Fun in Acapulco
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Elvis Presley plays Mike
Windgren, an American working as a boat hand who falls afoul of the
owner's spoiled teenage daughter in this lighthearted film set in Mexico.
The girl manages to get Mike fired, so he finds new work as a
lifeguard and singer at a resort hotel in Acapulco. But before long, he
raises the ire of the hotel's main lifeguard, Moreno, who just happens to
be Mexico's champion diver. Not only has Mike's lifeguarding cut
into Moreno's work hours, but his love life as well. Marguerita
Dauphin, played by Ursula Andress, falls for Mike and jealousy gets
the best of Moreno. But it seems Moreno will have the last word when
it is discovered that Mike was once a trapeze artist who accidentally let
one of his companions slip to their death. Flashbacks to the accident
leave Mike wobbly, especially when he climbs up to the high diving board
at the hotel. However, there is a happy ending when Mike fills in for the
injured Moreno and jumps off a dangerous cliff to impress a visiting
American astronaut. A subplot involves a precocious 10-year-old young
Mexican boy who becomes Mike's talent agent and negotiates higher
fees for Mike's entertainment performances.
Elvis is in top form in this film and the Latin
dance songs give the movie a lively pace. Popular songs in the movie
include Bossa Nova Baby, Marguerita, Guadalajara, Surely But Surely and
the title track, Fun In Acapulco. Roving mariachi bands, scenic Mexican
vistas and the luxury resort hotel provide the perfect backdrop for Elvis.
Of course, he was the King and fans streamed to the movie, not for the
plot, but to hear and see him sing his popular songs.
The film was produced by Hal Wallis, written by Allan
Weiss and directed by Richard Thorpe. With a running time of only 90
minutes, the thin storyline works well enough to let Elvis perform his
tunes and leave the audience in a happy mood. The film was shot in early
1963, but released just a few days after the assassination of JFK.
It was a welcome relief from the real world for a nation still in
shock over the death of their President. |
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