"IT'S MR. ROCK'N'ROLL IN THE STORY HE WAS BORN TO PLAY". This is how Elvis Presley's first film, "Love me tender", was advertised. Intended to be the story of the infamous gang of the Reno Brothers, the film follows the four gangsters' misadventures after robbing a Union train during the Civil War.
The robbery is successful, and the brothers decide to take the money to General Randolph, in order to continue the war against the Unionists. The only problem is that the war has ended since some days. At first reluctant to believe it, the heroes then take advantage of their remaining fortune and buy a groom's costume for the eldest one, Vance (Richard Egan), who wants to marry his sweetheart Cathy (Debra Paget). Unfortunately, time is not on their side, since, upon returning, Vance finds Cathy the wife of the youngest brother, Clint (Elvis Presley), the only one who didn't go to war, and is thus innocent regarding the robbery. Trying to reconcile, the two brothers find themselves meddled in Vance's past crime, when Federal Soldiers come to get the money. So starts a chase in forests and valleys, in which old bonds will break and Elvis songs will be heard.
"Love me tender" wants to be a Western, but it resoundingly fails because of the cast's weak performances. Egan interprets Vance too artificially to come off as threatening and ambitious, while his short-lived romance with the equally bland Paget seems doomed from the start , since the pairing of the brave, determined Vance with the weak, indecisive Cathy only survives thanks to societal traditions - it is imperative that a woman be married. The more sentimental Clint easily wins her over, and it is thus quite meaningless to watch the brothers' feud unravel.
Elvis, one of the most famous idols of that generation, makes a mildly positive first impression as an actor, although his bursts of anger seem rather overdramatic to be convincing, possibly due to Elvis's zeal for acting. His character, the innocent cowboy, was imitated seven years later by the "French Elvis", Johnny Hallyday, in "D'où viens-tu Johnny ?". While Johnny was too artificial, his American counterpart was overzealous, and their attempts at being Western heroes fell a bit short of that aim, even though both would develop a notable, if not admirable acting career later. Mr. Rock'n'roll wasn't yet ready for a dramatic role, be it in a cheap Western, and so "Love me tender" was surely not the story he was born to play.
Damaging his attempt at acting seriously were Elvis's songs, of which the title tune became one of his biggest hits. For this blow to Elvis's acting ambitions, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is to blame, since he insisted that his protégé sing in the film. Fortunately, the songs are integrated smoothly in the plot, appearing in intimate moments, or during funfairs, in which some fun is not to be missed. Only the soundtrack makes up for this generally forgettable film, which has little charm beyond the beginner's try by Elvis, and the magnificent scenery.
Elvis's debut remains significant from a cultural standpoint, but has little value cinema-wise. In a film as forgettable as can get, he, at least, provides a performance weak due to inexperience only. Still, this does nothing to save the film from failing, and I doubt there are many that would have loved it tender, if it wasn't for their teenage idol, singing with his sweet voice; "Love me tender/ Love me sweet/ Never let me go..."
