all, it is an ELVIS movie.

One thing that baffles me is the title. Why DOUBLE trouble? Did I miss something? OK I think i get it.. 2 different women causing him trouble?...