King Creole

With this I wrap up my choices for a “Remembering New Orleans” film series, which may or may not run soon at the Clark. I expected this to be goofy fun, but what is universally proclaimed Elvis Presley’s best film is in fact a good film, from when he was plausibly being positioned as a singing James Dean. Accomplished veteran director Michael Curtiz, of Casablanca fame, mixes extensive location shooting with story-justified singing numbers as Elvis goes from busboy to headliner on Bourbon Street. In well-shot black & white with noirish tone, the story (from a Harold Robbins novel) echoes Rebel Without a Cause. Walter Matthau, of all people, is the villain of the piece, and Carolyn Jones, who would become tv’s Morticia Addams, makes a fine hooker with heart. And oh my, that “Pelvis” is something! (1958,dvd, n.) *7*