Review of Viva Las Vegas (1964) by Thomas L — 07 Aug 2008

Judging by all the glowing Facebook reviews for this, I might be going against the grain. With a title that's become a catchphrase, this film seemed a tad frivolous. There wasn't much in the way of conflict or a plot, save the gentle rivalry between Elvis and Count Elmo.

That first musical number by the pool is terrific. Ann-Margret makes it sound like there isn't a snowball's chance in a the Vegas desert that the King's ever getting into her drawers. That resistance, of course, lasts all of about ten seconds.

Also, during the race at the end, Count Elmo got in what looked like a pretty serious crash, but there he was at the wedding looking fit as a fiddle. That was kind of weird. It's basically just a series of musical numbers with the King and Ann as they work toward the climactic race.

It was interesting to see what the Flamingo looked like back then. That is to say, nothing at all like today. I stayed there a couple years ago. The pool complex is unrecognizable from the film. I have to give props to Ann-Margret.

She was only 22 at the time, still fresh off the boat from Sweden, and the gal could hold her own with the likes of the King, who'd been ubiquitous for nearly a decade already when this film came out.