Frankie and Johnny

Elvis Presley stars as Johnny, a singer who gambles his winnings away on the gaming floor, and Donna Douglas (Elly May on The Beverly Hillbillies) costars as his sweetheart and stage partner Frankie in this silly 1966 musical comedy set on a 19th-century Mississippi casino riverboat. Very loosely inspired by the classic folk song, the film casts Nancy Kovack as Nellie Bly, the red-headed old flame of the riverboat owner (Anthony Eisley) who Johnny adopts as his good luck charm after a gypsy fortune teller predicts a change of luck—leading, of course, to romantic complications. Harry Morgan is Johnny's piano player and gambling buddy, while Sue Ane Langdon plays a showgirl in the revue. The highlight is a production number built around the title song, a colorful set piece performed twice during the film, but otherwise this is pure formula: a little romance, a largely forgettable soundtrack, some hackneyed comedy, and a lot of color and splashy costumes. This was Elvis's 20th feature, a B-movie cranked out on a tight budget that is mostly sustained by Presley's charisma and Morgan's comic relief. It also plays his gambling addiction for laughs, which has not aged well. Director Frederick de Cordova, who went on to produce over a thousand episodes of The Tonight Show, is just going through the motions here. Elvis completists may want to see, but this is otherwise not recommended. (S. Axmaker)