Hey folks, I didn’t expect it to be this long between posts but here I am. It’s been over a year since the last entry in my random rewatch of Elvis Presley movies. It sure doesn’t feel that long ago. As a great philosopher once asked, “Ain’t it funny how time slips away?”

Elvis’ 3rd movie was called Jailhouse Rock. It is the 2nd of 3 Elvis movies shot in black & white, which certainly adds to the gritty tone.

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“Elvis in Action as Never Before!”

Jailhouse Rock (MGM)
Wide Release: November 8, 1957 (United States)
Starring: Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy
Screen Play By: Guy Trosper
Story By: Ned Young
Music Supervised By: Jeff Alexander
Produced By: Pandro S. Berman
Directed By: Richard Thorpe
Running Time: 96 Minutes

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Elvis stars in Jailhouse Rock as Vince Everett, a tractor driver who has just received his weekly paycheck. As is his custom, he cashes the check at the neighborhood bar and then arm wrestles the proprietor. After losing, Vince good-naturedly buys a round of drinks for everyone at the bar. The film soon takes a dark turn when another patron roughs up a woman for talking to Vince. Vince tells him to leave her alone.

“Look, buster, you want some teeth knocked out? Just keep it up,” warns the man.

“You scare me,” says Vince. “Woman-beaters always scare me.”

This being an Elvis movie, a fistfight of course ensues.

Much like in Loving You, released earlier in 1957, the fight concludes with the Elvis character punching his opponent into a jukebox. In Loving You, the Presley Maneuver causes the jukebox to turn on. In Jailhouse Rock, it turns the jukebox off.

Unlike most Elvis movies, though, this fight turns out to have lethal consequences. When the woman-beater dies, Vince is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 1 to 10 years in the state penitentiary. If only he had cashed his check at a bank instead of a bar.

Before we go much further, I want to jump back for a moment to the credits. I love the opening theme of Jailhouse Rock, an overture of sorts that includes instrumental renditions of portions of “Baby, I Don’t Care,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Young And Beautiful.”

This jazzy version of “Jailhouse Rock” is quite a treat. I played trumpet in our middle school jazz band, and when I first saw the movie on TV as a teenager back then, the “Jailhouse Rock” instrumental reminded me of the arrangement we were using for the same song.

Anyway, Vince shares a cell with Hunk Houghton (Mickey Shaughnessy), a washed-up country singer. Hunk is near the end of an 18-year term for robbing a bank. Despite some of the variances, Jailhouse Rock is still an Elvis movie, so Hunk of course has a guitar hanging on the prison cell wall that draws Vince’s attention. Though Hunk is annoyed at first, he softens and teaches Vince some chords. When Hunk tells him about his 10-year career, Vince says, “I never heard of anybody paying money to hear a guitar player” and Elvis seems barely able to hold a straight face delivering the line. He is, after all, the highest paid “guitar player” in the world by this point.

Elvis performs Vince’s early songs in Jailhouse Rock as intentionally flat and tentative, reflecting the character’s inexperience with singing. However, Hunk hears something in the young man and offers him a spot in Breath of a Nation, a nationwide television special he is producing for the warden. You see, a state inspection committee is coming to review prison conditions, and the warden wants the prisoners to put on a show as a smokescreen. Conditions at this prison must be pretty rough to require a national television special to cover things up.

Vince sings “I Want To Be Free” in his segment, and, unlike Hunk or anyone else, he receives a large bag full of fan mail from all over the country. Hunk sees to it that Vince does not learn of the mail, saving face with the mailroom workers by saying he made a mistake by giving Vince the best spot in the show. He soon offers Vince a partnership contract for the pair to perform together and split everything 50/50. Great shades of Colonel Parker!

“Alone, son, you’d be like a lamb in a pack of wolves,” Hunk tells him. Vince signs the contract, thinking that the deal is in his favor since Hunk is the established “star.”

Soon thereafter, a food fight turned riot breaks out in the prison over the poor conditions. Hunk tries to get Vince back to their cell, but a guard roughly handles Vince. Having apparently not yet learned his lesson from the barroom brawl, Vince swings his fists. He is caught and whipped. Outtakes of this scene surfaced on the 1993 VHS Elvis In Hollywood: The 50s. The original Jailhouse Rock film trailer also shows a clip that did not make it to the final film where Vince lunges at the warden when the guards untie his hands after the whipping.

Back in their cell, Hunk states that he tried to pay off the guards to prevent Vince’s whipping but he didn’t have enough money. He emphasizes the importance of having money to Vince and also teaches him his twisted version of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as they would do unto you, only do it first.”

Hunk still has 10 months to go, but Vince is released from prison after serving 14 months – including 2 extra months for the riot incident. The warden gives Vince his remaining pay from the state. He also gives him the large bag of fan mail from the television special 8 months earlier. Vince realizes that Hunk helped keep the letters secret.

Vince buys a guitar from a pawnshop and goes to a bar where Hunk has arranged a job for him with an old contact. There, he meets Peggy Van Alden (Judy Tyler), who looks at some indicators inside of a jukebox and makes notes. He is curious what she is up to, but she is not impressed at all that Vince is a singer. However, she does say she’ll tell him more about her job if he buys her a fresh drink.

“Buy your own drink,” Vince says, wryly – no doubt remembering that the last time he bought a woman a drink in a bar he ended up in prison.

“Is yours the approved manner with ladies in the backwoods?” Peggy fires back at him, but then goes on to explain that she is an “exploitation man” in the record business. “I work for Mickey Alba, you’ve heard of him?”

“Word sometimes gets to the backwoods,” says Vince. Alba (Don Burnett with vocals by Bill Lee) is a popular singer along the lines of Pat Boone.

Vince meets the bar’s owner, thinking he is going to be hired on as a singer. However, it turns out the job Hunk secured for him is as a barboy, essentially a bartender’s helper (“make setups, bring ice”). Vince is disappointed and forces his way on stage. Hey, it’s Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana! Elvis’ real band! And Mike Stoller (composer of “Jailhouse Rock” and many other Elvis classics) on piano. Vince sings, “Young And Beautiful.” The owner actually seems to like the song, but a guy keeps laughing and carrying on in the audience, distracting both him and Vince.

Finally, Vince jumps from the stage and smashes his guitar into the obnoxious patron’s table. However, he refrains from killing him. That’s called character development.

Vince storms out, with Peggy trailing. “Hey, you forgot something,” she calls.

“What?”

“Me!”

So, before this re-watch, it had been over a decade since I last saw Jailhouse Rock. While I’ve always liked it, in fact it’s one of my favorite Elvis movies, I never really saw much chemistry between Vince and Peggy. Watching it through this time, though, I disagree with my past self. Now I see it.

Anyway, Peggy suggests Vince make a recording of himself to discover what’s wrong with his singing. This is not as simple a task as it is these days. Vince rents out a recording studio for $20 to make a demonstration recording. Peggy supplies a borrowed guitar and the background musicians. It’s Scotty, Bill, DJ, and Mike again! I guess Peggy knew them from the bar.

Vince records a faltering version of “Don’t Leave Me Now.” However, Peggy loosens him up a bit, and he also decides to ditch the guitar. He tries again, and they decide the resulting demo is good enough to shop around to the record labels. Jack Lease (Peter Adams), Peggy’s contact at Geneva Records, which is Mickey Alba’s label, seems unimpressed, but he decides to borrow the tape to play over the phone to someone else in New York later.

After it turns out to be a rejection anyway, Vince shows up disgruntled and late for a dinner meeting with Peggy. Even when she tells him the good news that she has gotten them a deal with another label, Deltona Records, he is still rude to her. He just wants to brood. “When the money starts rolling in, then I’ll say I’m happy,” he says.

After a celebratory steak dinner, they head out to meet Peggy’s parents, who are having a party. They seem to know all about Vince, including that he sold his first record that day. However, Peggy has not told them about his stay in the state penitentiary. He expects this information to shock them, but it does not phase them. Instead, they start the record player and a technical discussion begins about jazz.

Another guest tries to involve Vince. “I say atonality is just a passing phase in jazz music. What do you think, Mr. Everett?”

Vince’s response is classic and one that I’ve had to bite my tongue not to use in various situations over the years: “Lady, I don’t know what the hell you talking about.”

He storms out, and Peggy chases after him again. She is angry and embarrassed by his behavior – noting they were only trying to draw him into the conversation.

“They can shove their conversation,” he retorts. “I’m not even sure they were talking English!”

When Vince decides to walk home after their bickering, Peggy says, “I think I’m gonna just hate you.”

“You ain’t gonna hate me. I ain’t gonna let you hate me.” He grabs and kisses her.

“How dare you think such cheap tactics would work with me,” she exclaims. He kisses her again.

“That ain’t tactics, honey. That’s just the beast in me.”

On paper, the scene sounds creepy, but it is extremely well-executed by both performers – one of the best acted scenes in any Elvis movie.

Vince half-heartedly apologizes to Peggy on the way into the record store on the release day of “Don’t Leave Me Now.”

The girl at the cash register states that the record is flying off the shelves. Vince asks for a half dozen copies. Peggy looks alarmed when she sees the stack of records, and Vince looks over one curiously, reading aloud, “‘Don’t Leave Me Now’ by Mickey Alba? Geneva Record Company.” It turns out that Lease, the Geneva executive, only borrowed the tape so Alba could copy Vince’s arrangement and style. Vince’s record is gone – somehow squashed by Geneva.

Vince makes an unscheduled visit to Lease. “You’re a thievin’ rat” Vince exclaims and goes to punch him. However, seeing as how no jukebox is available to land the body on, he just slaps him a couple of times instead. “Go back under your rock, you snake!”

Later, he speaks of his time in prison to Peggy: “On the inside, they’re cub scouts compared to Jack Lease. If you make something, they might steal it from you, but they’d be too honorable to say they made it themselves.”

Vince suggests they start their own record company, and they form Laurel Records – splitting things 60/40. “I’m the artist, don’t forget,” Vince explains when Peggy at first objects to holding only 40%. After Peggy agrees to the deal, they have the following conversation – illustrating how they are both on different pages.

“This really calls for a celebration, Vince.”

“Do you know a lawyer? We need a good one. . .”

“Do you know how to dance?” asks Peggy.

“. . .A guy with an eye for a buck. Do you know a lawyer?”

Peggy is disappointed. “Yeah, I know a lawyer. Mr. Shores. . .”

After Vince makes it clear he is only interested in money, they form the record company. Vince records “Treat Me Nice,” which becomes a big hit. Vince makes reservations at a fancy restaurant to celebrate with Peggy but is disappointed when she points out that he failed to make reservations with her. She has a date, and states, “Vince, I will not be subject to your beck and call.” Go, Peggy! That’s a bold stance in 1957, especially in the male-dominated world of Jailhouse Rock.

Despite emotional setbacks, Vince’s career continues to skyrocket, including appearances in Las Vegas. After Vince agrees to do an NBC television special, Peggy shows up to ask him to record more records. Vince is rude to her, but reaches out right as she is leaving, almost like he wants to apologize or say something else – but his heart is still too hardened to get the words out. As Peggy exits, Hunk returns – fresh out of prison and looking for his spot in the TV special.

The character of Vince is an unusual one in the Elvis cinematic universe. For most of the film, as many have pointed out over the years, Vince is a conceited jerk seemingly obsessed with money. Most of Elvis’ characters are likable guys cut from the same cloth. Vince is different, primarily due to his stay in prison, and offers a refreshing change of pace from the run-of-the-mill Elvis character. Vince should not be dismissed as a complete jerk, however. In several scenes, Elvis convincingly displays the emotional turmoil going on inside the man. He outwardly says he is all about the money, but you can also see that he loves Peggy and even Hunk.

In the music department, Jailhouse Rock is more than solid. The title song is a bonafide Elvis masterpiece. While the single version, one of Elvis’ greatest recordings, is used as the underlying track here in the film, the guitar riff opening of the song is unnecessarily hacked off. The screen version of the song is also hampered by awful overdubs of instruments and backing male vocals. Only the strength of Elvis’ underlying performance and the stellar production number save the tune. What were they thinking?

“Baby, I Don’t Care” and “Treat Me Nice” are also fantastic renditions. While “Young And Beautiful” is not quite up to the same par established by those three songs, it is still a lovely performance. “I Want To Be Free” and “Don’t Leave Me Now” serve their purposes well in the context of the film as does Mickey Shaughnessy’s “One More Day” — which is reminiscent of the classic folk song “Sixteen Tons.”

There is an oft-noted continuity error in Jailhouse Rock. During the “Baby, I Don’t Care” scene, guitarist Scotty Moore is shown wearing sunglasses in the wide shots but no eyewear in the closeups.

Another error is one I just noticed for the first time – a 1957 calendar is shown on the wall during a strikethrough sequence when Vince is in prison. When the calendar page is ripped down to show the next year, it is a 1957 calendar again. Talk about a life sentence! For the purposes of the Action File at the end of this post for Vince Everett, my conjecture is that the initial calendar was supposed to represent 1956 and that he was released in 1957.

One supposed error that is sometimes referenced with this film is that the prison ID number stamped on Vince’s shirt changes. Vince’s number is consistent during the penitentiary portions of the movie, however. Later, during the “Jailhouse Rock” production number, well after he has been released from actual prison, Vince wears a costume with a different number stamped on it. One was the character’s actual prison garb, the other was simply a costume. So calling it an error is . . . an error.

When Vince makes it to Hollywood, he takes his leading lady (played by Jennifer Holden) to Knott’s Berry Farm – a real amusement park in California that is still open to the public, including the “Old West” town represented in Jailhouse Rock.

Elvis released 33 movies during his lifetime, but Jailhouse Rock is one of only a small handful that is a serious contender as his very best. It was inducted into the US Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2004, the only Elvis movie to achieve this honor.

Just a few days after filming wrapped on Jailhouse Rock, actress Judy Tyler (Peggy) was killed at the age of 24 in a horrific car accident on July 3, 1957. Tyler’s husband and a passenger in another vehicle were also killed in the crash.

Elvis was devastated and according to many sources never watched the completed movie. Peter Guralnick & Ernst Jorgensen’s Elvis: Day By Day – The Definitive Record Of His Life And Music, however, notes that Elvis watched a special screening of the film with his parents on October 2, 1957. The book provides no further details, nor does Guralnick’s Last Train To Memphis: The Rise Of Elvis Presley, but perhaps Elvis was unable to finish the screening — thus validating both versions of the story.

Jaihouse Rock was Tyler’s second and final movie. Her first, Bop Girl Goes Calypso, hit theaters only a couple of weeks after her death. While Jailhouse Rock, released in November 1957, carries no dedication to Tyler – I am not even sure that kind of thing was done back then – there is a moment in the closing scene during “Young And Beautiful” where the edit seems to linger on her more than it perhaps otherwise would have. In the magic of the movies, she will indeed remain forever young and beautiful.

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Boldly Go

Multiple uncredited cast members from Jailhouse Rock went on to play roles in Star Trek.

K.L. Smith appears in the opening bar scene in Jailhouse Rock and appears as a Klingon in the Star Trek episode “Elaan Of Troyius” in 1968. Eagle-eyed readers will note that I also referenced Smith in a previous “Boldly Go” installment for his appearance in 1964’s Roustabout. Speaking of eagle eyes, thank you once again to Elvis movie superfan Gary Wells for pointing out where Smith shows up in Jailhouse Rock for me.

Other cross-overs include:

• Buzz Barbee [Jailhouse Rock: Apartment party guest | Star Trek: Ambassador Fox’s aide in “A Taste Of Armageddon” (1967) and maiden voyage official in Star Trek Generations (1994)]
• Albert Cavens [Jailhouse Rock: Nightclub patron | Star Trek: Klingon crewmember in “Day Of The Dove” (1968) and fop 2 in “All Our Yesterdays” (1969)]
• Noble “Kid” Chissell [Jailhouse Rock: Convict | Star Trek: Server in “The City On The Edge Of Forever” (1967)]
• Richard Dial [Jailhouse Rock: Minor role | Star Trek: Sam in “The Devil In The Dark” (1967), Kaplan in “The Apple” (1967), security guard in “And The Children Shall Lead” (1968) and Fabrini guard in “For The World Is Hollow And I Have Touched The Sky” (1968)]
• Shep Houghton [Jailhouse Rock: Nightclub patron | Star Trek: Cameraman in “Bread And Circuses” (1968)]
• Arthur Tovey [Jailhouse Rock: Record shop owner in montage | Star Trek: Vulcan citizen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)]

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Jailhouse Rock Tote Board

• Punches: 23
• Songs: 15
• Kisses: 12
• Storm-Outs: 4
• Slaps: 2

Songs In Jailhouse Rock

1. Mickey Shaughnessy: “One More Day” (1957) [performed twice], written by Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett
2. Elvis Presley: “Young And Beautiful” (1957) [performed 3 times], written by Abner Silver & Aaron Schroeder
3. Elvis Presley: “I Want To Be Free” (1957), written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
4. “Don’t Leave Me Now” (1957) [performed three times by Elvis Presley and once by Bill Lee], written by Aaron Schroeder & Ben Weisman
5. Elvis Presley: “Treat Me Nice” (1957) [performed three times], written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
6. Elvis Presley: “Jailhouse Rock” (1957), written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
7. Elvis Presley: “Baby, I Don’t Care” (1957), written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

The Mystery Train’s Jailhouse Rock Scorecard

• Story: 8 (out of 10)
• Acting: 10
• Entertainment Value: 8
• Songs: 9
• Overall: 9 (Must See)

Jailhouse Rock Around The Web

• Hey Dullblog – “Some thoughts on ‘Jailhouse Rock'” by Michael Gerber
• Elvis Today – “The trailer outtakes” | “Jailhouse Rock – colorized version” by Thomas Melin
• Moody Blue Elvis – “Elvis In The Movies: Jailhouse Rock (1957)” by Ashley Renay
• Graceland Blog – “Flippy, Real Flippy: ‘Jailhouse Rock’ at 60”
• Scotty Moore: The Official Website – “Harmony Stella H929 used in Jailhouse Rock” | “Maton HG100 used in Jailhouse Rock” by James V. Roy
• Internet Movie Cars Database – “Jailhouse Rock, Movie, 1957”

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“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”
Luke 6:27-31 NLT