Double Trouble * (1967, Elvis Presley, Annette Day, John Williams, Chips Rafferty, Norman Rossington) – Classic Movie Review 6260

Director Norman Taurog’s 1967 crime comedy musical is a harmless but really rather ghastly showcase for Elvis Presley, one of his weakest films.

Chips Rafferty and Norman Rossington co-star as bumbling gem crooks pursuing rock singer Guy Lambert (Presley) from his tour in England across Europe, because they have hidden their stash of jewels in his stuff.

In the double trouble of the title, wealthy teenage heiress Jill Conway (Annette Day) is after Presley too, but only just because she fancies him. Oh, and there’s still more trouble with another beautiful woman and a mysterious killer also after him. Certainly there are plenty of plotlines and characters. It is a busy film, but busy doing nothing.

The performances are surprisingly poor, considering there are some good performers aboard, and the songs are worse, in this rare real total dud from Elvis.

It is written by Jo Heims, based on a story by Marc Brandel), shot in Metrocolor by Daniel L Fapp, produced by Judd Bernard and Irwin Winkler, scored by Jeff Alexander and designed by George W Davis.

Also in the cast are John Williams, Yvonne Romaine, Wiere Brothers, Monty [Monte] Landis, Michael Murphy, Leon Askin, John Alderson, Stanley Adams, Maurice Marsac and Walter Burke.

The irony of the plot is of course that Presley never did tour England.

It is Presley’s seventh film with Taurog.

It is Annette Day’s only film. She is reported married with two children and working for a safe-making firm.

Presley recalled: ‘I wasn’t exactly a James Bond in this movie. But then, no one ever asked Sean Connery to sing a song while dodging bullets.’

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6260

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