Jailhouse Rock (Avon Productions; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; November 8, 1957; 96 minutes)
Screenplay by Guy Trosper
Story by Nedrick Young
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Jailhouse Rock was released in 1957 and stars Elvis Presley as Vince
Everett, a construction worker who accidentally kills a drunken,
belligerent man in a barroom brawl and is sentenced to 10-14 months in
the state penitentiary for manslaughter. Vince's cellmate, a
washed-up country singer named Hunk Houghton, in jail for bank robbery,
teaches Vince a few guitar chords. Upon Vince's release 14 months
later, he would make an appearance on a TV variety show. The warden
gives him withheld fan mail from the TV show. Hunk promises Vince a
singing job at a nightclub owned by a friend, where Vince meets Peggy
Van Alden, a promoter for pop singer Mickey Alba. Vince takes the stage
to sing when the house band takes a break, and Vince gets angry, smashes his guitar
and leaves the club. Peggy then persuades Vince to record a demo, and
Peggy takes the tape to Geneva Records. Later, Vince makes arrangements
for another television show. Vince soon becomes a major star.
However, Peggy no longer speaks to Vince, as his success has made him
arrogant. Vince signs a movie deal, and the studio head asks him to
spend the day with his conceited co-star, Sherry Wilson for publicity
purposes. Sherry then falls in love with Vince after shooting a kissing
scene. Hunk starts a fight with Vince and strikes him in the throat,
endangering Vince's voice and singing ability. At the hospital, Vince
forgives Hunk and realizes that he loves Peggy and that she loves him.
The film also stars Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor,
Jennifer Holden and Dean Jones. The film also features songs like "One
More Day", "Young and Beautiful ", "I Want to Be Free", "Don't Leave Me
Now","Treat Me Nice","(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care", and the
film's title song. Who says Elvis has left the building.
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