I love this movie so much

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Elvis stars as a young man in New Orleans who, after failing out of high school, is working as a busboy in a nightclub to supplement his family income. He draws the attention of kept woman Carolyn Jones one night when he saves her from some drunken thugs, and this draws some unwelcome attention from the man who keeps her ... gangster Walter Matthau. His neck is saved when he demonstrates a talent for singing, and instead of killing him, Matthau offers him a job. Elvis turns Matthau down, instead taking a job at the KIng Creole, a nightclub run by nice guy Paul Stewart. Matthau enlists local thug Vic Morrow to change Elvis's mind. This is easily one of the best films Elvis appeared in. It's a fairly gritty street level crime film, shot in black and white by studio veteran Michael Curtiz and featuring a fantastic group of supporting actors. A lot happens in this film. I have left out his relationship with Dolores Hart, who he meets while robbing a five & dime with Morrow, and the struggles of his dad Dean Jagger at his demeaning job. This is a real film. The music Elvis performs is mostly a blend of light R&B and rock & roll and it suits him better than some of the pop fluff he sings in later films.

This is not your typical Elvis movie!!! It is pretty dark, not the light hearted romps that most of his movies are, and the songs are few and I guess because this takes place in New Orleans, they are bluesy. Which I think Elvis had a great voice and presence for the blues. Walter Matthau plays the heavy here. He has the stereotypical Hollywood gangster image. A woman beating, murderer. Carolyn Jones, well before the Addams Family, plays the gangsters girl and she looks pretty good and acts well. The family dynamics of Elvis's screen family, the Fisher's, is a little weird. The actress playing the sweet kind of naive girlfriend is nice to see compared to today's way too smart about everything young girl roles that get cast now.

This is Elvis Presley in 1958 at the peak of his movie career. King Creole is Elvis's greatest movie for good reasons. In addition to the great songs he performs he's also given a very demanding role of the tough rebel singer & fighter Danny Fisher. The superb excellent cast speak for themselves & it was also directed by none other than the great Michael Curtiz who's credentials include The Mystery Of The Wax Museum, Doctor X, Captain Blood, The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Angels With Dirty Faces, Casablanca & Mildred Pierce to name a few. But you get the general idea & to top it off it was Elvis's own favorite of all his films & it's easy to see why... even the critics loved it.This classic movie has everything going for it & it shows the ability Elvis had as a dramatic actor & it was his dramatic performance that impressed me the most rather than his musical moments. I already know he can sing & perform on stage & I've heard his records. But in the movies I want to see him act. The only way this movie could've been better is if it stuck closer to the book & was a non musical with Elvis as a boxer instead of a singer. The role of Danny Fisher was originally meant for James Dean & Elvis steps into James Dean's shoes & handles the role extremely well. After King Creole Elvis would "disappear" for 2 years & in 1960 he would return & impress us again in the excellent western Flaming Star in a very serious dramatic role that Marlon Brando turned down. King Creole & Flaming Star were evidence showing Elvis really could act with the best of them !! If you like quality movies by all means watch this classic !! Highly recommended !

First of all this movie is definitely different than other Elvis movies I've watched.The majority of Elvis' other movies all seemed to focus on comedy with him being a playboy with swooning girls in bikini's and really corny dialog and plots. This movie takes on a more serious and dark tone. I've read a lot of other user reviews and critic reviews. Most of them praising Elvis' acting in this movie and I agree. Elvis is good in this movie, finally getting to stretch his acting chops in a more serious role. A shame that Elvis's agent was a total controlling idiot otherwise we may have seen some gold statues on Elvis' shelf. Elvis does sing and the songs are very nice but what's good is that the songs don't overshadow his acting.Even Walter Matthau praised his acting and was upset that he didn't get an Oscar nomination.Now on to the movie itself , while Elvis shines , the movie does not. It is very slow paced and the plot itself rather unbelievable. Elvis plays a young man who is trying to find his place in life after getting kicked out of high school for fighting so he wont graduate. He has a destitute father and has to work to support him. He is a busboy in a club owned by a mobster Maxie Fields(Walter Matthau) - he sings one night and the owner of the King Creole-Charlie LeGrand(Paul Stewart) likes his singing so he hires him to sing.Of course he's a smash and now Maxie wants him to come back and sing at his club ,pretty much a sing for me or else thing. Then subplots of Maxies floozy Ronnie played by Adams Familys Morticia(Carolyn Jones)and a waitress named Nellie(Dolores Hart) ensue along with some street tough gang fights. It seems rather unbelievable that a wealthy mobster who owns half the city of New Orleans would go to such great lengths over a nightclub singer. That's where it loses me , the mob after a guy just to get him to sing in their nightclub? I think the movie is more about the mob leader Maxie's jealousy than actually giving a hoot about Elvis working in his club. The gist I see is Maxie jealous of Elvis sexually -esp since he knows Ronnie is obviously attracted to Elvis so he wants to keep Elvis in his sights and also to let others know that he can have/buy anyone he wants. Also Ronnie used to work for Charlie until Maxie bought her out.Notice how he treats her, like crap. I just got bored once it turned into an "If i cant have you then no one will" type movie. The ending of the movie is rather abrupt and wrapped up with Elvis singing a ballad. It could have been better with a more serious writer and script. 6 out of 10.