Spinout (1966)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Theodore J. Flicker (written by) and
George Kirgo (written by)

Release Date:

23 November 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Sport

Tagline:

ELVIS SINGS NINE GREAT NEW TOE-TAPPING TUNES!

Plot:

Band singer/race driver Mike McCoy must choose between marrying a beautiful rich girl and driving her father's car in a prestigious race.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Driver | Writer | Female Drummer | Heiress

Cast

Elvis Presley	...	Mike McCoy
Shelley Fabares	...	Cynthia Foxhugh
Diane McBain	...	Diana St. Clair
Dodie Marshall	...	Susan
Deborah Walley	...	Les
Jack Mullaney	...	Curly
Will Hutchins	...	Lt. Tracy Richards
Warren Berlinger	...	Philip Short
Jimmy Hawkins	...	Larry
Carl Betz	...	Howard Foxhugh
Cecil Kellaway	...	Bernard Ranley
Una Merkel	...	Violet Ranley
Frederick Worlock	...	Blodgett
Dave Barry	...	Harry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thordis Brandt	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Victoria Carroll	...	Award Beauty (uncredited)
Arlene Charles	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Nancy Czar	...	Platinum Beauty (uncredited)
Phyllis Davis	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Judy Durell	...	Girl (uncredited)
Joe Esposito	...	Shorty's Pit Crew (uncredited)
Gay Gordon	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Josh Harding	...	Bit Man (uncredited)
Jean Marie Ingels	...	Go-Go Dancer (uncredited)
Inge Jaklyn	...	Brunette Beauty (uncredited)
Jay Jasin	...	Race Announcer (uncredited)
Jeanmarie	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Fredda Lee	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Deanna Lund	...	Redhead Beauty (uncredited)
James McHale	...	Shorty Bloomquist (uncredited)
Joanne Medley	...	Blond Beauty (uncredited)
Christopher Riordan	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Sheryl Ullman	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Red West	...	Shorty's Pit Crew (uncredited)
Rita Wilson	...	Bit Girl (uncredited)
Virginia Wood	...	Blond Beauty #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Taurog

Writing credits
Theodore J. Flicker		(written by) and
George Kirgo		(written by)

Produced by
Hank Moonjean	....	associate producer
Joe Pasternak	....	producer

Original Music by
George Stoll
Robert Van Eps		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp

Film Editing by
Rita Roland
Frank J. Urioste		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)
George W. Davis

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Hugh Hunt

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Josephine Ardigo	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Larry Geller	....	hair designer: Elvis Presley (uncredited )
Roy Stork	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Shenberg	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	assistant director
Donald Verk	....	assistant director (uncredited)
James A. Westman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Schultz	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Frank Antunez	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Larry Jost	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Barry Thomas	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
J. McMillan Johnson	....	special visual effects
Carroll L. Shepphird	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Bob Harris	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Virgil Apger	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Howard Bradner	....	key grip (uncredited)
Hugh Crawford	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
James V. King	....	camera operator (uncredited)
George Lasher	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lambert Marks	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Margo Weintz	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Baker	....	stager: musical numbers
The Jordanaires	....	vocal accompaniment
Robert Van Eps	....	music associate
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Robert Van Eps	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Michael A. Hoey	....	dialogue supervisor (as Michael Hoey)
Tom Parker	....	technical advisor (as Colonel Tom Parker)
Cleo Anton	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Euterpe
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Euterpe  copyright 1966 by
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  copyright 1966 by
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  presents

Also Known As:

Never Say No (USA) (working title)
Never Say Yes (USA) (working title)
Raceway (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Dodger Stadium - 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Chávez Ravine, Elysian Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Euterpe

Trivia:

One of the films included in "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time (and how they got that way)" by Harry Medved and Randy Lowell.

Quotes:

Les: [as Lt. Richards enters her kitchen through the back door] What? Is this a raid?
Lt. Tracy Richards: Yeah, reach for the ceiling! Now turn around.
[When she complies, he slaps her derriere]
Lt. Tracy Richards: I just wanted to see if you packed a gun.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Elvis in the Movies (1990)

Soundtrack:

Smorgasbord

mindless and harmless

Elvis Presley was not a bad actor. I've seen him do competent jobs in several films and he had a very likable screen persona. However, despite his box office appeal, he seemed willing to star in some of the slightest and silliest films of the 1960s. Some of the films have a bit more depth to them though most are just familiar mindless drivel--like SPINOUT. Harry Medved listed it among the movies in his "Fifty Worst Movies" book, though it isn't that bad--though it certainly wasn't very good either.

In SPINOUT, we find Elvis as a struggling rock 'n roll star AND champion race car driver! If only he were a scientist, too, and he'd be Buckaroo Bonzai (see THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BONZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION). Unlike the real life Elvis, his character shuns glamor and glitz and travels with his three musicians--camping out and living a bohemian life while STILL managing to have clean clothes, multiple wardrobes, gourmet meals, a race car and a 1929 Duesenberg! Their "camping out" was pure hooey and the camp sites bore an amazing similarity to the sound stage.

Well, because he can sing and drive fast cars and is Elvis, it's not surprising that he's pursued by some hot ladies. What makes this different from some of his movies is that three different (and very clichéd) ladies all want to marry him and he wants nothing to do with this. One is the rich "princess" played by Shelly Fabares. In an interesting casting nod, her father is played by Carl Betz--the same guy who played her father in "The Donna Reed Show". The second is a pretty but rather cold writer played by Diane McBain. The third is a "kooky" girl played by Deborah Walley. All three are very, very broad stereotypes and probably the worst of these was the role given to Ms. Walley. That's because she was supposed to be part comic relief, musician, gourmet chef and vamp--though no one seemed to realize she was a hot and happenin' chick until late in the film (what, were they all blind?!?). Considering how beautiful these ladies were in the film AND how much Elvis avoided them and preferred to hang out with the guys, I really think some might watch this film and wonder if his character was supposed to be gay. I particularly wondered about the two guys in his band.

I could say more about the plot, but frankly it all was too trivial and silly to mention in detail, though it was occasionally accidentally entertaining. However, what was not entertaining were the many songs Elvis sang as well as the "kooky" race at the end of the film. As for the songs, Elvis does have a lovely voice but every one of the 1,893 songs he sings in the film is completely forgettable and insipid. None have decent lyrics or are memorable in any positive way. I would have preferred if he'd just sung a few of his old familiar favorites. Instead, it often just seemed like padding. The race at the end of the film was a major letdown as well. While auto races can be exciting, having it be comedic really didn't work well at all and having a complete and total idiot nearly win a professional auto race strained credibility to new lows. It was just embarrassing and tended to bring the whole production to a grinding halt--yet it was intended as the highlight of the film! So what's to like about the film? Well, Elvis is pleasant in a plastic sort of way and the ladies quite lovely (particularly the radiant Ms. Fabares) and it was nice to see Una Merkel, Cecil Kellaway and a 1929 Duesenberg. Otherwise, there isn't much to recommend this dull little film. Overall, a mindless and harmless sort of film--mostly of interest to Elvis worshipers. Any one else would be bored by it.