Fun in Acapulco ** (1963, Elvis Presley, Ursula Andress, Paul Lukas, Alejandro Rey, Elsa Cárdenas) – Classic Movie Review 2627

Director Richard Thorpe delivers a fair fun 1963 vehicle for Elvis Presley, who stars as Mike Windgren, a circus trapeze artist high-flyer with a fear of heights.

So, with the help of little boy Raoul (Larry Domasin), he becomes a lifeguard and entertainer (cue 10 songs) at the local hotel. There he is pursued by lovely games organiser Marguerita Dauphin (Ursula Andress, fresh from Dr No), arousing the jealousy and anger of rival lifeguard Moreno (Alejandro Rey), the champion diver of Mexico.

A game-for-anything Elvis tackles the bright and breezy tunes ‘Bossa Nova Baby’ and ‘You Can’t Say No in Acapulco’ – though they’re very middle-of-the-road songs for the King of rock ‘n’ roll. Andress is statuesque but looks bored in a merely decorative role, while Paul Lukas is entertaining, playing a touchy cook by the name of Maximillian Dauphin.

The pretty ordinary songs provide little compensation for screen-writer Allan Weiss’s tepid story, which has trouble brewing the smallest of storms in its tiny teacup. But director Thorpe enjoys pointing his cameras at Andress and at the Mexican resort’s equally lovely scenery.

Elvis didn’t film in Acapulco and a stunt double was used. The cliff dives take place at La Quebrada in Acapulco. Teri Garr makes her uncredited movie debut as an extra in this film, appearing similarly in several more Elvis movies before her acting break.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2627

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