''Paradise, Hawaiian Style'' is a 1966 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 Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

starring

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

. It was the third and final motion picture that Presley filmed in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

. The film reached #40 on the ''Variety'' weekly box office chart, earning $2.5 million in theaters. In agreeing to do this film, Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was hoping to replicate the success of Presley's 1961 film, '' Blue Hawaii''.

Plot

Rick Richards (Presley) returns to his home in Hawaii after being fired from his job as an airline pilot. He and his buddy Danny Kohana (

James Shigeta James Saburo Shigeta (; June 17, 1929 – July 28, 2014) was an American actor and singer. He was known for his roles in ''The Crimson Kimono'' (1959), ''Walk Like a Dragon'' (1960), ''Flower Drum Song (film), Flower Drum Song'' (1961), ''B ...

) go into the

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charter business together. But Rick's reckless flying and his careless flirting with local women may cost Rick the business and Danny his home. This tendency seems to get in the way of their secretary, Judy "Friday" Hudson ( Suzanna Leigh) and Rick getting together. Disaster looms as Danny becomes overdue on a flight after Rick has been grounded by government officials. Rick must decide if he should risk losing his license forever by going to look for his friend.

Cast

as Rick Richards * Suzanna Leigh as Judy "Friday" Hudson *

as Danny Kohana * Jan Shepard as Betty Kohana * Philip Ahn as Moki Kaimana * Donna Butterworth as Jan Kohana * Marianna Hill as Lani Kaimana * Irene Tsu as Pua * Linda Wong as Lehua Kawena * Julie Parrish as Joanna *

Red West Robert Gene "Red" West (March 8, 1936 – July 18, 2017) was an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter. He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. Upon his firing, West co-wrote the cont ...

as fighter in bar (uncredited) * Grady Sutton as Mr. Cubberson

Production

Principal photography in ''Paradise, Hawaiian Style'' began in Hawaii on July 27, 1965 (with the working title of ''Hawaiian Paradise'') and finished on September 29 in Los Angeles. Major scenes in both '' Blue Hawaii'' (1961) and this film were shot on the island of Kauaʻi, with the Coco Palms Resort prominently featured. The famous resort was destroyed by

Hurricane Iniki Hurricane Iniki ( ; Hawaiian: ''iniki'' meaning "strong and piercing wind") was a hurricane that struck the island of Kauai on September 11, 1992. It was the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaii in recorded history, and the only hurricane to ...

in 1992 and never rebuilt. Some scenes were filmed above, at and around the Polynesian Cultural Center on O'ahu. Around the official wrap on production, Elvis met Tom Jones, who visited the set, and

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

, who visited Elvis’ Bel Air home a few weeks after production was completed. Elvis was still the biggest singing star and top actor in the world at this time, with his salary for every film being a million dollars and half the profits which $1.25 million for Hawaiian Style. Elvis made $2.25 million from this film.

Soundtrack

Reception

Released in June 1966, ''Paradise, Hawaiian Style'', despite its "stunning aerial photography", "inspired a collective yawn" with film critics. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' film reviewer

Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who was the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in 2000. ...

compared the film to the formulaic 1930s musicals that

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

used to star in, concluding that it was "all harmless and forgettable." Kevin Thomas of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' called it "pleasant hot-weather diversion. Pretty much the usual Elvis Presley formula of songs and romance, this Paramount release ... has the added bonus of lush tropical scenery in color. And Elvis, as always, remains relaxed, enjoyable entertainer." '' Variety'' called the film "a gaily-begarbed and flowing musical," with the Hawaii setting seldom before having been "utilized to such lush advantage." '' The Monthly Film Bulletin'' wrote, "This is Elvis Presley right back in the old rut, parading his talents as a man of action while women swoon at his passage. The script is rather worse than routine, and the songs and choreography are undistinguished; which leaves very little but Wallace Kelley's colourful photography of the strictly tourist-eye view of the islands.""Paradise, Hawaiian Style." '' The Monthly Film Bulletin'', Volume 33, Issue 391, August 1966, p. 127.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Knight, Timothy. ''Elvis Presley in the Movies''. New York: Metro Books, 2009. .

External links

* * *
Elvis in Hawaii

Review by Janet Branagan at Apollo Movie Guide

Review of the movie collection "Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection (King Creole, Blue Hawaii, G.I. Blues, Fun in Acapulco, Roustabout, Girls! Girls! Girls!, Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Easy Come, Easy Go)
by Paul Mavis at DVD Talk, August 6, 2007
Review
by Jon Danziger at digitallyOBSESSED!, March 2, 2003 {{Mickey Moore 1966 films 1966 musical comedy films 1966 romantic comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American aviation films American romantic musical films Films directed by Mickey Moore Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Films set in Hawaii Films shot in Hawaii Films shot in Los Angeles Paramount Pictures films 1966 directorial debut films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films Films scored by Joseph J. Lilley English-language romantic comedy films English-language musical comedy films