FRANKIE AND JOHNNY was for many years considered one of the better if not the best of Elvis' movies made during the late 1960's that's why I'm surprised to see several negative reviews and a rather low rating of the film on IMDb. Regarding some claims about a lack of chemistry between Elvis and Donna Douglas, this movie was aimed at the "family" audience, it's basically Elvis in a Disney picture. You are not going to see any heavy flirting or intense passion in any films of this nature. Even the vampy Nancy Kovack's part is really a one man woman! Although it was released before the ratings code took effect, it's obviously meant to be a "G" picture. Elvis and Donna in fact make a very appealing couple, she's one of his best, most compatible leading ladies, and have the natural interaction of people from the same part of the country (Elvis was born in Mississippi, Donna in Louisiana). And certainly "chemistry" happened off the set, it's widely known they had a romance during the filming .
This movie is set during the late 19th or early 20th century (this may be easy for many to overlook given Elvis acts and is groomed very contemporary 1960's) and is in the tradition of ON MOONLIGHT BAY, CENTENNIAL SUMMER, and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS as a colorful look at days long gone by. This sort of film was enormously popular in the 1930's into the 1960's but Hollywood pretty much stop making movies with that sort of wistful rose-colored nostalgia around 1970 and apparently some later viewers find this sort of setting boring. I'll admit the direction could have been a little more inspired but it's still an enjoyable picture with Elvis is surrounded by one of the best supporting casts he ever had in his movies. I enjoyed all of the cast. I really like Elvis' performance of the title number, a legendary folk song most often associated with Mae West. Mae West kind of jazzed it up when she sang it so certainly Elvis had the right to rock it although it's closer to a Broadway musical number here. It is ironic though that a family movie was made out of this song as it was considered extraordinaily racy in it's day with the suggestion that Frankie shot Johnny in his manhood!! Obviously that is not going to happen in an Elvis Presley picture and that line in the song was dropped. FRANKIE AND JOHNNY is a enjoyable film, it's not on the level of his classic 1950's movies but it's quite entertaining.
This movie is set during the late 19th or early 20th century (this may be easy for many to overlook given Elvis acts and is groomed very contemporary 1960's) and is in the tradition of ON MOONLIGHT BAY, CENTENNIAL SUMMER, and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS as a colorful look at days long gone by. This sort of film was enormously popular in the 1930's into the 1960's but Hollywood pretty much stop making movies with that sort of wistful rose-colored nostalgia around 1970 and apparently some later viewers find this sort of setting boring. I'll admit the direction could have been a little more inspired but it's still an enjoyable picture with Elvis is surrounded by one of the best supporting casts he ever had in his movies. I enjoyed all of the cast. I really like Elvis' performance of the title number, a legendary folk song most often associated with Mae West. Mae West kind of jazzed it up when she sang it so certainly Elvis had the right to rock it although it's closer to a Broadway musical number here. It is ironic though that a family movie was made out of this song as it was considered extraordinaily racy in it's day with the suggestion that Frankie shot Johnny in his manhood!! Obviously that is not going to happen in an Elvis Presley picture and that line in the song was dropped. FRANKIE AND JOHNNY is a enjoyable film, it's not on the level of his classic 1950's movies but it's quite entertaining.