Love Me Tender

When 20th Century-Fox made a cheap black-and-white CinemaScope western called The Reno Brothers, they couldn't possibly have foreseen how one lucky stroke of casting would ensure their production costs back within the first three days of opening. For, as younger brother Clint Reno, rock 'n' roll sensation Elvis Presley made his screen debut, and the title of the movie was changed to that of its ballad, Love Me Tender. Elvis proved to be a natural screen presence and, although third-billed to stars Richard Egan and Debra Paget, effortlessly dominates the film. There's a marvellous mid-section where the whole plot stops to give audiences a taste of the singin' sensation in his prime, as Elvis performs Let Me and Poor Boy with that wonderful self-mocking air that distinguished his early performances. He knows he's good, and here the talent is still fresh and raw.