Everybody loved Elvis Presley in this movie – but few noticed the weird detail about his hair
Love Me Tender: A Timeless Treasure Packed with Surprises: Elvis Presley’s Film Debut
Did you know that you can watch the whole Love Me Tender movie for free on YouTube? It’s a unique experience for first-time watchers, and for devoted fans, it’s an opportunity to rediscover Elvis Presley’s captivating magnetism at the start of his Hollywood career.
The fact is that Elvis had everything. He wasn’t only the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The distinct charm, the dancing skills, the voice, and yes, even the innate acting ability. The King performs far more than just musical pieces in Love Me Tender; we witness him act as well as sing.
An Alternative Type of Debut
Elvis Presley’s debut motion picture appearance was Love Me Tender, which came out in 1956. The film, which is set in the years following the Civil War, combines Western-style action, romance, and family strife. The Reno Brothers was their original name, but it was renamed to capitalize on the success of the song “Love Me Tender,” which shot to the top of the charts very quickly.
Elvis portrayed the only role in all of his movies that was based on an actual historical person: Clint Reno, the youngest of four siblings. The infamous Reno Gang, who were pioneers of American train theft in the 1860s, served as a loose inspiration for the film.
The Premiere’s Hysteria
More than 1,500 admirers gathered around a huge 40-foot cutout of Elvis during the Love Me Tender premiere at the Paramount Theatre in New York City. During his scenes, the theater’s patrons roared so loudly that several of his lines were muffled. It was a cultural event rather than merely a movie presentation.
The Dream’s Boy
Elvis was a cinema usher before he ever stepped foot on a movie set, where he watched celebrities like Tony Curtis, Marlon Brando, and James Dean. He aspired to be a serious actor like them. Not only a famous vocalist by chance.
Colonel Tom Parker, his manager, however, had other ideas: Elvis’ music would be included in every movie. This implied that soundtracks were equally as significant as plots.
Elvis, however, was serious about his role. Despite being billed third, behind Richard Egan and Debra Paget, he committed all of the other actors’ lines to memory in addition to his own. Elvis was later described by producer David Weisbart as “humble, polite, and very serious about acting.”
Behind the Scenes: Undiscovered Treasures & Touching Surprises
“A few hours can sometimes reveal more about a person than weeks of continuous communication.” — Debra Paget
At first, Elvis had no intention of singing in the movie. However, that soon changed. His initial on-screen entrance is followed by a performance five minutes later, and by the time of the benefit concert sequence, it feels more like 1956 than 1865. Girls screaming? In the Wild West? Not quite true to history, but authentically Elvis.
It’s interesting to note that actors Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter first turned down the part of Clint Reno. In order to highlight Elvis’ magnetism, producers added new scenes and songs to the role after he was cast.
Behind the Magic, the Music
The title track of the movie was not originally composed for Elvis. The Civil War-era song “Aura Lee” is the inspiration for “Love Me Tender,” which has new lyrics attributed to Vera Matson (although they were actually written by her husband, Ken Darby). Demand was so great that RCA had over a million preorders when Elvis made his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show prior to the film’s release. Before it had reached shop shelves, it was already a gold record.
Elvis would perform the tune live for the following 20 years after it topped the charts for five weeks in a row. evidence of its enduring appeal and emotional resonance.
The Effect of Debra Paget
At the age of 22, Debra Paget had already established herself in Hollywood. She didn’t know what to anticipate when she first met Elvis. She remarked, “I had read and heard a lot about this new young singing sensation, and the majority of it was not positive.”
But she was taken aback by Elvis. To her mother, he was kind, respectable, and even endearing. Like two timid souls running into each other in a storm, they clicked right away.
Elvis went down hard. She was the most stunning woman he had ever laid eyes on. He reportedly even proposed, but Debra turned him down, claiming her parents were against it. Howard Hughes was already capturing her heart.
But her influence persisted. According to certain legends, Priscilla Presley used Debra’s famous hairstyle from Love Me Tender to attract Elvis years later.
Elvis’s mother altered the conclusion.
A little-known truth is that Elvis’s character passes away in the movie. The tragedy of Clint Reno, who was shot and held in Cathy’s arms, stunned everyone, particularly his mother. She begged the producers to lessen the punch since she was devastated by the conclusion.
Thus, a concluding scene with Elvis Presley’s silhouette singing “Love Me Tender” over the closing titles was added. Yes, that was sweet, but it resulted in a serious continuity mistake. Elvis had coloured his hair black by that point, which was a clear contrast to previous scenes in which he wore his natural light brown hair.
Goofs, Bloopers, and Time Travel to the 1860s
Love Me Tender has many amusing errors that only heighten its antique appeal, according to astute viewers:
Despite the fact that zippers weren’t created until decades later, a character unzips pants.
A allegedly Civil War window view with a 1950s vehicle in the backdrop.
Even after Elvis stops playing the guitar during “We’re Gonna Move,” the strumming still goes on.
Additionally, because to erratic camera angles, a concealed gun appears, vanishes, and then resurfaces in one scene.
The legacy of the movie is unaffected by these small errors. As a product of its era, preserved in celluloid and memory, these, if anything, make it more charming.
A Durable Legacy
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll made his Hollywood debut with wide eyes, genuine effort, and a heart full of hopes with Love Me Tender, even though it may not be his most critically appreciated movie.
It serves as a reminder that everyone has their beginnings. And occasionally, they amaze us with their heart as much as their talent.