Viva Las Vegas (1964)

A race car driver (Elvis Presley) arrives in Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Grand Prix but gets distracted by a pretty redhead (Ann-Margret) who works as the hotel's pool manager. He not only has to overcome her aversion to auto racing but the debonair Italian (Cesare Danova) who is his chief romantic rival. This light hearted (and lightweight) MGM musical is the best of Presley's musicals. Most of Presley's musicals were designed around him and padded out with Elvis songs which rarely had anything to do with the plot. This film comes with the pedigree of some MGM musical veterans. The producer Jack Cummings was responsible for 7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS, the screenwriter Sally Benson wrote MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and the director George Sidney directed the 1951 SHOW BOAT and it shows. If there was ever a match made in movie heaven, it was Presley and the sizzling Ann-Margret (hot off BYE BYE BIRDIE) who matches The King twitch for twitch. The sensational title song was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and done in a single take without any cuts. There's a bit of nostalgia watching this 1964 movie as the it looks nothing like the Las Vegas of today! The choreography is by David Winters. With William Demarest, Nicky Blair and one of the dancers is Teri Garr.