Kissin' Cousins (1964)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Gene Nelson

Writers:

Gerald Drayson Adams (story)
Gerald Drayson Adams (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

6 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

An Army officer returns to the Smoky Mountains tries to convince his kinfolk to allow the Army to build a missile site on their land. Once he gets there, he discovers he has a lookalike cousin. |

Plot Keywords:

Foot Fetish | Actor Playing Multiple Roles | Hillbilly | Beautiful Woman | Elvis Presley

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Elvis Presley	...	Josh Morgan / Jodie Tatum
Arthur O'Connell	...	Pappy Tatum
Glenda Farrell	...	Ma Tatum
Jack Albertson	...	Capt. Robert Jason Salbo
Pamela Austin	...	Selena Tatum (as Pam Austin)
Cynthia Pepper	...	Cpl. Midge Riley
Yvonne Craig	...	Azalea Tatum
Donald Woods	...	Gen. Alvin Donford
Tommy Farrell	...	MSgt. William George Bailey
Beverly Powers	...	Trudy
Hortense Petra	...	Dixie Cate
Bobby Stone	...	General's aide (as Robert Stone)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Sweden:Btl | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Four-Leaf Productions

Trivia:

The real life relationship of Glenda Farrell, who plays Ma Tatum, and Tommy Farrell, who plays MSgt. William George Bailey, were mother and son.

Quotes:

Capt. Robert Jason Salbo: Madam, words fail me. Your culinary talents supersede the most exotic cuisine.
Ma Tatum: You don't like it.
Capt. Robert Jason Salbo: Oh, no, no, no, on the contrary...
Josh Morgan: He means he'd like some more, Ma.
Ma Tatum: Oh, that's good.
Pappy Tatum: Good! Good! I like to see a young fella who's a good eater.
Capt. Robert Jason Salbo: I must say, in all my travels, I never tasted anything quite like it.
Ma Tatum: You ain't never?
Capt. Robert Jason Salbo: Unh-uhnmm!
[meaning "No"]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Elvis in the Movies (1990)

Soundtrack:

Echoes of Love

Smokey Mountain Bore

Elvis Presley plays Brunet Lieutenant Josh and his Blond "hillbilly" cousin Jodie. Brunet Elvis has to secure the family of Blond Elvis' land for an important U.S. Army base. The Elvises wrestle and stuff; but, they never actually kiss. Yvonne Craig stands out among the busty mountain women; later, she was one of Batman's TV Catwomen.

The fun in "Kissin' Cousins" is not in the situation; but in picking out the Elvis "double" in the scenes where they both appear. It's fairly easy to spot the fake Elvis. There are a lot of very well-proportioned women in bikinis running around and squealing; today, there are more satisfying ways to find that kind of entertainment.

I enjoyed the song "Tender Feeling"; but, it's actually the song "Shenandoah" with different lyrics. "Barefoot Ballad" is the most embarrassing song. The musical highlight is the song "Kissin' Cousins"; but, watch for the superior version at the end, not the beginning, of the film. The material in "Kissin' Cousins" would make one good music video. As a full-length feature film, it's shameful.

** Kissin' Cousins (3/6/64) Gene Nelson ~ Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, Yvonne Craig