moonspinner55 Review of G.I. Blues

G.I. Blues (1960)

Stupid, leering script and characters bolstered by excellent Elvis numbers...

[6/10 · 17 August 2009]

Elvis Presley's real-life Army uniform wasn't even cold yet before Paramount got him back on screen with "G.I. Blues", one of those musicals in which the flimsy script can nearly be forgotten in the wake of several wonderfully produced numbers. Group of wolfish U.S. Army soldiers, finishing up their tour in Germany, bet fellow G.I. Elvis he can't get inside cabaret performer Juliet Prowse's apartment and stay all night (she's the flashy European-type who is steam-heat on the outside, iceberg on the inside). Forget the contrived plot and the manic, eyeball-rolling performances and just enjoy Presley's music, with each song staged for a thrilling impact (whether they take place in a train-car, a nightclub, a skyway cabin, or a puppeteer's stage). Filmed in gorgeous color, the picture looks good enough to eat--plus, there's a cute baby, some self-effacing humor, and romance to boot. A bit long at 104 minutes, and the girls-as-targets theme is dated now and tacky, but otherwise this "G.I." is a lot of fun. **1/2 from ****