Admirable film.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Songs: "Viva Las Vegas", "I Need Somebody To Lean On" (Doc Pomus), "The Lady Loves Me" (Sid Tepper, Roy C. Bennett), "Come On, Everybody" (Stanley Chianese), "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever" (Bill Giant, Bernie Baum, Florence Kaye), "If You Think I Don't Need You" (Bob "Red" West), "Appreciation", "My Rival" (Marvin More, Bernie Wayne). All the above sung by Elvis Presley, except "My Rival" (Ann- Margret) and "Lady Loves Me" (duet Presley and Ann-Margret). Additional songs and performers: "Yellow Rose of Texas" (Presley), "What'd I Say" (Presley), "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You" (Presley and chorus), "You're the Boss" (Presley), "The Climb" (quartet). Deleted song: "Do the Vega" (Presley). Music scored and directed by George Stoll. Choreography: David Winters. "Folies Bergere" sequence filmed by arrangement with the Hotel Tropicana, Las Vegas.Copyright 20 December 1963 by Jack Cummings Productions. Released through Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. New York opening at the Forum: 20 May 1964. U.S. release: 20 December 1963. U.K. release: 22 March 1964. 7,437 feet. 83 minutes. U.K. and Australian release title: LOVE IN LAS VEGAS.SYNOPSIS: Arriving in Nevada City, Lucky Jackson (Elvis Presley) a racing driver, meets Count Elmo Mancini (Cesare Danova), who is preparing his Farrari for the Grand Prix. Trim, lovely Rusty Martin (Ann-Margret) asks them to fix her sports car. Lucky tries to delay her, but the Count fixes the car and Rusty is on her way before Lucky can learn her name. Guessing she is a show girl, the pair begin a fabulous tour of Las Vegas, but to no avail. Rusty just vanished. The next morning, Lucky finds her at the same hotel where he is staying. She is the swimming instructor. Their reunion goes off with a splash when Lucky falls into the swimming pool, losing all his money that was to buy a new engine for his car. To pay the hotel bill he takes a job as a waiter. This also enables him to enter the Staff Talent Contest with $2,500 in prizes.NOTES: Locations in Las Vegas. Presley's most popular M-G-M movie.COMMENT: Well the title tune is certainly a great number (we get it three times) and it's most inventively staged too and very vigorously performed by Elvis Presley. Just as well because Ann- Margret runs him very close in the singing stakes and outstrips him with her dancing numbers, one of which is very cleverly staged against flashing lights. In fact, Ann-Margret has never looked better, been more attractively photographed or costumed or been in better voice or had such wild dance numbers as here. Sidney's direction is at its best in the dances, often filmed in long single takes with lots of camera movement matching the movement of the performers. He also makes good use of his Vegas locations and though the script is often routine it does offer opportunities for both Ann-Margret and Presley. There are some amusing moments too in the rivalry between Presley and Danova for Ann-Margret's affections, particularly a hotel-room rendezvous which Elvis disrupts. Demarest is okay too and is in the film just long enough not to outstay his welcome. In all, one of Elvis Presley's better vehicles and a definite must for Ann-Margret fans! Sound recording is great, photography and other technical credits first-class.

Since nearly everyone in their right mind now, or in 1963 when VIVA LAS VEGAS marked Elvis' debut as a chopper jockey, would answer, "Heck, no!," VEGAS may not be your cup of tea, even if you're otherwise a fan of "The King." What's billed as "the most exciting road race ever filmed!!!" in the theatrical trailer for VEGAS seems tacked on to this flick's over-crowded finale as an afterthought. Race cars crash and burn for almost no reason, while the field seems to always remain about the same size, bunched improbably close together after many HOURS of open road racing. A few seconds of wedding immediately follows the checkered flag. The bride and her marriage seem headed up the road a pace to Reno, since none of her concerns about the groom's immaturity have been given meaningful resolutions. Whereas Elvis' outing in KING CREOLE addressed some of the serious racial issues of its day, VIVA LAS VEGAS seems even more of an exercise in air-headed cotton candy than JAILHOUSE ROCK. It does not have an honest bone in its body. Any bones present are more like those plaguing ill-prepared fish, likely to stick in your throat if you think about this flick for more than a moment.

Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret are a terrific pair in Viva Las Vegas. A shame then that this great coupling came together in such a mediocre movie. The movie's stars are great. The movie isn't. There's a very flimsy story. Of course in an Elvis Presley movie the story is only really there to set up the songs. Unfortunately the songs are generally disappointing as well. The famous title track is excellent, though maybe not so excellent that we had to hear it three times in less than ninety minutes. C'mon Everybody is an energetic number and The Lady Loves Me a fine duet for the two big stars. But the rest of the songs pretty much all fall flat. With the rather humdrum story the movie needed its songs to liven things up and that just does not happen. The movie really drags at points and many of the songs only exacerbate that problem.Presley plays Lucky Jackson, a race car driver who needs to raise money for a new engine for the big Las Vegas Grand Prix. Of course he gets sidetracked by a nubile young beauty and ends up pursuing her. This beauty is of course Ann-Margret's character. Her name is Rusty Martin and Lucky is not the only man giving chase. Another driver has the hots for Rusty too and this potential love triangle is what carries the story forward. The story never really sparks to life though. Presley and Ann-Margret certainly have their moments, there is great chemistry between the two. But by and large it is quite a dull film. Quite predictable too. It all leads up to the big, climactic final scene which is meant to be incredibly exciting. But that scene is a dud too, and goes on for much too long when honestly you are ready for the movie to just be over. The two stars did the best they could but the material they had to work with here just wasn't good enough. Presley's singing and Ann-Margret's unique 1960s style dancing make Viva Las Vegas a movie maybe worth seeing once. But it is unlikely to be a movie you will want to revisit again.

Forget Elvis, this is an Ann-Margret movie! She is just outstanding and so wonderfully beautiful to look at! You can tell that she had so much fun making this picture. And I guess The King's acting wasn't all that bad. There are the standard songs he sings but he's here to act, as well.There's not a whole lot of plot but the thing is, it's not so much about a plot, it's about the musical numbers and the Elvis-Ann-Margret interaction. I also love seeing Vegas in the 1960's so there's some pretty cool scenery, too. This is the second time I have seen this, first in over a dozen years, and I look forward to seeing it again one day.--The Kat Pirate Screener