''Jailhouse Rock'' is a 1957 American
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by
Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Biography
Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, Richard Thorpe began his en ...
and starring
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
,
Judy Tyler
Judy Tyler (born Judith Mae Hess; October 9, 1932 – July 3, 1957) was an American singer and actress.Obituary ''Variety'', July 10, 1957, page 127.
Early life and career
Judy Tyler spent her teen years in Teaneck, New Jersey. She came from a ...
,
Mickey Shaughnessy
Joseph C. Shaughnessy (August 5, 1920 – July 23, 1985), better known as Mickey Shaughnessy, was an American actor and comedian.
Early life
Joseph C. Shaughnessy was born in New York City. He began in show business working as a singer at res ...
,
Vaughn Taylor
Vaughn Joseph Taylor (born March 9, 1976) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.
Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Taylor was raised in Augusta, Georgia, from infancy. After attending Hephzibah High School ...
and
Jennifer Holden. Adapted by
Guy Trosper
Guy Walter Trosper (March 27, 1911 – December 19, 1963) was an American screenwriter. He was best known for his work in the films ''The Stratton Story'' (1949), ''Devil's Doorway'' (1950), ''The Pride of St. Louis'' (1952), '' Jailhouse Rock'' ...
from a story written by
Nedrick Young
Nedrick Young (March 23, 1914 – September 16, 1968), also known by the pseudonym Nathan E. Douglas, was an American actor and screenwriter often Hollywood blacklist, blacklisted during the 1950s and 1960s for refusing to confirm or deny m ...
, the film tells the story of Vince Everett (Presley), a convict who learns the guitar while in prison and later becomes a star following his release.
The film's iconic soundtrack was written by songwriters
Mike Stoller
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...
and
Jerry Leiber
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such Crossover music, crossover hit songs ...
. The dance sequence to the film's
title song
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
is often cited as "Presley's greatest moment on screen."
''Jailhouse Rock'' premiered in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
on October 17, 1957, and was released nationwide on November 8, 1957. It peaked at #3 on the ''Variety'' box-office chart and finished #14 for the year, grossing $4 million. The film initially earned mixed reviews, with much of the negative targeted at Presley. In 2004, the film was selected for preservation in the
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
by the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...
, who deemed it "culturally, aesthetically or historically significant."
Plot
Construction worker Vince Everett accidentally kills a drunken, belligerent man in a barroom brawl and is sentenced to 10–14 months in the state penitentiary for
manslaughter
Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th cen ...
. His cellmate, washed-up
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
singer Hunk Houghton, in jail for bank robbery, teaches Vince a few guitar chords. Hunk then convinces Vince to participate in an inmate show that is broadcast on nationwide television. After his appearance, Vince receives many fan letters, but the jealous Hunk prevents their delivery.
Hunk convinces Vince to sign a pact to become equal partners in his act when they are both free. Later, during an inmate riot in the
mess hall
The mess (also called a mess deck aboard ships) is a designated area where military personnel socialize, eat and (in some cases) live. The term is also used to indicate the groups of military personnel who belong to separate messes, such as the o ...
, a guard shoves Vince, who retaliates by striking the guard. As punishment, the warden orders Vince to be
lashed with a whip. Vince later learns that Hunk attempted to bribe the guards to forgo the punishment but did not have enough money.
![Elvis Mickey Shaughnessy Jailhouse Rock 1957](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Elvis_Mickey_Shaughnessy_Jailhouse_Rock_1957.JPG)
Upon Vince's release 14 months later, the warden gives him his withheld fan mail from the TV show. Hunk promises Vince a singing job at a nightclub owned by a friend, where Vince meets Peggy Van Alden, a promoter for
pop singer Mickey Alba. Vince is surprised when the club owner denies him a job as a singer but offers him a job as a
bar boy. To prove himself to the club owner, Vince takes the stage to sing when the house band takes a break, but a customer laughs obnoxiously throughout the performance, enraging Vince, who smashes his guitar and leaves the club. Peggy then persuades Vince to record a demo so that he can listen to himself sing. Vince records "
Don't Leave Me Now," and Peggy takes the tape to Geneva Records. The manager seems unimpressed, but he reluctantly agrees to play the tape for his boss in New York. The next day, Peggy informs Vince that the song has been sold. Later, Peggy takes Vince to a party at her parents' home, but Vince leaves after he offends a guest whom he mistakenly believes is belittling him. Angry and offended, Peggy confronts Vince, who kisses her brutally. Peggy resentfully calls the gesture "cheap tactics," to which Vince replies, "They ain't tactics, honey; it's just the beast in me." Later, Vince and Peggy are shocked to discover that Geneva Records gave the song to Mickey Alba, who recorded and released the song, thereby
stealing
Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...
Vince's song. Infuriated, Vince storms into the label's office and confronts the manager, violently slapping him around.
To avoid a similar misfortune, Vince convinces Peggy to form their own label, which they name Laurel Records, and hire an attorney named Mr. Shores to oversee the business. Vince then records "
Treat Me Nice
"Treat Me Nice" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley. The song was included in the musical revue '' Smokey Joe's Cafe''. The song was featured prominently in the film '' Jailhouse Rock''.
Chart performance
Personnel
*Elvis Presley – lead ...
" and begins pitching it, but the song is universally rejected. However, Peggy convinces her friend Teddy Talbot, a
disc jockey
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...
, to air the song, and it becomes an immediate hit. Vince asks Peggy out to celebrate but is disappointed to learn that she had already accepted a dinner date with Teddy.
Later, Vince makes arrangements for another television show. At a party, Hunk, who has been granted parole, persuades Vince to give him a part in the upcoming show in an effort to revive his own music career. Prior to taping, Vince rehearses "
Jailhouse Rock" in a stylized cell block. But Hunk's number is cut because of his outdated music style. Vince later informs Hunk that the pact that they had signed in prison is worthless. However, indebted to Hunk for having tried to bribe the prison guards, Vince offers Hunk a job with his entourage.
![Elvis Presley and Judy Tyler in Jailhouse Rock trailer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Elvis_Presley_and_Judy_Tyler_in_Jailhouse_Rock_trailer.jpg)
Vince soon becomes a major star. However, Peggy no longer speaks with Vince, as his success has made him arrogant. Vince signs a movie deal, and the studio head asks him to spend the day with his conceited costar Sherry Wilson for publicity purposes. Sherry then falls in love with Vince after shooting a kissing scene.
Hunk grows tired of Vince's egotism. Peggy appears unexpectedly to discuss business. At the same time, Mr. Shores approaches Vince with an offer from Geneva Records to purchase Laurel Records and sign him to a rich contract. Peggy refuses to sell and is devastated when Vince wants to close the deal anyway. Enraged by Vince's attitude and treatment of Peggy, Hunk starts a fight with Vince and strikes him in the throat, endangering Vince's voice and singing ability. At the hospital, Vince forgives Hunk and realizes that he loves Peggy and that she loves him. Vince's doctor later informs him that his vocal cords are fully recovered, and in the living room, Vince tests his voice by singing "
Young and Beautiful" to Peggy to confirm that his singing voice is intact and his worries are unfounded before the two put their arms around each other for comfort as the film ends.
Cast
*
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
as Vince Everett, an ex-con who becomes a singing star. Producer
Pandro S. Berman
Pandro Samuel Berman (March 28, 1905July 13, 1996), also known as Pan Berman, was an American film producer.
Early life
Berman was born to a Jewish family in Pittsburgh in 1905. His father Henry was general manager of Universal Pictures durin ...
's wife convinced him to make a film with Presley in the leading role. Presley's manager,
Colonel Thomas Parker, was only interested in the film's score and the rights to record sales and publishing royalties, and Presley was paid $250,000 and 50% of the film's royalties.
*
Judy Tyler
Judy Tyler (born Judith Mae Hess; October 9, 1932 – July 3, 1957) was an American singer and actress.Obituary ''Variety'', July 10, 1957, page 127.
Early life and career
Judy Tyler spent her teen years in Teaneck, New Jersey. She came from a ...
as Peggy Van Alden, a music promoter who helps Vince build his career and becomes his lover. Tyler was previously known for her part as Princess Summerfall Winterspring on the television show ''
Howdy Doody
''Howdy Doody'' is an American Children's television series, children's television program (with circus and Western (genre), Western frontier themes) that was created and produced by Victor F Campbell '' and as Suzy in the Broadway musical ''
Pipe Dream
Pipe dream may refer to:
Music
* ''Pipe Dream'' (John Williamson album), 1997, or the titular song
* ''Pipedream'' (Alan Hull album), 1973
* ''Pipe Dreams'' (Murray Head album), 1995
* "Pipe Dreams" (Nelly Furtado song), 2016
* ''Pipe Dream ...
'' (1955). Tyler took a three-month leave of absence from ''Howdy Doody'' to shoot the film. Tyler and her husband were killed in a car crash on July 3, just days after production was completed and before its premiere. Presley was so devastated that he refused to watch the film.
*
Mickey Shaughnessy
Joseph C. Shaughnessy (August 5, 1920 – July 23, 1985), better known as Mickey Shaughnessy, was an American actor and comedian.
Early life
Joseph C. Shaughnessy was born in New York City. He began in show business working as a singer at res ...
as Hunk Houghton, Vince's cellmate and a former country singer. He teaches Vince the guitar and later becomes Vince's assistant. Shaughnessy was known as Leva in ''
From Here to Eternity
''From Here to Eternity'' is a 1953 American drama romance war film directed by Fred Zinnemann, and written by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1951 novel of the same name by James Jones. The picture deals with the tribulations of three U.S. Arm ...
'' (1953). He was also a comedian, and ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported that Shaughnessy had performed a 45-minute routine deriding Presley sometime before the film was made.
Elaine Dundy
Elaine Rita Dundy (née Brimberg; August 1, 1921 – May 1, 2008) was an American novelist, biographer, journalist, actress and playwright.
Early life
She was born Elaine Rita Brimberg in New York City. Her Polish Jewish immigrant father, ...
, author of the book ''
Elvis and Gladys
''Elvis and Gladys'' () is a biography of rock and roll singer Elvis Presley by author and film industry insider, Elaine Dundy. The book recounts Presley's early life, the role his mother Gladys played in his formative years, and his beginnings in ...
'' (1985), considered his selection an "odd choice" and the result of Berman's lack of involvement with casting.
*
Vaughn Taylor
Vaughn Joseph Taylor (born March 9, 1976) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.
Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Taylor was raised in Augusta, Georgia, from infancy. After attending Hephzibah High School ...
as Mr. Shores, an attorney whom Vince and Peggy hire to manage Vince's financial affairs.
*
William Forrest as the studio head (uncredited)
*
Jennifer Holden as starlet Sherry Wilson. The film was Holden's debut; after auditioning for the role at MGM in May 1956, she was selected immediately. She studied drama with
Lillian Roth
Lillian Roth (December 13, 1910 – May 12, 1980) was an American singer and actress.
Her life story was told in the 1955 film ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'', in which she was portrayed by Susan Hayward, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best ...
and had previously appeared on stage.
*
Dean Jones as disc jockey Teddy Talbot. Jones was formerly a blues singer, and he was coached for the role by disc jockeys Ira Cooke and
Dewey Phillips
Dewey Phillips (May 13, 1926 – September 28, 1968) was one of rock and roll's pioneering American disc jockeys, along the lines of Cleveland's Alan Freed, before Freed came along.
Early life
Phillips was born in Crump, Tennessee, but spent ...
. Jones went on to star in a string of
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
films.
* "Jailhouse Rock" cowriter Mike Stoller (of the
Leiber and Stoller
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such Crossover music, crossover hit songs ...
songwriting partnership) and Presley's regular band during that period—
Scotty Moore
Winfield Scott Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American guitarist who formed The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley's backing band. He was studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968.
Rock critic D ...
,
Bill Black
William Patton Black Jr. (September 17, 1926 – October 21, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. He played in Elvis Presley's early trio. Black later formed Bill Black's Combo.
Ear ...
and
D. J. Fontana
Dominic Joseph Fontana (March 15, 1931 – June 13, 2018) was an American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. In 1955, he was hired to play drums for Presley, which marked the beginning of a 15-year relationshi ...
—appear as Vince's band throughout the film, though uncredited.
Production
''Jailhouse Rock'' was Presley's third film and his first for MGM. It was filmed at MGM Studios (now
Sony Pictures Studios
The Sony Pictures Studios is an American television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard (south), Washington Boulevard (north), Overland Avenue (west) and ...
) in
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most d ...
. Filmed in black-and-white, the film was the first MGM production to use the recently developed 35 mm
anamorphic lens
Anamorphic format is the cinematography technique of shooting a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film or other visual recording media with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio. It also refers to the projection format in which a distorted ...
by
Panavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company founded in 1953 specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during ...
. The film was originally titled ''The Hard Way'' and was changed to ''Jailhouse Kid'' before MGM finally settled on ''Jailhouse Rock''. The film was not listed with the studio's planned releases for the year because it was based on a story by
Nedrick Young
Nedrick Young (March 23, 1914 – September 16, 1968), also known by the pseudonym Nathan E. Douglas, was an American actor and screenwriter often Hollywood blacklist, blacklisted during the 1950s and 1960s for refusing to confirm or deny m ...
, a
blacklisted
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
writer. During production, producer Pandro Berman was more focused on another of his productions, the 1958 film ''
The Brothers Karamazov
''The Brothers Karamazov'' (russian: Братья Карамазовы, ''Brat'ya Karamazovy'', ), also translated as ''The Karamazov Brothers'', is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing '' ...
.'' He allowed studio head
Benny Thau
Benjamin Thau (15 December 1898 – 5 July 1983) was an American businessman who became vice-president of the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a subsidiary of the Loew's theater chain. From 1928 he was in charge of casting, in the ...
and
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent a ...
president
Abe Lastfogel to select the cast.
Richard Thorpe
Richard Thorpe (born Rollo Smolt Thorpe; February 24, 1896 – May 1, 1991) was an American film director best known for his long career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Biography
Born Rollo Smolt Thorpe in Hutchinson, Kansas, Richard Thorpe began his en ...
, who had a reputation for quickly finishing projects, was chosen to direct the film.
The first scene filmed was the title dance sequence to the song "
Jailhouse Rock." Presley was not initially pleased with the direction of choreographer
Alex Romero, so Romero asked Presley to try his own moves to for the final sequence. The scene has often been cited as Presley's greatest musical moment on screen. Filming began on May 13, 1957 with the newly created choreography.
Presley's characteristic hairstyle and sideburns were covered with a wig and makeup for the musical and jail scenes. During the performance, one of Presley's dental caps detached and became lodged in his lung, and he spent a night in the hospital before filming resumed the next day.
Thorpe, who usually filmed scenes in a single take, finished the film by June 17, 1957.
Soundtrack
Before production began, rock-and-roll songwriting partners
Jerry Leiber
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such Crossover music, crossover hit songs ...
and
Mike Stoller
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...
were commissioned to create the film's soundtrack, but they did not send any material to MGM for months. In April 1957, the studio summoned the writers to New York and
Jean Aberbach
Joachim "Jean" Aberbach (12 August 1910 – 24 May 1992) was an Austrian-born American music publisher. With his brother Julian, he was responsible for establishing Hill and Range as one of the leading music publishing houses, responsible for son ...
, director of the
Hill & Range
Hill & Range (originally "Hill and Range Songs, Inc.") is a music publishing company which was particularly responsible for much of the country music produced in the 1950s and 1960s, and had control over the material recorded by Elvis Presley over ...
music publishing company, confronted them demanding to see the songs. When told that there was no material, Aberbach locked the songwriters in their hotel room and would not allow them to leave until they had written songs. Four hours later, Leiber and Stoller had written "
I Want to Be Free", "
Treat Me Nice
"Treat Me Nice" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley. The song was included in the musical revue '' Smokey Joe's Cafe''. The song was featured prominently in the film '' Jailhouse Rock''.
Chart performance
Personnel
*Elvis Presley – lead ...
", "
(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
"(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" is a 1957 song recorded by Elvis Presley and performed in the MGM film '' Jailhouse Rock''. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the film. Presley plays electric bass on the song.
Background
El ...
", and "
Jailhouse Rock."
Presley recorded the finished songs at
Radio Recorders
Radio Recorders, Inc. was an American recording studio located in Los Angeles, California. During the 1940s and 1950s, Radio Recorders was one of the largest independent recording studios in the world. Notable musicians recorded at Radio Recorder ...
in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
on April 30 and May 3, 1957, with an additional session at the MGM soundstage in Hollywood on May 9 for "
Don't Leave Me Now." Leiber and Stoller were invited to the recording session of April 30, where they met Presley, who convinced MGM to cast Stoller as the band's pianist in the film. During filming, Presley
mimed the words for film's musical numbers, and the music was later added to the finished scenes.
The following songs in the film were performed by Presley unless otherwise noted:
* "One More Day"
(Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett) – performed by Mickey Shaughnessy
* "
Young and Beautiful"
(Abner Silver, Aaron Schroeder)
* "I Want to Be Free"
(Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)
*"
Don't Leave Me Now"
(Aaron Schroeder, Ben Weisman
Benjamin Weisman (November 16, 1921 – May 20, 2007) was an American composer. He wrote 57 songs recorded by Elvis Presley, more than any other songwriter.
Biography
Weisman was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and grew up in Brooklyn, New Yor ...
)
* "
Treat Me Nice
"Treat Me Nice" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley. The song was included in the musical revue '' Smokey Joe's Cafe''. The song was featured prominently in the film '' Jailhouse Rock''.
Chart performance
Personnel
*Elvis Presley – lead ...
"
(Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)
* "
Jailhouse Rock"
(Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – dance routine choreographed by Elvis Presley
* "
(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care
"(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" is a 1957 song recorded by Elvis Presley and performed in the MGM film '' Jailhouse Rock''. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the film. Presley plays electric bass on the song.
Background
El ...
"
(Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - Presley also played electric bass
Release
''Jailhouse Rock'' premiered on October 17, 1957 at Loews State Theater in
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
. Female lead
Judy Tyler
Judy Tyler (born Judith Mae Hess; October 9, 1932 – July 3, 1957) was an American singer and actress.Obituary ''Variety'', July 10, 1957, page 127.
Early life and career
Judy Tyler spent her teen years in Teaneck, New Jersey. She came from a ...
had been killed in an automobile accident soon before the film's release, and a devastated Presley did not attend the premiere. The film opened nationally on November 8.
Box office
The film peaked at #3 on the ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' box-office chart and reached #14 for the year.
According to MGM records, the film earned $3.2 million in the U.S. and Canada and $1,075,000 elsewhere during its initial theatrical run, resulting in a profit of $1,051,000.
In 1957, Presley was ranked the fourth-leading box-office commodity in the film industry. According to ''Variety'', by 1969, ''Jailhouse Rock''s gross income in the U.S. and Canada was comparable to that of ''
The Wizard of Oz'' (1939).
Critical reception
![Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Elvis_Presley_Jailhouse_Rock2.jpg)
''Jailhouse Rock'' earned mixed reviews from critics. Some felt it scandalous when released because it portrayed Vince Everett as an antiheroic character, presented a convict as a hero, used the word "hell" as a profanity and included a scene with Presley in bed with Tyler. The
Parent-Teacher Association described the film as "a hackneyed, blown-up tale with cheap human values." ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' criticized Guy Trosper for writing a screenplay in which the secondary characters were "forced to hang on to the hero's flying mane and ego for the entire picture." ''Cue'' magazine called the film "
nunpleasant, mediocre and tasteless drama."
Some publications criticized Presley. ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' panned his onstage personality, while ''
The Miami News
''The Miami News'' was an evening newspaper in Miami, Florida. It was the media market competitor to the morning edition of the ''Miami Herald'' for most of the 20th century. The paper started publishing in May 1896 as a weekly called ''The Miami ...
'' compared the film with horror pictures and wrote, "Only Elvis Presley and his 'Jailhouse Rock' can keep pace with the movie debut of this 'personality,' the records show. In estimating the lasting appeal of their grotesque performer." Jazz magazine ''
Down Beat
' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...
'' wrote that Presley's acting was "amateurish and bland." British magazine ''
The Spectator
''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world.
It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...
'' described Presley's evolution from his "silly" performance in ''
Loving You'' to "dangerously near being repulsive."
Other reviewers responded positively to the film. Louise Boyca of ''
The Schenectady Gazette
''The Daily Gazette'' is an independent, family-owned daily newspaper published in Schenectady, New York. ''The Daily Gazette'' also owns and operates ''The Amsterdam Recorder'', ''The Gloversville Leader-Herald'' and ''Your Niskayuna''.
Histo ...
'' wrote that "it's dear Elvis that gets the soft focus camera and the arty photography." Boyca remarked upon the low production costs of the film, and said that Presley was "in top singing and personality form." ''
The Gadsden Times
'' The Gadsden Times '' is a daily newspaper serving Gadsden, Alabama, and the surrounding area in northeastern Alabama.
The Times was owned by Halifax Media Group. Before that, the newspaper was a member of the New York Times Regional Media Gr ...
'' said, "Elvis Presley not only proves himself as a dramatic actor ... but also reveals his versatility by dancing on the screen for the first time. The movie ... also contains Elvis' unique style of singing."
''
Look'' favored the film, describing how one audience "registered, loud and often, its approval of what may accurately be described as the star's first big dramatic singing role."
Author Thomas Doherty wrote in his 2002 book ''Teenagers and Teenpics: The Juvenalization of American Movies in the 1950s:'' "In ''Jailhouse Rock'', the treatment of rock 'n' roll music, both as narrative content and as cinematic performance is knowing and respectful ... The elaborate choreography for the title tune, the long takes and uninterrupted screen time given to the other numbers, and the musical pacing—the rock 'n' roll builds in quality and intensity—all show an indigenous appreciation of Presley's rock 'n' Roll." Critic Hal Erickson of ''
AllRovi
RhythmOne , previously known as Blinkx, and also known as RhythmOne Group, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel.
Blinkx was founded in 2004, went publi ...
'' wrote that the film "is a perfect balance of song and story from beginning to end." Mark Deming, also of ''AllRovi'', wrote that ''Jailhouse Rock'' was "one of
resley'sfew vehicles which really caught his raw, sexy energy and sneering charisma on film."
The review aggregate website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
lists the film with an overall 81% "Fresh" approval rating based on 16 reviews.
Accolades
In 1991, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were awarded with an
ASCAP Award
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
for Most-Performed Feature Film Standards for the song "
Jailhouse Rock". In 2004, ''Jailhouse Rock'' was selected for preservation in the United States
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
, as it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The film is famous for the dance sequence (also choreographed by Presley) in which Presley sings the title track while on stage, cavorting with other inmates through a set resembling a block of jail cells. The sequence is widely acknowledged as the most memorable musical scene in Presley's 30 narrative films, and is credited by some music historians as the prototype for the modern
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
. ''Jailhouse Rock'' ranked 495th on ''
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
''s 2008 list of the 500 greatest films of all time.
The film is recognized by
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees.
Leade ...
in these lists:
* 2004:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
** "
Jailhouse Rock" – #21
* 2006:
AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals
Part of the AFI 100 Years… series, AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals is a list of the top musicals in American cinema. The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute at the Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollyw ...
– Nominated
Notes
See also
*
List of American films of 1957
A list of American films released in 1957. ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
A-B
C-H
I-N
O-Q
R-T
U-Z
See also
* 1957 in the United States
References
External links
1957 filmsat the Interne ...
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External links
* ''Jailhouse Rock'' essay by
Carrie Rickey
Carrie Rickey (born November 26, 1952) is a feminist American art and film critic. Rickey is the film critic at ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' and often contributes to ''The New York Times'', ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and ''Village Voice''.
Her e ...
on the
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each selected for its historical, cultural and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB’s inception i ...
websit
* ''Jailhouse Rock'' essay by Daniel Eagan in America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, A&C Black, 2010 , pages 535-53
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{{Good article
1957 films
1950s musical drama films
1950s teen films
American musical drama films
American romantic drama films
American romantic musical films
American rock music films
American black-and-white films
Articles containing video clips
1950s English-language films
Films about singers
Films based on songs
Films set in prison
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Films directed by Richard Thorpe
Films produced by Pandro S. Berman
United States National Film Registry films
1957 drama films
Films shot in Los Angeles County, California
1950s American films