Elvis Presley starred in the 1961 musical love comedy Blue Hawaii, which is full of sweet moments, funny mistakes, and interesting behind-the-scenes stories. The movie is a great example of Elvis’ undeniable charm and charisma. It’s about Chad Gates, a charming ex-GI who becomes a tour guide who loves the beach.
The places where Blue Hawaii was filmed are one of its most interesting parts. Hawaii was used as the setting for the movie, and the beautiful scenery can still be seen today. In fact, the picnic scene with Chad and Maile, which is one of the most famous scenes, was made at an overlook off of Tantalus Drive. This spot is now often used for weddings.
During the shooting of Blue Hawaii, Elvis fell in love with Hawaii. He went on to make two more films there. He had a strong link to the Aloha spirit. In fact, he went back to Hawaii for his last vacation in 1977.
Blue Hawaii is more than just a pretty movie with pretty scenery, though. It also has a lot of heart, and Elvis and Joan Blackman’s chemistry in the movie is clear to see. Elvis liked Joan so much that he wanted to marry her and even begged her to be in more of his films.
Even though the movie was a hit, Elvis still had his problems. Elvis’s publicity head, Anne Fulchino, says that the King felt trapped and uncomfortable while Blue Hawaii was being filmed. Fulchino remembered going to see Elvis on set and noticing that he seemed uneasy.
But Elvis didn’t let his pain stop him from having fun on set. Elvis played a joke on his crew by acting like he was dead while Blue Hawaii was being filmed. Anita Wood, who was his lover at the time, joined in the joke by screaming that Elvis wasn’t breathing, which scared Elvis’s group.
Not only does Blue Hawaii have beautiful scenery and a lovely story, it also has music that stands out. It has 14 songs, which is more than any other Elvis movie. There is a scene where Chad plays the ukulele that stands out. If you look closely, you’ll see that he’s not changing sounds, but the music is.
The ukulele that Elvis gave to his friend Hank Garland, aka “Sugarfoot,” is now part of Graceland’s amazing collection. Nashville’s Garland was a great guitar player, and from 1958 to 1961, she even went on tour with Elvis.
Even though Blue Hawaii isn’t Elvis’s most well-reviewed movie, it’s still a favourite. It’s a must-see for any Elvis fan because of its beautiful setting, charming plot, and memorable music. Watch Blue Hawaii again and pay attention to the little things and interesting facts. There was more to Elvis than just being “The King” on TV. He was a real legend in real life as well.
