Jailhouse Rock (1957)

After serving time for manslaughter, young Vince Everett becomes a teenage rock star.

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Guy Trosper (screenplay), Nedrick Young (story) (as Ned Young)

Stars:

Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elvis Presley	...	Vince Everett
Judy Tyler	...	Peggy Van Alden
Mickey Shaughnessy	...	Hunk Houghton
Vaughn Taylor	...	Mr. Shores
Jennifer Holden	...	Sherry Wilson
Dean Jones	...	Teddy Talbot
Anne Neyland	...	Laury Jackson
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Norm Johnson	...	Dancer Jailhouse scene

Storyline

Vince Everett is serving a one-year jail sentence for manslaughter. While in the big house, his cellmate, a former country singer, introduces him to the record business. Everett takes to it so well that he decides to become a singer when he gets out. However, he is quickly disillusioned by the record business. But with the help of a new friend, he decides to form his own label, and soon becomes an overnight sensation. But when he becomes a superstar, will his desire for fame and money cause him to forget the people who got him there?

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | psychotronic film | singer | manslaughter | jail | 

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Taglines:

MGM Presents ELVIS PRESLEY at his greatest

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le rock du bagne

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avon Productions (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In December 2004 ( 27 years after Elvis Presley's and 47 after Judy Taylor's death and also 47 years after this film's release),"Jailhouse Rock" was inducted into Library of Congress National Film Registry for "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

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Goofs

Concerning the Laurel Records partnership, Shores mentioned that the "40 percent participant failed to telephone the 60 percent partner," i.e., Peggy failed to telephone Vince. However, Shores was a 9 percent partner in the firm, which left Vince with 51 percent of the company, not 60 percent.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Construction Worker: Here comes the sugar man.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Referenced in Oz: Capital P (1997)

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Soundtracks

Don't Leave Me Now
(uncredited)
Written by Aaron Schröder (as Aaron Schroeder) & Ben Weisman
Performed by Elvis Presley

User Reviews

quite possibly Presley's best film

Great songs, a fine leading actor and actress (Elvis, not the world's greatest actor but doing his Method bit here; and the ill-fated Judy Tyler), and an engrossing story make 'Jailhouse Rock' a great rock 'n' roll musical, and by far one of the best movies made by The King at the peak of his powers.

Yes, there are some cringeworthy bits ('it's only the beast in me'), but in the main this is a rags to riches tale which showcases some raw Presley performances, especially the title track and the quieter 'Young and Beautiful' alongside a contemporary tale of fights, attitude, and the county jail.

The great surprise is that this film still looks and feels fresh after more than fifty years. The pity is that Elvis would only have a handful of decent performances before the rot set in with 'Kissin Cousins', 'Tickle Me', and the like.