Elvis Presley plays a failed high schooler and delinquent in New Orleans who goes from busboy to singer in a nightclub run by gangster Walter Matthau. Somewhat disappointing star-vehicle for E.P., adapted by Herbert Baker and Michael Vincente Gazzo from Harold Robbins' book "A Stone for Danny Fisher". The writers' first task was to transplant the action from Chicago to the Big Easy--an inspired move; the location shots are atmospheric and beautifully shot by Russell Harlan, accompanied by a fine music score from Walter Scharf. Elvis gives a solid performance and sings some great tunes, though the script weakens as the picture progresses. Baker and Gazzo try packing too much melodramatic plot into their third act, and the movie pretty much topples over from the weight. The men in the supporting cast (Matthau, Dean Jagger, Paul Stewart and Vic Morrow) tend to outshine the women (Carolyn Jones, doing her best with a hopeless tramp-with-a-heart-of-gold number, and Dolores Hart, a colorless good-girl who tells a hesitant Elvis, "I'll wait for you."). The finale is a real muck-up, but at least director Michael Curtiz gets the film off to a rousing start. **1/2 from ****
Review of King Creole
