Elvis got a whole lot of musical numbers here including the title tune which he sings over the opening credits. He does a rockabilly version of the French song Alouette and with different lyrics, the Mexican love ballad, La Paloma. And he borrows a hit from Andy Williams when he reprises the Hawaiian Wedding Song.
Of course no film set in Hawaii is complete without Aloha Oe. But the big song from this film is one of Presley's greatest "Can't Help Falling In Love With You." He sings it during a scene for a birthday party for Joan Blackman's grandmother. It's sort of done in a throwaway manner like the producer's didn't think it would be the big number in the film.
It might surprise Presley fans that this blockbuster hit was also recorded by another RCA Victor artist named Perry Como for one of his albums. Perry does a nice job with it, but it ain't a patch on the King's version.
Elvis is a rich young kid who'd like very much to get out from under Mom and Dad and prove himself. He's even done a hitch in the army, but that doesn't help. Parents are played by Roland Winters and Angela Lansbury.
Angela Lansbury recounted a story where she and her husband had dinner with Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis when they were casting Blue Hawaii. She said Elvis was a nice, polite young man who barely said three words during the dinner. The talk was all from Colonel Tom who was making all kinds of offers to the future Jessica Fletcher to be in this film.
Angela's career was somewhat in a dry spell, she hadn't made The Manchurian Candidate yet or appeared on Broadway in Mame. So she was quite willing to appear.
We gain some insight into how Colonel Parker handled Elvis with that story. If you look at the cast and even the behind the camera credits of his films, you'll see them populated with a whole lot of Hollywood veterans. I'll bet there were many such dinners during Elvis's film career.
To be sure Presley was certainly the Colonel's meal ticket. But I would have to say that he made every effort to see that Elvis and his films were given the best possible production values. I think that's why the King had a long sustained film career until public tastes changed which they inevitably do. Also musicals, even Elvis's became too cost prohibitive to produce any more.
Some trivia about the film:
Location filming commenced on March 17, 1961 in Hawaii and ended on April 17.
Working title for this movie was "Hawaiin Beach Boy".
During the location filming in the islands, it was estimated that a total of 1485 local residents were engaged to play bit parts.
The filming was centred on the islands of Oahu and Kauai. Top tourist attractions featured in the film included Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, Mount Tantalus, Hanuana Bay, Punchbowl and Coco Palms where the Wedding scene was filmed.
Elvis' leading lady in the film was to be Juliet Prowse, his co-star from "GI Blues", but Juliet was unable to agree personal terms and Joan Blackman got the much coveted role.
A number of female roles had to be filled in the cast and singer Brenda Lee, who had met Elvis on the set of "Wild In The Country" was considered for a part as to was singer/actress Connie Stevens, neither however appeared in the film.
The film opened nationally in America on November 22, 1961.
Allan Weiss who wrote the story was a former Los Angeles newspaper man. Blue Hawaii reached number 2 on Variety's weekly top grossing chart.
Charles O'Curran the choreographer for Blue Hawaii was married to Patti Page one of Elvis' favorite singers.
Producer Hal Wallis ordered a 10pm curfew for the actresses because they started to look tired on morning sets. (They had been partying each night with Elvis and his entourage.)
On March 25 1961, more than 3000 fans greeted Elvis when he arrived at Honolulu's International airport, in the afternoon he hosted a press conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. That evening, Elvis gave a unique live concert at the Bloch Arena in Pearl Harbor to raise funds for the USS Arizona War Memorial.
In variety's top grossing box office poll for 1961 Blue Hawaii reached No.8
Joan Blackman also appeared in Elvis' 10th movie Kid Galahad.
London born Angela Lansbury famous for her starring role in the TV series :Murder She Wrote" regards Blue Hawaii as a real low point in her acting career. In fact Lansbury's interplay with veteran actor Roland Winters is pure Hollywood comedy at it's best. Angela who played Elvis' mother, was only 35 years old when the movie was filmed, a mere 10 years older than Elvis.
Blue Hawaii marks the height of Presley's singing and film career. The Beatles hadn't come on the scene yet, the King was still ruling the roost on the record charts and his films were grossing big box office.
And unless you're Bing Crosby and feel a twinge of jealousy that his Hawaii film was done on the cheap, you'll like Blue Hawaii very much. It's nice entertainment from a great entertainer.
If you've never seen this movie you're missing a real treat, go buy it!
If you've seen it take another look at it soon, as Elvis would say.....
Thank you, Thank you, very much!
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