Roustabout (film)

: "This article is about the Elvis Presley film. For information about the Elvis Presley album based upon the film, see Roustabout (album)."

Infobox Film
name = Roustabout

---

caption = Original theatrical poster
imdb_id = 0058534
producer = Hal B. Wallis
director = John Rich
writer = Story:
Allan Weiss
Screenplay:
Anthony Lawrence
Allan Weiss
starring = Elvis Presley
Barbara Stanwyck
Joan Freeman
Leif Erickson
music = Joseph J. Lilley
cinematography = Lucien Ballard
editing = Hal Pereira
Walter H. Tyler
distributor = Paramount Pictures
released = flagicon|USA November 11, 1964
runtime = 101 min.
language = English
preceded by =
followed by =

"Roustabout" (1964) is a Paramount Pictures musical feature film starring Elvis Presley as a singer who takes a job working with a struggling carnival. The film was produced by Hal Wallis and directed by John Rich from a screenplay by Anthony Lawrence and Allan Weiss. "Roustabout" was panned by "Variety" but was nominated for a Writers Guild of America award. The film's spinoff album was one of Presley's most successful.

Plot and cast

Musician Charlie Rogers (Elvis Presley) is fired from a gig at a teahouse after brawling with a few rowdy college boys in the establishment's parking lot. After a night in jail, Charlie hits the road on his Honda 305 Superhawk motorcycle and wrecks the bike on a country road. Carnival owner Maggie Morgan (Barbara Stanwyck) offers him a place to stay and a job with her carnival while the bike is being repaired. Charlie becomes a carnie. Maggie recognizes his musical talents and promotes him to feature attraction; his act draws crowds to the carnival. Off stage, Charlie cultivates a romance with pretty fellow worker Cathy Lean (Cathy Freeman), but after troubles with her pugnacious father Joe (Leif Erickson) and an incident over a customer's lost wallet, Charlie leaves the carnival to star in the show of rival carnival producer Harry Carver (Pat Buttram). Once again, he is a great success. When Charlie learns Maggie may face bankruptcy, he returns to her carnival and relieves her financial woes with his earnings from Carver's show. In the musical finale, he is happily reunited with Cathy and remains with Maggie's show. Cast includes Sue Ane Langdon as fortune-teller Madame Mijanou, Jack Albertson as teahouse owner Lou, Billy Barty as carnival performer Billy, and Teri Garr and Raquel Welch in uncredited roles as college girls.

Musical numbers

:"See also Roustabout (album)"

*"Roustabout" by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye
*"Poison Ivy League" by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye
*"One Track Heart" by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye
*"Wheels On My Heels" by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett
*"It's a Wonderful World" by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett
*"It's Carnival Time" by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne
*"Carny Town" by Fred Wise and Randy Starr
*"Hard Knocks" by Joy Byers
*"There's a Brand New Day On the Horizon" by Joy Byers
*"Big Love, Big Heartache" by Dolores Fuller, Lee Morris and Sonny Hendrix
*"Little Egypt" by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller

All tunes in the film were sung by Presley.

Reception

While the "New York Times" declined to review the film, "Variety" generally panned it but noted the film would likely be a box-office hit based upon its star names, songs, and Technicolor, Techniscope qualities. [ [http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/roustabout.html Elvis History Blog:"Roustabout"] "'Retrieved August 2008. ]

Awards and honors

The film's screenplaywrights Lawrence and Weiss were nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Musical. The film generated a best-selling album that went #1 on the "Billboard" charts.

References

External links

* [http://www.elvispresley.com.au/elvis/presley/roustabout.shtml For Elvis Fans Only] .