Elvis Presley

Joan Blackman

Angela Lansbury

Nancy Walters

Roland Winters

John Archer

Howard McNear

Steve Brodie

Christian Kay

Iris Adrian

Hilo Hattie

Jenny Maxwell

Pamela Austin

Darlene Tompkins

Lani Kai

Jose De Vega

Frank Atienza

Ralph Hanalei

Gregory Gaye

Bess Flowers

Gene LeBell

Patti Page

George DeNormand

Flora Hayes

Lillian Culver

Lenmana Guerin

Norman Taurog

Hal Kanter

Jack Mintz

Tom Parker

Allan Weiss

Paul Nathan

Hal B. Wallis

Joseph J. Lilley

Charles Lang

Terry O. Morse

Hal Pereira

Walter H. Tyler

Sam Comer

Frank R. McKelvy

Edith Head

Nellie Manley

Wally Westmore

Michael D. Moore

Charles Grenzbach

Bill Wistrom

John P. Fulton

Warren Low

W. Wallace Kelley

Philip Mitchell

Music

Comedy

Romance

Blue Hawaii

Hal Wallis Productions

Paramount Pictures

United States of America

_**Elvis goes to Hawaii**_

After a two-year enlistment in the service, Chad Gates (Presley) returns home to Hawaii, but prefers the genuineness of the Polynesians and blazing his own trail to being the heir to his parents’ pineapple plantation. With his half-Caucasian/half-Polynesian girlfriend (Joan Blackman) he tries his hand as a tour guide. Angela Lansbury is on hand as the amusingly snooty mother.    

“Blue Hawaii” (1961) was the first and easily the best of three Elvis flicks set in Hawaii, followed by “Girls! Girls! Girls!” (1962) and “Paradise, Hawaiian Style” (1966). Actually, it ranks with his better movies, like "Kid Galahad" (1962), “Roustabout” (1964) and “Viva Las Vegas" (1964). 

Several things make this one work: The magnificent locations, the trivia about Hawaii & Hawaiians, the compelling story, the serious-but-fun vibe and, of course, the music. Speaking of which, this one has more songs than usual.

On the downside, the female cast could’ve been better, although winsome Blackman is a’right. Nevertheless, the subplot about Chad (Elvis) being the tour guide of an attractive school teacher (Nancy Walters) and five teenage girls is entertaining, especially the shenanigans with the curmudgeonly lass (Jenny Maxwell). 

The film runs 1 hour, 42 minutes and was shot in Hawaii and Paramount Studios, California.

GRADE: B

CinemaSerf

I'd been watching this for ages before I realised that it was actually the real life Angela Lansbury (aged 35) playing Elvis's mother - he being 25 years old at the time! A bit of much needed cinematic licence in this otherwise really rather staged romantic comedy that doesn't really do anyone any favours. Having returned from Germany, "Chad" is at a loss as to what to do. He doesn't want to join the family fruit business, preferring to work with girlfriend "Maile" (Joan Blackman) - much to the chagrin of the aforementioned mum. Sorry, mom. "Maile" is a tour guide showing off all the beautiful sights of Hawaii. That's when he encounters the teenage "Ellie" (Jenny Maxwell) who takes a mischievous shine to him, causing no end of havoc between everyone, her teacher "Abigail" (Nancy Walters) and a bout of fisticuffs with just about the entire island! He's undoubtedly a charismatic man to watch but an actor he isn't. His renditions of "Blue Hawaii" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" demonstrate clearly that he can't lip-sync very well either. Lansbury adopts a squeaky accent and looks like she's having some fun, but the rest of it is all too rigid and unnatural looking - I think some of the cyclorama photography was just on a loop and even I know that you have to change chords playing an ukulele. I guess the star's timetable didn't allow Norman Taurog to spend too much time finessing what is just essentially a feel-good film for the star, but this is all pretty standard and unremarkable fayre from everyone.

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Blue Hawaii - Trailer