Why so much hype?

Absolutely Fantastic

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

After "Flaming Star" and "Wild In The Country" this movie is like going from high school back to elementary school. Even the songs, which were too numerous, were mediocre. The plot was okay, although uninspiring. But...it grossed five times the budget, which is all that matters to the producers.

First time watching the king of rock and now I see the charm and Appel the generation before me adore this picture of color, music and fun

Chad Gates has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surf-board, his beach buddies, and his girlfriend. His father wants him to go to work at the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company, but Chad is reluctant. So Chad goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend's agency.While I can't say I'm a huge Elvis fan, nor have I seen almost any of his movies, I rather enjoyed this one. It is just so laid back and fun. Sure, it makes little sense that he just breaks into song and sounds absolutely perfect. But does it matter? Amovie like this seems perfect or the era that brought us Frankie Avalon and such movies as "Beach Blanket Bingo". They just do not make good beach movies anymore. Heck, do they even make bad ones?

Fresh out of the U.S. Army, singing and guitar-strumming Elvis Presley (as Chadwick "Chad" Gates) returns to his Hawaiian island home, and pretty sweetheart Joan Blackman (as Maile Duval). "On you, wet is my favorite color," Mr. Presley tells Ms. Blackman, but he is tempted by other beautiful women in bathing suits. Presley also resists settling down as heir to his family's pineapple business, much to the chagrin of mother Angela Lansbury (as Sarah Lee). Ms. Lansbury cries, "What did I do wrong?" Blowing all previous Presley pictures out of the water at the box office, "Blue Hawaii" pretty much set the stage for the "Elvis travelogue" movie, unfortunately. It isn't the best of the lot, but the combination of the lush locales and Hawaiian-flavored soundtrack has an undeniably intoxicating effect. It's positively sleep-inducing. The soundtrack spent a whopping twenty weeks at #1 on the charts. Classic single "Can't Help Falling in Love" / "Rock-a-Hula Baby" hit #1 around the world. Though not a single in America, "No More" followed it to #1 in a few areas, also. Presley's rendition of "Hawaiian Wedding Song" and the title track are classics in their own way. It's too bad all the financial success didn't embolden anyone to take a few more chances with Presley as an actor - although, to be fair, he looks neither willing nor able herein.**** Blue Hawaii (11/22/61) Norman Taurog ~ Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury, Roland Winters