Double Trouble

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.

This story has a bit more going for it than your average elvis film! Most of the time, it was just girl trouble, which always seemed to revolve around the elvis. In this one, "guy" goes on tour in europe and gets caught up in jewel smuggling operation. But first he meets jill (annette day, who was SO much younger than he), who decides she's going to marry him. Even before they have kissed! For most of the movie, she's dressed up as a young school girl, just to make the story even stranger. The usual mix of catchy tunes (long legged girl) and a bunch of forgettable songs. He actually sings old macdonald, at one point. Some familiar faces: jill's uncle is john williams, who was also the chauffeur in sabrina. Leon askin (general burkhalter!) is in here as the inspector. Check out the wiere brothers in wikipedia dot org... they were an act in vaudeville, and made several film and tv appearances from 1930s to the 1960s. They are they coppers who bring guy in for questioning, and probably the best part of the film. The storyline is odd, the choice of musical numbers is odd, and there's just a strange chemistry between everyone. The first half is slow as molasses, but it does pick up about halfway through. It's just okay. Of course, elvis fans should watch it, for historical reasons. Directed by the usual director norman taurog.

I am amazed this movie has at the moment so little stars compared to other Elvis movies.

Contrary to other comments I find Elvis in top form in this movie, very much in shape (I think his wedding was just around the corner) and charming. For an Elvis flick it was refreshing that the setting is in Europe and I find the direction and sets reflecting this quite well. Being European (an Englishman in Holland) I thoroughly enjoyed the old fashioned footage of different countries in that time and the sets.

There are quite a few good songs in the soundtrack and the story, though corny (an Elvis Flick), is entertaining and funny.

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.

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?...