... Said the BBc announcer just before the broadcast of FLAMING STAR at 12 noon yesterday . So let's see a movie made in 1960 starring Elvis Presley and broadcast at mid day is a " tough western " . No doubt we'll be getting a horror double bill featuring THE TELETUBBIES at one point later in the day . Things don't happen like it says on the tin when the opening sequence features Elvis pulling out a guitar on his homestead and by this point I was looking forward to seeing Po and Lala appearing in THE TELETUBBIES AXE MURDERS . However things improve a few minutes later when a bunch of ranchers are brutally murdered by an Indian war party which causes some serious internal conflict for Pacer Burton , Presley's half breed character
For an Elvis star vehicle FLAMING STAR is far more intelligent and compelling than I could possibly have thought . This is down to the simple fact that the script is very good . It's not in the same league as SHANE or THE SEARCHERS but it deals with similar themes , being a half breed Pacer finds himself with a serious internal dilemma when the white man and the red skin prepare for all out war and Pacer realises he'll need to pick one side in order to survive . Elvis isn't exactly Oscar material in this movie but I've seen him worse , and at least it's not a musical
Six out of Ten
For an Elvis star vehicle FLAMING STAR is far more intelligent and compelling than I could possibly have thought . This is down to the simple fact that the script is very good . It's not in the same league as SHANE or THE SEARCHERS but it deals with similar themes , being a half breed Pacer finds himself with a serious internal dilemma when the white man and the red skin prepare for all out war and Pacer realises he'll need to pick one side in order to survive . Elvis isn't exactly Oscar material in this movie but I've seen him worse , and at least it's not a musical
Six out of Ten