This lighthearted musical parodying the mania around Elvis was harmless enough I suppose, but it had so many uninspiring components that I struggled to stay interested, especially in its first half. There's a badly miscast heartthrob (Jesse Pearson), an annoying, overbearing mother (Maureen Stapleton), a bunch of songs which really aren't that great (sorry Ann-Margret), and Janet Leigh playing a Mexican-American character (say whatever you want about it being 1963). The story is a bit of a mess as it careens around, though the silliness is part of the point.
It's not entirely bad, with one of the bright spots being Paul Lynde, whose smirk and mannerisms always seem to convey a little extra playfulness beyond the part he's playing. Dick van Dyke is charming in his rendition of the sweet "Put on a Happy Face," and the amphetamines his character cooks up and feeds to a turtle and the Russian conductor are pretty amusing. Leigh playing the "exotic" and doing a rather odd dance to bedazzle a bunch of Shriners was problematic but a highlight nonetheless, simply because of her charms. I wasn't as wowed by Ann-Margret, but obviously I'm in the minority, and if you're a fan, this is must-see. Otherwise, I'm not so sure.
It's not entirely bad, with one of the bright spots being Paul Lynde, whose smirk and mannerisms always seem to convey a little extra playfulness beyond the part he's playing. Dick van Dyke is charming in his rendition of the sweet "Put on a Happy Face," and the amphetamines his character cooks up and feeds to a turtle and the Russian conductor are pretty amusing. Leigh playing the "exotic" and doing a rather odd dance to bedazzle a bunch of Shriners was problematic but a highlight nonetheless, simply because of her charms. I wasn't as wowed by Ann-Margret, but obviously I'm in the minority, and if you're a fan, this is must-see. Otherwise, I'm not so sure.