Blue Hawaii (1961)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Allan Weiss (story)
Hal Kanter (writer)

Release Date:

22 November 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

Ecstatic romance...exotic dances...exciting music in the world's lushest paradise of song!

Plot:

Chad Gates has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surf-board, his beach buddies...

Plot Keywords:

Hawaii | Tourist | Beautiful Woman | Business | Elvis Presley

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Elvis Presley	...	Chad Gates
Joan Blackman	...	Maile Duval
Angela Lansbury	...	Sarah Lee Gates
Nancy Walters	...	Abigail Prentice
Roland Winters	...	Fred Gates
John Archer	...	Jack Kelman
Howard McNear	...	Mr. Chapman
Steve Brodie	...	Tucker Garvey
Christian Kay	...	Beverly Martin
Iris Adrian	...	Enid Garvey
Hilo Hattie	...	Waihila
Jenny Maxwell	...	Ellie Corbett
Pamela Austin	...	Selena (Sandy) Emerson (as Pamela Kirk)
Darlene Tompkins	...	Patsy Simon
Lani Kai	...	Carl Tanami

Also Known As:

Hawaii Beach Boy (USA) (pre-release title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild sensuality.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Coco Palms Resort Hotel - 241 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA

Company:

Hal Wallis Productions

Trivia:

Approximately seven minutes before "The End," Maile ('Joan Blackman') kicks Chad (Elvis) out of her room on Kauai, then peeks through the blinds. Briefly in her view is a couple paddling a canoe. The woman, blond and seated in front, is Pop singer Patti Page. How Patti paddled her way into being an extra came about because she was then married to Charles O'Curran, a choreographer and music stager for many films produced by Hal B. Wallis, including "Blue Hawaii."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Every time they show the travel agency where Chad’s girlfriend works, the traffic outside the window has a blue Ford Falcon and a 1957 white Ford convertible moving from the same spot.

Quotes:

Ellie Corbett: Well at least we have 5 minutes.
Chad Gates: I have 5 minutes Miss over-sexed and under-aged.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

Soundtrack:

Can't Help Falling In Love

the start of the end for serious Elvis movies

While this is one of Elvis' greatest and fun movies it is a great shame that it was so successful, as it ruined the promise of a wonderful movie career for the King. The scenery and songs are unmatched and it is a fairly decent script, even after some sour comments from Angela Lansbury. Ms. Lansbury has constantly degraded this movie but she made a wonderful appearance as Elvis's mother, and I am sure gave her new fans. This movie was also responsible along with Hawaii Five-O as giving tourism to the Islands a big boost, but have the Hawaiian Tourist Bureau ever mentioned this. 40 years on it is still a treat to watch,and still surpasses some of today's so called "hot movies".Due to the popularity of Blue Hawaii El's management told him this was the way to go.Such a shame.