recommended

Masterful Cinema

A different way of telling a story

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Hello!? And they actually called this dismal, 1963, movie - "Fun In Acapulco"!?.... Oh? Really? Well, it sure didn't come across as being "fun" to me. No way.And, let me tell ya - Once it was established that Elvis's sidekick (for comedy relief) in the story was going to be a 10-year-old brat named Raoul, I just knew that the so-called "fun" in this flick was gonna go nowhere, fast.And, speaking about the sexual chemistry between Presley and Swiss beauty, Ursula Andress - Well - To be honest, there wasn't any chemistry, at all.And, what about the 11 songs that Elvis sang for his adoring fans?.... (Answer) - Totally forgettable, one and all.And, finally - On top of all of my other complaints - This decidedly dull-edged, "boy-meets-girl", musical/comedy lost itself even more points for the filming of far too many of the outdoor scenes in the story with the actors obviously posing in front of back-projection screens..... Sheesh! This film certainly didn't win me over as an Elvis Presley fan. Nope. It sure didn't.

One of Elvis' best films...well, certainly one of my favourite Elvis films anyway! I'd place this second behind Viva Las Vegas in my list of favourite Elvis flicks. Unfortunately, for some reason Elvis wasn't allowed into Mexico during the filming of 'Fun in Acapulco', and in this day and age with first colour Television and then bigger screens, the fake backgrounds and body stand ins are all too obvious. Nevertheless, it has no influence on the enjoyment or entertainment of the movie. 'Fun in Acapulco' also features two stunning "Elvis Girls" in Elsa Cardenas as a sexy Mexican Bullfighter, and the glorious Ursula Andress a year after her appearance in Dr. No as the ultimate "Bond Girl." After losing his job as a sailor for the rich around the beautiful port of Acapulco, Elvis (as Mike Windgren) under the guidance of a wily 8 year old wannabe Agent ("are you sure you're not a 40 year old midget?") Elvis performs as a singer at one Club while other Clubs managers watch his performances and attempt to hire him. In the process, Elvis is chasing beautiful "Hilton Acapulco" Hotel employee Andress...and having to fend off the attention of Cardenas. Tough life, eh. Throughout the film, Elvis has an obvious fear of heights following the death of a family member "The Flying Windgrens" in a trapeze act accident in which Mike (Elvis) holds himself responsible for. But after feeling guilty for injuring a jealous clifftop diver "Moreno" in a fight, and also being branded a coward by Cardenas for his fear of heights, Mike decides to settle things once and for all. Combat his demons, kill off the coward claims and bury his guilt for wounding Moreno The King entertains the masses by leaping into the ocean from the clifftops...and they all live happily ever after! Moreno gets Cardenas, Elvis gets Ursula Andress AND a job. This is an enjoyable film, and Acapulco looks a beautiful, picturesque place that it's hard to see why it seems to have lost it's pull in recent decades, with tourists flocking to Cancun instead. The soundtrack is good too. Aside from the dodgy "Bullfighter Was a Lady" and "No Room to Rhumba in a Sportscar" the other songs are fabulous. "Vino Dinero Y Amor" is Dean Martin-esque while the arrangement sounds like "Viva Las Vegas" and was recorded just 6 months before the famous Vegas song. The stand out tracks are "Fun in Acapulco" , "Bossa Nova Baby" and "Marguerita". Not only are they good songs but The King is in fine voice too!

coulda-shoulda(s): Elvis is King of Pop and King of shoulda-wouldas > since so much of his '60s career was based upon movies and move soundtracks, we have a perfect example of what coulda shoulda woulda been: in 1962 Elvis traveled to the Seattle World's Fair to film IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. in 1963 Elvis traveled to Mexico to film FUN IN ACAPULCO. not really > he had traveled to Canada before, so the excuse of his Manager not being a citizen and therefore couldn't travel, won't take.so the movie co. gets down some nice location shots for cheesy rear projections.having said all that, we have some positives: yes Elvis played once again the loner, fighting inner demons, and outer angels (aka girls, girls, girls). but the storyline is quite enticing: can this young man, playing lifeguard during the day and nightclub swinger at night, manage to overcome his fear of heights and do the big dive off the cliff? good storytelling! very good script (for an Elvis musical). and very importantly, although there are way too many songs, they are all good, some fantastic, like MARGARITA (written by noted ballad writer, Don Roberson), and the unknown Leiber and Stoller BOSSA NOVA BABY. Elvis really sings his heart out and we have the most "production" since the BLUE HAWAII recording sessions.

Almost any Elvis movie is a decent one. He can not act that well but does do a decent job when he stays within his character. There are usually a lot of songs, acceptable acting, and lots of nice girls. This one has him stuck in Acapulco after being fired because of a young girl that is daddy's little angel even though she is an underaged tart, (funny since she appeared in Playboy four years before this movie). Elvis's character is Mike and of course he sings a lot of songs but not many I recognized. Raoul is sooo good. He is a treat as Mike's manager and is a scammer at heart. Moreno is a bit of a butt-head when he brings up Mike's past as a trapeze performer who lost his brother to an accident that he feels responsible for. Of course he overcomes his fear of heights and succeeds at the end.