Elvis & Ann-Margret Rock ‘Viva Las Vegas’ 1964

Ann-Margret & Elvis Presley are a dynamic duo in 1964’s “Viva Las Vegas.”

Viva
Las Vegas is a enjoyable little bit of fluff, and all of the credit score goes to its
well-paired stars, Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. There’s just about no plot, even
for an Elvis film. But, when the 2 stars banter and bicker, or sing and
dance, you marvel at their youthful magnificence, intercourse enchantment and vitality, and charismatic
expertise. They are a high-voltage wow collectively.

Elvis Presley& Ann-Margret’s chemistry was crimson sizzling in 1964’s “Viva Las Vegas.”

Elvis Presley’s
character Fortunate Jackson is so
multi-talented. He is a race automobile driver who additionally sings and performs guitar. He can
fly a helicopter and he is additionally a waiter on the aspect. Aspect hustles, as the youngsters
say right this moment. Ann-Margret is Rusty Martin, a kids’s swimming teacher who simply
occurs to sing and dance as effectively. A “fortunate” coincidence! A-M’s dancing is so energetic that audiences
can burn energy by simply watching her. Her singing, nevertheless, is a matter of
style. I’m simply not a fan of A-M’s babykins voice with that exaggerated
vibrato.

Elvis’ Fortunate is aware of his manner round a chopper in addition to race automobile in “Viva Las Vegas.”

Elvis is a most dapper
dresser and dons some uncommon fits and mod boots. Ann-Margret is totally
lovely because the kitten with the whiplash hair! And for many of the film, A-M
is at her ‘60s slinkiest, with glossy outfits that exhibit her determine and a
easy, lengthy wave of hair. It’s solely in later scenes that she is teased,
lacquered, or bewigged, after which the factitious ‘60s Ann-Margret intrudes. It is
nice enjoyable to look at the celebs rock the 1964 fashions of their wonderful youth.
There’s nice humor and chemistry between Elvis and A-M, which was a lot famous
on the time.

Ann-Margret seems merely beautiful right here as Rusty Martin in “Viva Las Vegas.”

…in scenes like this, Ann-Margret seems like Jiffy-Pop!

The padding is generally
tolerable, however the merry chase via on line casino showrooms searching for Rusty is a complete
time waster. Fortunate and Rusty’s date day is simply watching the celebs clowning,
however they make it enjoyable. That Elvis sings “Viva Las Vegas” three
occasions in an 85-minute film speaks volumes to the filler on this slight function
movie.

The title tune “Viva Las Vegas” is carried out 3 times in lower than 90 minutes!

Presley and A-M’s
numbers collectively are nice enjoyable and the spotlight of the Viva Las Vegas. The midsection has the most effective of them, the place Elvis
sings and gyrates, as Ann-Margret whips herself into an attractive frenzy. Within the
background is Teri Garr in a black and white costume for “That is What I Say.” And
the woman “with the crimson costume on” is Toni Basil. The three tune medley is a
mashup of excessive vitality enjoyable.

That is Teri Garr in B&W on the left, trying fairly glum all through this quantity!

After that, it is so much
of slapstick, and A-M going from her most interesting to comically caterwauling
via a few numbers. Ann-Margret was one in every of many feminine stars promoted
as the following Marilyn, after Monroe’s latest demise. Her “Appreciation”
quantity is a weak take off on some earlier MM numbers, notably of a foul MM
quantity, “Specialization” from Let’s
Make Love. The shellacked, synthetic A-M in these scenes was thought of
subtle. Probably this got here from director George Sidney, who was
enamored/obsessive about A-M, after they made three movies collectively. It was mentioned
that Colonel Tom Parker needed to remind Sidney that this was an Elvis film. Be aware the finale, the place
Elvis and A-M share a cut up display collectively to sing the title tune, and one
wonders if even Presley was bored with vying for the display with A-M.

Ann-Margret in ruffles and a fall; Cesare Danova, sporting Tony Polar’s
“Valley of the Dolls” nightclub act go well with?

Elvis Presley is at
his mid-movie profession finest: he sings and appears nice, plus his pure
self-deprecating humor is put to good use within the boy-meets-girl situation. This
could have been Presley’s introduction to Las Vegas, the place Elvis can be a prime attraction
within the subsequent decade, as would Ann-Margret.

Elvis Presley’s Fortunate is playing on love in 1964’s “Viva Las Vegas.”

Craggy William Demarest
(My Three Sons) performs A-M’s father,
amusing, since he was 72 on the time to her fresh-faced 23—hey, that’s present
biz! Cesare Danova is Elvis’ rival on the race monitor and for Ann-Margret’s
Rusty. Since A-M’s laborious to get perspective towards Presley’s Fortunate is virtually
non-existent, Danova’s not a lot of a menace.

Director George Sidney shows all of Ann-Margret’s charms in “Viva Las Vegas.”

Viva Las Vegas is not any musical basic, however is a tasty trifle.
Simply take pleasure in these nice stars of their prime, some enjoyable tune and dances, and
nostalgic Las Vegas surroundings—neglect the remaining!

Right here’s
my take a look at one in every of Elvis Presley’s finest, Loving
You: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/08/elvis-presley-fans-still-loving-you-1957.html