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TL;DR:

  • Roger Ebert said Elvis Presley movies contrived any plot to give Elvis a reason to sing.
  • Ebert saw a movie that did nothing for the singer’s career.
  • Shortly after, the singer released the ’68 Comeback Special, “Guitar Man,” and “If I Can Dream.”

Roger Ebert said watching one of Elvis Presley‘s movies made him miserable. In addition, Ebert discussed his feelings about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in general. Notably, the movie in question produced three singles.

Roger Ebert missed 1 of Elvis Presley’s movies to see ‘the same bloody thing’ years later

RogerEbert.com features a 1967 review of the film Easy Come, Easy Go. In it, Ebert revealed he wasn’t an Elvis fan, preferring the voice of jazz and pop singer Julie London. Ebert previously refused to see one of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s movies — G.I. Blues — with his friends. He felt silly going to see Elvis’ Easy Come, Easy Go, which he termed “a latter-day version of the same bloody thing.”

“I went to my neighborhood theater, and I went inside for the Saturday matinee, and I sat down with the kids and the teenage couples, and I saw the movie,” he wrote. “And if you think this has all been an elaborate buildup for some unexpected surprise like I liked it, you’re wrong. I was miserable from beginning to end.” Ebert awarded Easy Come, Easy Go merely one out of a possible four stars.

Roger Ebert thought ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ didn’t live up to 1 of The Beatles’ movies

Ebert contrasted Easy Come, Easy Go with other musical films. “There is such a thing as a good movie musical,” he opined. “Singin’ in the Rain, maybe, or West Side Story. And there is such a thing as a good low-budget film exploiting currently popular singers. A Hard Day’s Night, for example, which slipped up and became great instead of merely good.

“And then, I suppose, there must be such a thing as Presley movies like this one, obviously produced with a minimum of care and with the sole purpose of contriving a plot, any plot, to fill in between when Elvis sings,” he added. Ebert said the movie involved Elvis’ character discovering treasure but that he didn’t want to spoil the surprise of the plot.

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1 Movie Made Elvis and Priscilla Presley Cry Themselves to Sleep

How Elvis Presley’s songs from ‘Easy Come, Easy Go’ performed on the pop charts

The soundtrack for Easy Come, Easy Go did not chart on the Billboard 200. The title tune never charted on the Billboard Hot 100.

Two of the other tunes from Easy Come, Easy Go were released as a double A-side single: “You Gotta Love” and “The Love Machine.” Those songs did not chart in the U.S. either. While 1967 was not a good year for Elvis, he’d return to the spotlight in 1968 thanks to the ’68 Comeback Special and songs like “Guitar Man” and “If I Can Dream.”

Easy Come, Easy Go wasn’t a career highlight for Elvis and Ebert wasn’t a fan.

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