S Tier: Loving You, King Creole, Flaming Star, Follow That Dream and Kid Galahad.
A Tier: Jailhouse Rock. GI Blues, Girls! Girls! Girls!, Charro!, Clambake, Frankie & Johnny, and Girl Happy.
B Tier: Blue Hawaii, It Happened At the World's Fair, Fun in Acapulco, Kissin' Cousins, Easy Come Easy Go, and Paradise Hawaiian Style.
C Tier: Love Me Tender, Roustabout, Trouble With Girls, Tickle Me, Spinout, Harum Scarum, and Double Trouble.
D Tier: Wild in the Country, Viva Las Vegas, Change of Habit, Stay Away Joe, Spinout, and Live a Little Love a Little.
This is not in any particular order in the tiers themselves. It was all spur of the moment using the official tier maker site. I don't know why there's no f tier since I only organized these.
We will see how this changes throughout the month but this gives you an idea of where I stand as of today. Some of these I haven't seen since I reviewed them so my standards might have changed since then.
Since I am going to watch one Elvis film a day I'm going to call this Filmember. Every day at 7 pm US Central I will host a watch party.
Watch videos together, play games, or simply chat with friends or strangers all from within your browser!
If you're interested in joining just jump on in. Hope to see you there and let's end 2025 with a bang. Tag your friends, reblog anything to spread the word.
Based on the Richard Powell book, Pioneer Go Home!, the Mirisch Company through United Artists adapts the story in a departure from Elvis's previous films. While not the first comedic film, Follow That Dream limits the songs to only 5 and requires Elvis to act out a specific character as opposed to depicting an alternate universe version of himself.
Given that this as released a few months after Blue Hawaii, many critics and the audience compared the two films. Unfortunately, Follow That Dream didn't reach the same level of success as Blue Hawaii and was seen as proof Elvis films needed songs and scenery. Since United Artists had no idea of this success as Blue Hawaii wouldn't be released until after production on their second film (Kid Galahad) started, no one at the time knew this represented the official fork in the road. Therefore the audience and reviewers are forced to answer the ultimate question: Can an Elvis film succeed without an over reliance on songs? Or have we reached the limit of his acting ability that proves he wasn't capable of doing anything more than just play himself? Let's find out.
"What A Wonderful Life" is such a Toby coded song. He might not know where he's going or what he'll do but life is good. You immediately get the idea that this film is going to be slice of life. Do not expect a complex story because you will not get one. The focus of the outhouse suggests it will be lowbrow, but what's established from the start is that this is a family film. Family is going to be an important part of this story so you want to feel endeared to them.
This is also a comedic film in that you have the running gag of the boys splitting up a candy bar only for one twin to eat the extra piece to make it even. There's also Toby lifting up the car "with just his hands" to avoid hurting his back. What we're not told is where this family is going. I know in the long run this doesn't matter, but it's still a bit suspicious on the Kwimpers end to be this nomadic. Granted once they are stranded in the middle of nowhere, they're resourceful and do not panic suggesting they might have been in similar situations before. Perhaps this could all be chalked up to something that was more common back in the early 60s and I just simply don't understand it. If any of you are familiar with this please leave a note in the comments.
"I'm Not the Marrying Kind" is the type of admission that no one would care about in modern day society. Toby shares that he doesn't want to feel forced into a marriage. He talks about Gertrude but we don't know exactly what they did. According to Anne Helm, Holly's actress, there was originally a scene where we see Gertrude and that's why they left home. While we do have behind the scenes images, the actual footage to my knowledge no longer exists. I honestly think having that scene would make this one redundant which is probably why they cut it, but not including it loses context behind Toby's motivations. We have to wait for a later scene to fully understand how Toby acts around women.
What is clear is that Toby is a literalist who is very family oriented when singing "Sound Advice" but is also non-confrontational. He doesn't argue with Pop but rather uses a line of thinking that will allow Pop to see things Holly's way like he did to convince Pop to stick it out here. The bank scene shows us his lack of social understanding but also furthers his sense of honesty. He feels guilty about taking Mr. Endicott's money but doesn't voice it to Holly. He doesn't get upset that they accuse him of robbing the bank because he doesn't realize that's what they think. Even if he did, you can see on his face that he feels guilty about having spooked everyone. Mr. Endicott said it best that when lending money using a character loan, they don't do it enough for their souls. Why? Because when asked about collateral, Toby outright says the car can be used but wouldn't be worth much. He knows that there's a chance that wouldn't be enough to get a loan for their new fishing business but it's the truth. And it would be morally wrong to lie as a means to get loaned money. It might not always happen but today, honesty is rewarded. And if anything this scene shows that honesty should be encouraged even if it might make you look poorly.
Since Mr. King can't let this go, he's using a personal connection in the state's welfare department to ruin the Kwimpers. Alisha Claypoole's task is to find anything that would deem Pop as an unsuitable guardian for the children. So to do that, she goes to what is the perceived weakest link: Toby. He's considered to be dumb enough to not question anything while telling them everything. In this case, it's true while also false. Yes Toby shares a lot about himself, but he's not dumb. His inability to let small things bother him indicates a strong sense of self and high emotional intelligence. "Follow That Dream" is the most introspective Toby gets about what he actually wants in life and is a very fitting title for the film. The only thing Toby specifically wants is "someone whose heart is free, someone to look for my dream with me" which suggests that he doesn't exactly want love but a general personal understanding and acceptance. He's happy with whatever comes his way and will push through it if it's bad. However, that doesn't mean he will allow Alisha to make him feel uncomfortable. Even though he doesn't outright say so to Alisha, you have to look at his non-verbal cues. Toby masks removing her hand from his shoulder by scratching his back. He avoids direct eye contact by rolling on his stomach to play with sand. It doesn't make sense to specifically do that, but because the camera is so focused on him as he does it feels intentional.
But why is he uncomfortable though? It's because of his high emotional intelligence level that Toby at least suspects that she doesn't have good intentions. She touched his thigh without his say so and made the usually monotone Toby stutter. So now that he's in an isolated spot with only her while she's touching him and conducting a test that he doesn't fully understand, he's feeling uncomfortable. He doesn't know what to make of her intentions since he doesn't know her that well. Naturally, when you're a non-confrontational person facing unwanted advances you resort to fawning responses. This is why knowing what happened between him and Gertrude matters. We need to understand if Toby's discomfort has actual basis since we from the modern world understand that a male victim of sexual harassment is just as valid. I know that this is not at all meant to be taken seriously, but it does establish that Toby has to reject the "sinful" Alisha and embrace the "good girl" in Holly. However, what makes this flawed is that Holly is acting in her self interest by pushing Alisha out of jealousy. She also tries to hide doing so but is caught off guard when Toby calls her out. See Toby saw her do it but only lets her know that he knew it once he thought it was safe to do so.
The entire Sheriff Toby Kwimper arc is just gold. You get a solid understanding of his morality now that he has the power. Nothing changes. His morals are not swayed when Nick's gang tries to convince him that they need to keep the casino open late. He doesn't believe in being armed as he sees himself as a peace officer. He only strikes once he's explicitly in harm's way. He focuses solely on disarming someone without trying to hurt them. The woods scene shows exactly what he can do when put in charge. Regardless of what was actually happening, Toby understands that there's danger. He ensure's Holly is safe first, then one by one disarms the gangsters. This proves that Toby is not stupid. He came up with this plan to remove their guns entirely on his own and in real time. Being able to think under pressure is an unteachable skill set. However, the gangsters do not see what we see. Toby speaking in a monotone voice is a constant. To them, this is advanced psychological warfare. Especially when the trailer explodes. Toby is being very literal about how they feel sick yet to them, he's a coldblooded killer. I have no idea how you can see Toby as anything but neurodivergent. This will be controversial I'm sure but when you see how Toby is viewed by others, this shows that he is not meant to be just a dumb guy. ND people back then were seen as being "funny like that", they are poorly understood and sound "robotic". But the most important thing about this is that Toby's differences become his strengths. In spite of how he's seen, his strong moral code and usually unshakeable personality make him the perfect person to be sheriff.
Alisha's subplot comes full circle when Holly comes home crying that she took the children. There's going to be confusion about how there's no law in this territory yet she can do that so I'll explain. This land is not bound by county jurisdiction but is still governed by the state. Children's welfare is governed by the state, so Alisha has the legal standing to get involved. What's controversial is how she went about doing this. Since the audience knows the truth we know she's in the wrong. However, the system doesn't. Therefore, she does have a right to remove the children temporarily. That's the keyword since the hearing is not that long away from occurring. In a small town, scheduling will be easier so the state likely deemed it as acceptable. If the Kwimpers are deemed appropriate guardians the children will be quickly returned. It also shows that Toby's arc requires one more obstacle for him to demonstrate the skills he's starting to use as sheriff.
The courtroom scene is easily one of the best Elvis scenes in any movie. You have Toby listen to the "charges" yet doesn't get defensive. He instead talks calmly and only raises his voice because he has strong beliefs on being truthful and not harming kids. But again he's not confrontational as he does not outright say what Alisha did to him. He only answers when the judge specifically asks him if Alisha kissed him. In fact his ultimate act of non-confrontation is whispering his defense to the judge. Would this work in real life? No since even in a hearing, the other side must be given a fair chance to rebut. However, given that Alisha is using the word association test as her basis for her claim that the Kwimpers are unfit to care for children, it is perfectly reasonable to ask questions about how it works and if she is component in analyzing responses. In Toby's mind, a judge should be fair and honest so if even a judge failed the test, then it's the test itself that's flawed and not a good indication of a person's intentions.
I understand that some might criticize this as being anti-establishment or even anti-intellectualism but remember the Kwimpers did not start this beef. While Mr. King was right to complain about them blocking a public thoroughfare, Pop was also right in pointing out an existing law allowing them to stay on that land. The governor himself sided with Pop so no laws were being broken. Mr. King turned this into a personal affair and used a personal connection to "investigate" the welfare of the children. Alisha is also projecting her own bias against Toby because he essentially rejected her advances. But the judge doesn't know this and simply wants to hear the Kwimpers side of the story. He is not seeking criminalization since that is not the point of the welfare department. So of course when told the damning charges, he's shocked that Toby didn't attempt to directly attack Alisha's character or have a lawyer fight for them. Toby simply told the truth and let it speak for itself. For a man of little words, he knows how to make them count. And that is how a man with little education beat a highly education social worker. By using the truth. And it worked. The judge dismisses the case and the Kwimpers are reunited.
"Angel" is such a sweet scene. Until you remember that Toby and Holly have functioned as siblings. I understand that the movie makes a whole point that Holly living with the Kwimpers is seen as "improper" but really think about this. Holly has lived with the Kwimpers since she was 13. I know nobody else in the movie knows this, but why is immediately calling Holly Mrs. Kwimper the go to? Why can't she be Toby's sister since that's the role she's had for 6 years? This is the 1960s, young women still live with the family until she gets married. You clearly see Holly isn't wearing a ring of any kind so it makes no sense to assume she's married to Toby.
So if we simply rewrite the background of Holly and only have her meet the Kwimpers when she's 18 does the scene work? I personally still say no. The passage of time is not enough to suggest Toby would've completely changed his viewpoint on relationships. It also does not help that you have Holly wanting to mimic Alisha's seduction techniques suggesting she actually isn't as innocent as the movie wants us to think. I'm not saying she's a villain, but considering who Toby is this borders on dubious consent in that he doesn't feel like he's allowed to say no. Remember folks, if your partner can't clearly say no, do not go. I understand Toby is not exhibiting the same hesitation with Holly that he had with Alisha, however the ending is not consistent with how Elvis previously portrayed Toby. I would've given him a reminder that Toby is not just a shy person, but someone who is almost afraid of being taken advantage of. He's non-confrontationally guarded because he's self aware enough to know his limitations. While you can argue that him being eager to receive Holly's affection is him acknowledging her as working within his limitations, I personally don't see it working out in the long run even if for now Toby is as he always is: content.
As much as I don't like the romance element, I have to accept it as a book sin. You can't remove it entirely without destroying a key element of Toby's character arc. But what I appreciate most about Toby is that he's the living embodiment of social contentment. He has stated to have enough smarts to know when to not let certain things bother him like his low social standing. That is such an important message that a lot of people forget. Toby has a high level of emotional intelligence to understand that it's best to not agonize over what you don't have. This is not the same as never dreaming about wanting more. This is not the same as saying that we should never want to have a basic commodity like a car or a working everyday appliance. Rather it's understanding that as long as what you have serves its intending purpose who cares what it looks like. Do not get bogged down but superficial things when all that should matter is what it can do. That is a lesson that also applies to how people see Toby. They only see him as a "dumb white trash man" and fail to recognize the amount of good he can do when given the chance. That's what I love about this film: you don't initially think you're going to get anything cerebral out of it only to be surprised when you do.
So how do I rate this? As much as I want to give it a 10/10, the final scene where Toby and Holly end up together is something I can't ignore so it's 9/10. Overall, this is a very solid movie that has Elvis' best work as a character actor. Yes this did not have the same sweeping landscapes of Blue Hawaii or have Elvis be your typical rom-com hero, but I do not care. I can't recommend it enough to watch this as a new fan's first film. It has story, songs, good writing, good humor, romance. It has it all and it's because of that balance that makes it one of the best Elvis films ever made. I'm so glad I was able to end this reviewing journey on such a high note. As tough as it was at times, this film reminded me why I started to begin with: to convey the message that a great film doesn't need to have spectacle or a complicated plot to be good. As long as you show effort in creating good characters and genuine emotion in wanting to tell a specific story, you will succeed. Just like Toby.
I really wish that we as Elvis fans could form a class-action defamation lawsuit on his behalf against the crappy comedians that keep using his weight, drug addiction or lowest moments to get a laugh. If anything, it'd make an example to others that Elvis is not a joke and should not be defamed like that.
It's still so sad, though because if you look closely, he looked extremely exhausted. Our poor E just needed a break... You're still so right, though. Elvis looked absolutely breathtaking in these no matter the exhaustion in his eyes.
