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Directed: Norman Taurog
Writing Credits: Edmund Beloin, Henry Garson
Producer: Hal Wallis
Assistant Director: Michael Moore
Associate Producer: Paul Nathan
Technicolor and Vistavision.


Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Tulsa McLean, Juliet Prowse .... Lili, Robert Ivers .... Cookie, James Douglas .... Rick, Letícia Román .... Tina, Sigrid Maier .... Marla, Arch Johnson .... Sergeant McGraw, Mickey Knox .... Jeeter, John Hudson .... Captain Hobart, Kenneth Becker .... Mac, Jeremy Slate .... Turk, Beach Dickerson .... Warren, Trent Dolan .... Mickey, Carl Crow .... Walt, Fred Essler .... Papa Mueller

Plot

In an effort to cash in on Elvis' return from the army G.I Blues is roughly based on E's time in Germany. G.I Tulsa McLean (Elvis) is posted to Franfurt (sound familiar) and on arrival he and his unit place a bet with another unit that no one can spend the night with Lili(Juliet Prowse) a dancer at the Cafe Europa.Needless to say our guy is chosen to melt the ice maiden, but is given several knock backs before she finally warms to his charms. Although it was just supposed to be a bet Tulsa also falls in love and their courtship involves much singing to puppets, babys, cable car rides etc, but everything is almost ruined when Lili learns of the wager. All is explained in the end and everyone is happy giving the movie ending a huge feelgood factor. Great viewing on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

"TONIGHT IS SO RIGHT FOR LOVE"
Written by Sid Wayne & Abner Silver, Performed by Elvis Presley
A tune based on Bacarolle by Jaques Offenbach with Elvis' voice fluctuating skillfully from his normal singing tone to tonsil splitting power. Released on the soundtrack album (1960). Later on the RCA Camden LP Burning Love and Hits Form His Movies, Volume 2 (1972).Both versions Tonight Is So Right For Love and Tonight's All Right For Love were released on the soundtrack CD (1997)

"WHAT'S SHE REALLY LIKE"
Written by Sid Wayne & Abner Silver, Performed by Elvis Presley
A romantic uptempo ballad delivered with style and flourish by Elvis. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (7) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

"FRANKFURT SPECIAL"
Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley
The swinging train scene with Elvis imitating the sound of the train against a hot instrumental beat of guitars and drums. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). A faster version (take 2) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

"WOODEN HEART"
Written by Fred Wise, Bert Kaempfert & Kay Twomey, Performed by Elvis Presley
Accordion,puppets and kids and Elvis singing engagingly in English and German at a Puppet show whilst on a date with Lili (Juliet Prowse). Released on the soundtrack LP and as a single in the U.K and West Germany (1960). Later on the LP's Elvis Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits Vol. 1 (1970) and Elvis Sings for Children and Grownups Too. (1978). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

"G.I BLUES"
Written by Sid Tepper & Roy C Bennett, Performed by Elvis Presley
Pounding marching number, the title tune from the film complete with the drill sergeant shouting Hup! Hup! as Elvis segues in the melody. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

"POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS"
Written by Fred Wise & Ben Weisman, Performed by Elvis Presley
Lovely ballad sung by Elvis to Juliet Prowse on a cable car ride. Juliet Prowse contributes backing singing in the film version, but is not heard on the record. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (2) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

"SHOPPIN' AROUND"
Written by Sid Tepper, Roy C Bennett & Aaron Schroeder, Performed by Elvis Presley
A rocking number with struming guitar intro with abrupt starts and stops. Horns are heard in the film version. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

"BIG BOOTS"
Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley
The childrens lullaby that Elvis sings whilst baby sitting. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960) and later on the LP Elvis Sings For Children and Grownups Too (1978). A fast version of the song was released on the soundtrack CD as a bonus track (1997)

"DIDJA' EVER"
Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley
The finale of G.I Blues with Elvis asking Didja ever get one of them days boys and the entire audience responding (on the record it's the Jordanaires). Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (1) was released on the soundtrack CD as a bonus track (1997).

"BLUE SUEDE SHOES"
Written by Carl Perkins, Performed by Elvis Presley
The classic Carl Perkins Rockabilly track which Elvis originally released as a single with Tutti Frutti on the flipside in 1956. The movie version was re recorded with more acoustic guitars. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

"DOIN' THE BEST I CAN"
Written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman, Performed by Elvis Presley
A mood piece with Elvis curling his voice smoothly up from bass register to a dramatic crescendo. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

The soundtrack was recorded at RCA Studios and Radio Recorders, Hollywood, April-May 1960. Engineer Thorne Nogar.

The musicians were:
Guitar:Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, Neal Matthews Jr., Elvis Presley. Bass:Ray Siegel. Drums:D.J Fontana, Frank Bode, Bernie Mattinson. Piano:Dudley Brooks. Accordian: Jimmie Haskell.
Vocal accompaniment by the Jordinaires.

Wooden Heart, which was based on the German song "Muss I Denn Zum Stadtele Hinaus", reached No. 1 in many countries, but wasn't released as a single in the U.S until 1964. In the summer of 1961, singer Joe Dowell covered the song and had a U.S No. 1.

On October 3, 1960, Billboard spotlighted the soundtrack, saying,"The album features the still hottest singer of them all in 10 brand new tunes, all of them showing facets of the lad's talent."

G.I. Blues enters the Billboard album chart at No. 6, reaching peak position on December 5. It was No.1 for a total of five weeks and stayed on the chart for 111 weeks, making it Elvis' longest charted record.

European prints of G.I. Blues substituted "Tonight's All Right For Love" for "Tonight Is So Right For Love" due to copyright problems.

Elvis apparently had trouble making sense of the lyrics of "Wooden Heart" until it was suggested to him that he should perform it as if he was singing to a small child.

What's She Really Like had to be re- recorded as part of the dialogue because the movie required Elvis to sing it in the showers.

An orchestral backing was overdubbed on "Pocketful Of Rainbows".

G.I. Blues is ranked No. 22 and No. 57 on Billboards Top No. 1 Albums chart 1960 - 1969 and all time hot 100 Albums chart respectively.

In the United Kingdom, "G.I. Blues is ranked No. 5 in the most weeks at No.1 All-Time Album chart(22 weeks).

Trivia

Elvis joked to the press "It's not about my real experiences in the Army, they couldn't film that"

Other working titles for the film included Cafe Europa and Dog Face.

Elvis' character in the film was originally called Tulsa Macauley.

Elvis and Juliet Prowse never went outside of Hollywood for their scenes. Doubles were used for the location shots.

Elvis broke a small bone in his hand while practicing Karate during the making of the film. It's clearly swollen in one of the sequences in the Cafe Europa.

Juliet Prowse was at one time engaged to Frank Sinatra and according to Joe Esposito had also dated Elvis.

Colonel Parker rented two private railroad cars to take Elvis and his entourage from Memphis to Hollywood as Elvis was still afraid of flying in 1960. Elvis was mobbed in Los Angeles Union Station.

During filming, Elvis stayed at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

Production began on May 2, 1960 and lasted until the end of June.

Due to California law, three sets of twin boys were used to play Rick and Marla's baby in the film.

On August 18, a sneak preview was held in the Majestic Theatre in Dallas. Raymond Willie, the vice president of the distribution company sent a telegram to Paramount that stated "We have never witnessed such a marvelous reaction to any picture."

A special showing of G.I. Blues took place at the Fox Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles on November 15, 1960. In attendance were Cesar Romero and Ronald Reagan.

G.I Blues opened in America on November 23, 1960.

G.I. Blues reached No. 2 on Variety's weekly list of top grossing films.

Variety says "the film seems to be a leftover from the frivolous musicals of the Second World War."

G.I. Blues was ranked 14th in Variety's annual national box-office ratings.

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