Simply A Masterpiece

A different way of telling a story

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Ft. Lauderdale frolic has Elvis Presley cast as a Chicago rock 'n roller who, along with his outfit-matching band members, takes an assignment to secretly chaperone the boss's daughter as she vacations with her girlfriends down in Florida. Plush MGM musical with a dandy production design, lots of fun slapstick and girl-watching. The plot, such as it is, doesn't make a whole lot of sense (especially with Elvis having his cover blown by Shelley Fabares' tyrannical father, who then gets mad at Presley when his daughter decides to go wild). The songs range from very good ("Puppet on a String", "The Meanest Girl In Town") to awful ("I've Got to Find My Baby", "Wolf Call"), but there's a groovin' beach bash with excitable dancing and a funny prison breakout sequence in which E.P. gets stuck in a cell with 20 females (and escapes in drag!). Mary Ann Mobley has an insulting role (and her make-up is too dark, causing her to look overcooked by the sun), but Fabares is breezy and there's a nice supporting turn by Nita Talbot as a streetwise stripper. Not bad Presley-fest, though the screenplay could've used some sharpening, and the extras are often hilariously wooden. **1/2 from ****

Elvis Presley and his band are "Girl Happy" in this 1965 film starring Shelley Fabares and featuring Gary Crosby, Mary Ann Mobley, Harold Stone, Nita Talbot, Joby Baker and Fabrizio Mioni. Presley and his band are hired by the club owner (Harold Stone) they work for to go to Fort Lauderdale and make sure that his daughter (Fabares) doesn't get into trouble. This often means cutting the romantic evenings of the band short, but Rusty (Elvis ends up combining business with pleasure.This is pleasant enough Elvis fare. It's not the kind of movie he wanted to make, but thanks to Colonel Parker, we have a slew of them, part travelogue, part music video. Elvis looks great; the film has a lot of youthful energy and catches the spring break atmosphere. After the success of Ricky Nelson on television, TV stars had to sing, and Fabares is no exception, and she makes a darling costar for Elvis. (Her description during an interview of being told she had to sing by the producer of "The Donna Reed Show" is quite funny. She refused and was asked, "Do you want to do the show next year?") Former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley is the knockout Rusty tries to romance while on guard duty. Rusty's band, consisting of Crosby, Baker and Hawkins, do well in their roles as lascivious lads.I wasn't as taken with the music as some on the board. It was nice, but I missed a big hit like "Return to Sender." Elvis wanted to leave a more important film legacy. I for one am grateful for any chance to see him perform.

I recently obtained the newly-remastered DVD of "Girl Happy" and I must admit that I was surprisingly taken aback at how much I enjoyed this rather entertaining 'beach' movie.I first viewed "GH" on TV back in 1986 and suffice to say that it didn't really make a great impression on me due to the somewhat lacklustre material of songs that Elvis performed in it. However, even a few of these managed to charm my tastebuds this second time around.Obviously, it's not one of Elvis' best overall movies but is certainly in the category of one of his best (and much-loved) 60's musicals - it is really entertaining. Elvis is in fine form along with a good supporting cast that includes leading lady, Shelley Fabares along with Bing Crosby's son, Gary plus the sultry Mary Ann Mobley and Harold J. Stone.A particular scene that I found fascinating was the action-packed fight in the club, Elvis appears to be doing so well fending them off with some karate moves and all when suddenly he takes a bottle over the back of the head! An unusual and unpredictable happening in one of his movies at this point."Girl Happy" is not one of my favourite Elvis movie soundtracks but the title track is OK, albeit somewhat faster in speed. There's also the catchy "Cross My Heart, Hope To Die", a duet of "Spring Fever" which wasn't featured on the original album, and the sweet ballad "Puppet On A String".It's worth checking out, and if it doesn't grab you the first time then maybe it will on a second viewing.

To me GIRL HAPPY was one of the best Elvis films ever, great acting, great music, great fun to watch. This is a film that no Elvis fan should miss. Go to your local video shop and rent this film if you haven't already seen it, its good stuff. 9/10