A lot of highbrows will dismiss that as another Elvis lousy movie.But just have a look at the name of the director:it's not Norman Taurog,it's Don "Body Snatchers" Siegel!And every Siegel movie is worth a watch at least or more with such gems as "invasion of the body snatchers" and "beguiled".
The screenplay is close to John Huston's "the unforgiven",Hepburn and here Presley are half-breed people and thus generate violence.But what seems fascinating here is Presley's part and his tragedy ,both in the movie,and in real life:the loss of his own mother.His performance is by far his most moving not only because he 's directed by a director with a genuine talent,but also because he probably searched his memories to give such a harrowing rendition.The old mom,an Indian herself ,who tries to go back to the mountain to die there is the moment which climaxes the movie.
This obsession with the mother's loss would continue in "wild in the country" ,Elvis's next movie,before he sank in an ocean of schmaltz.
The screenplay is close to John Huston's "the unforgiven",Hepburn and here Presley are half-breed people and thus generate violence.But what seems fascinating here is Presley's part and his tragedy ,both in the movie,and in real life:the loss of his own mother.His performance is by far his most moving not only because he 's directed by a director with a genuine talent,but also because he probably searched his memories to give such a harrowing rendition.The old mom,an Indian herself ,who tries to go back to the mountain to die there is the moment which climaxes the movie.
This obsession with the mother's loss would continue in "wild in the country" ,Elvis's next movie,before he sank in an ocean of schmaltz.