Love Me Tender (1956)

At the end of the Civil War, a Confederate team is ordered to rob a Union payroll train but the war ends leaving these men with their Union loot, until the Feds come looking for it.

Director:

Robert D. Webb

Writers:

Robert Buckner (screenplay), Maurice Geraghty (story)

Stars:

Richard Egan, Debra Paget, Elvis Presley

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Egan	...	Vance Reno
Debra Paget	...	Cathy Reno
Elvis Presley	...	Clint Reno
Robert Middleton	...	Mr. Siringo
William Campbell	...	Brett Reno
Neville Brand	...	Mike Gavin
Mildred Dunnock	...	Martha Reno
Bruce Bennett	...	Maj. Kincaid
James Drury	...	Ray Reno
Russ Conway	...	Ed Galt
Ken Clark	...	Mr. Kelso
Barry Coe	...	Mr. Davis

Storyline

Elvis plays Clint Reno, one of the Reno brothers who stayed home while his brother went to fight in the Civil War for the Confederate army. When his brother Vance comes back from the war, he finds that his old girlfriend Cathy has married Clint. The family has to struggle to reach stability with this issue. Vance is involved in a train robbery, while a Confederate soldier, of Federal Government money. There is a conflict of interest, when Vance tries to return the money, against the wishes of some of his fellow Confederates.

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Plot Keywords:

american civil war | clothesline | cult favorite | band | chase | 

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Taglines:

MR. ROCK 'N' ROLL! He's a singin' man...a fightin' man...a lovin' man---in the story he was born to play!

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 November 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Reno Brothers

Filming Locations:

Bell Moving Picture Ranch, Santa Susana Mountains, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$4,500,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System) (magnetic prints) Mono (optical prints)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The footage of Elvis Presley singing "Love Me Tender" at the end was shot after preview audiences reacted badly to his character's fate. This new footage created a continuity error, as Elvis had dyed his hair black by the time of the additional shooting, whilst in the movie his hair color was closer to blonde.

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Goofs

The Civil War did not end all at once on April 9, 1865. The surrender and ceasefire on that date applied only to General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Virginia theater of operations. The other large Confederate army, General Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Tennessee, did not surrender until April 26, and smaller elements of Confederates throughout the country (which were incommunicado, such as the cavalry brigade that the Reno brothers belonged to) continued to fight until the news of Johnston's surrender reached them through the slow communications of the day, well into the summer of 1865. (Whilst that fact would not necessarily prevent the charges of robbery leveled by the Federal Government against the Reno brothers, it would make a compelling legal defense for them.)

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Quotes

Martha Reno: Clint thinks the sun rises and sets in you.
Vance Reno: I know, Ma. That's just why I'm going.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: April 10, 1865

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Alternate Versions

Coloured version was released in early 1990's unofficially.

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Connections

Referenced in Dancing with the Stars: Episode #12.3 (2012)

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Soundtracks

Love Me Tender
by Elvis Presley and Ken Darby (as Vera Matson)
Performed by Elvis Presley (uncredited)

User Reviews

A good Civil War western.

"Twentieth Century Fox was uncertain whether to feature Elvis in the film as a singer or as an actor. So they tried to have it both ways."

This movie brings it's highs and lows. A trio of brothers fresh from a raid of a Union payroll find out that the war is over on their way to turn in the money to their General with the unit.Their commander Vance (Richard Egan) decides there is no Confederate Government to turn the cash in to. They split the dough and head home. The plot twists when the Union army decides to come after the former raiders, causing splits among the raiders and increasing the tension between the brothers.

The movie is good, the acting is pretty good and the story moves along well. As far as Elvis goes, this movie proves he can act. Its a shame that we did't see him in later years in more conventional movies such as this one, its a pity Elvis never got that chance.

Good movie! But then anything is good with Elvis in it!