the audience applauded

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Good music with a pretty good story. Worth a watch for any fan of the King!

I am not a big fan of Elvis films. In fact, the only films of his I've seen up until now have been his worst ones, as I have a perverse love of dreck. However, I know "A Change of Habit" and "Spinout" are bad and it's not fair to base my opinion of Elvis films based on these! So, when what is supposed to be his best film, "Jailhouse Rock", came on TV I decided to give it a look.The film had a lot of good and a lot of bad....but mostly bad. On the positive side, the songs are great and when Elvis is singing, the film is at its best. Unfortunately, while folks back then might have enjoyed the plot, I thought it was dreadful. Instead of making Elvis likable, the guy he plays in "Jailhouse Rock" is brooding, rude and a real hot-head. Much of the time, he's inexplicably angry at the world-- yet the character wonders why the girl doesn't like him! If I didn't know better, I'd have sworn that Elvis' character was supposed to be suffering throughout the film with a very bad case of PMS!The bottom line is that the writing was the problem with this film. Whether or not Elvis was a good or bad actor is something the movie simply doesn't address as no musician could come off very well based on the lousy dialog and character he's given in this one.

This corny, formulaic "rags-to-riches" tale (which takes place within the competitive world of rock'n'roll music) just barely managed to squeak by with a 5-star rating. Just 22 at the time, Elvis Presley plays first-class heel and ex-con, Vincent Everett, a guy with a mean mouth, a hair-trigger temper, and an upper lip that's forever curled up into a belligerent sneer.As Vincent steadily climbs his way up the ladder to fame and fortune, it seems that no matter how many times he actually manages to alienate those around him (or else decks them with a swift right-hook to the jaw), all is immediately forgiven once he begins to swivel those hips and sing one of his hit songs to everyone's hand-clapping delight.Filmed in b&w, Jailhouse Rock, from 1957, contains some really priceless dialog. Its highlights were Presley singing "Treat Me Nice", as well as the absurdly choreographed, homo-erotic, shimmy-shaking' title tune.

No need to recap the plot.Seeing the movie again after so many years, I'm more impressed than in 1958. Of course, teens then were mainly watching Elvis as a singing idol, not much caring about the rest of the movie. But now, I'm impressed by his acting in what was only his third film outing. He's particularly good at being dislikable as the surly ex-con. That was something of a risk for a movie newcomer, and it's to his credit that he went ahead and did it. To lessen the risk, Paramount backed him up with a solid supporting cast, plus a good script that made into an involving story. Then too, Elvis has to go through a number of shifting moods, not the one- note requirements of his later formula films.I'm also impressed that the screenplay would reveal the dark side of record companies, knowing the audience would primarily be record buyers. I'm just sorry that Elvis signed that long-term deal with Hal Wallis after leaving the army. That contract, unfortunately, locked him into the dreary series of low-grade musicals that eventually sapped his talent and morale. Too bad he didn't fire the Colonel and buy out his contract. That way he could have expanded into more serious movie roles he wanted and was clearly capable of, as this film proves.Anyway, the movie can stand on its own as entertainment, Elvis or no, and also features what experts claim is his best on-screen musical number. So, if you're a younger viewer and wonder what shook up the placid 1950's, this is a movie to catch.