Love Me Tender

Rating:
Summary: Introducing Elvis...
Review: "Love Me Tender" is the touching tale of brotherly love, and the after effects of war. It is also the film that introduces Elvis to us as an actor. Although not his best screen work(he gets better in later films), it's very much worth the view, just to be serenaded by him throughout the film, and his moving rendition of "Love Me Tender" will put a lump in your throat and have you humming it for days after.

Richard Egan, William Campbell, and James Drury are the three older Reno Brothers who have been off fighting in the Civil War for four years. They are fighting for the Confederates, and not knowing the war has ended, have robbed the Northern Army's payroll, with all intentions of turning it over to the cause of the South. When they find out the war is over, they earnestly figure it is the "spoils of war" and divvy it up with the other men in their group. They happily return home, and Vance(Egan) is especially anticipating reuniting with the girl he left behind, the beautiful Kathy(Debra Paget).

Things go downhill from there...Everyone thought Vance had been killed in the war, his younger brother Clint(Elvis), has married his girl, and the law is after the brothers for the payroll money they stole. Vance loves his younger brother and tries to live with this turn of events, but things go from bad to worse as he tries to make things right with everyone.

Elvis performs several musical numbers throughout the film, including "We're Gonna Move" and the toe tappin "Poor Boy". And as I said above, these performances, make this film well worth the view. They're pure Elvis.

From 1956, in Black and White, it's a musical Western, a story of a brother's love, action, romance and ELVIS!...Enjoy.....Laurie



Rating:
Summary: Elvis' film debut and first view on-screen is a milestone!
Review: "Love Me Tender" was a complete success when it first came to theaters November 15, 1956. The love triangle in this story is one-in-a-million! Elvis does such good acting in this picture that some fans could consider it his finest acting...and it's only his first movie! Elvis does four songs in the picture: "We're Gonna Move", "Love Me Tender", "Let Me", and "Poor Boy." Although "Love Me Tender" is set after the Civil War the songs Elvis sings are closely related to rock'n'roll. Very disappointing when Elvis' character dies near the end. Elvis' mother did not like that at all. I cried when Elvis' character dies, and after the family walks solemnly away from his grave there is a ghostly close-up of Elvis singing "Love Me Tender." I was shocked, and cried at this! Elvis fans, if you want something a little more uplifting, try "Loving You." Elvis didn't like when he did the songs in "Love Me Tender" because his band wasn't there with him on-screen.

Rating:
Summary: One of The Best Elvis Movies
Review: "Love Me Tender" is a WHOLE lot better than I thought it would be. It is a very well-done movie. It may not be the absolute, hands-down best Elvis movie, but it ranks highly on the list. It has a good cast, Richard Egan, Debra Paget, etc. The movie is set right after the Civil War, so the songs couldn't be "rock-n'roll", so the movie has country-type songs, and of course, "Love Me Tender". I also appreciate how he's singing these songs on the front porch with his guitar or singing at a benefit to raise money for building a schoolhouse(all very logical and natural settings to be singing in, as opposed to breaking out in song with an invisible orchestra behind you when you're riding horses or something.) It is well-acted, and has an interesting plot, enough to keep you interested. See this movie. It's worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: Elvis' film debut and first view on-screen is a milestone!
Review: "Love Me Tender" was a complete success when it first came to theaters November 15, 1956. The love triangle in this story is one-in-a-million! Elvis does such good acting in this picture that some fans could consider it his finest acting...and it's only his first movie! Elvis does four songs in the picture: "We're Gonna Move", "Love Me Tender", "Let Me", and "Poor Boy." Although "Love Me Tender" is set after the Civil War the songs Elvis sings are closely related to rock'n'roll. Very disappointing when Elvis' character dies near the end. Elvis' mother did not like that at all. I cried when Elvis' character dies, and after the family walks solemnly away from his grave there is a ghostly close-up of Elvis singing "Love Me Tender." I was shocked, and cried at this! Elvis fans, if you want something a little more uplifting, try "Loving You." Elvis didn't like when he did the songs in "Love Me Tender" because his band wasn't there with him on-screen.

Rating:
Summary: In the Beginning
Review: "Love Me Tender" was an interesting debut vehicle to launch Presley's screen career: one that is not very satisfactory from a fan's point of view (not enough songs), but which allowed him to play a character with some emotional depth.

His lack of professional screen acting, however, restricted his ability to convincingly portray the inner emotional turmoil engulfing his character's world, exemplified by the crude over-acting in the climactic confrontation scene with Debra Paget. Certainly, no-one would have expected a Brando-esque performance from an acting novice, but under the circumstances, some training in the basic elements of character development and motivation would have stood Elvis in good stead to further his dramatic potential. (Apparently he believed in acting instinctively, hence the lack of formal acting training).

Despite this he acquitted himself well in some of the action scenes, and showed an underlying natural talent waiting to be properly utilised. Only in "King Creole" and "Flaming Star" did this talent truly blossom, with both films allowing Elvis to harness his innate capabilities as a dramatic personality. This dramatic personality was unfortunately too often used to spice up an otherwise dreary film in later efforts, usually in a ridiculous (and unnecessary) fight scene. At least with "Love Me Tender" the desire to act in character, as opposed to just being Elvis Presley, was the over-arching goal. For that it should be preserved as an important historical artefact.

Rating:
Summary: A singer turns to acting
Review: An otherwise forgettable black-and-white western that has achieved immortality as the film debut of a rock and roll singer of some note. There isn't any rock and roll on the soundtrack, but the kid with the sideburns and the curled lip belts out a quartet of nifty country flavored songs, including "Love Me Tender," a charming ditty that looked to be so popular that the folks at 20th Century Fox dumped the original title ("The Reno Brothers") and renamed the film in the song's honor. Their instincts were correct about the song and the movie: both were monster hits. The critics were not too enthused, especially about that new guy's performance, but he's actually pretty good. And no matter what anyone thought, the singer kept on singing and making movies, too. "Love Me Tender" is no classic, but it didn't need to be either. It achieved its purpose (to make a mint for its studio, and to send the image of its star to fans around the world) very well.

Rating:
Summary: Love Me Tender
Review: Comparing this film with other films from the same period I think it is a very good film. Of course it is a musical. There is also a forgotton significance to this film. Most of the Elvis concert footage from this period is weak. This film allows an Elvis fan to see him perform via Paramount film footage. Even though they are movie songs and he is lipsyncing he still throws in those 1950's moves.

The movie was filmed in 1956 and it is Elvis Presley's first role. He receives third billing to veteran actor Richard Egan and actress Debra Pagent who is known for her role in The Ten Commandments.

It is a western set in the Civil War Period. Vance (Richard Egan)is called to serve in the Confererate Army. Clint (Elvis Presley) is too young to serve and stays home to tend the homestead. Cathy (Debra Pagent) is Vance's girlfriend and her family is killed in the war.

Cathy goes to stay with Clint & his mother until Vance returns. At some point they are given bad information that Vance has perished in the war and eventually Clint & Cathy become married.

Vance and his army buddies (not knowing the war is over) rob a train office and are pursued by army officials as they head home. Once home Vance finds out about Clint & Cathy and though he pretends to be happy for them he is awefully hurt by the marriage.

Though Clint is glad his brother is alive and well he is also growing increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. Elvis gives a really good performance as he starts becoming paranoid and thinking Cathy & Vance still have something going between each other.

The tension ensues between Clint & Vance over Cathy and over the money stolen from the train office and ends in a showdown between Clint, Vance and his old army buddies.

Elvis is hit by a bullet and dies in the end.

For those who say Elvis cannot act, I guess they never watched him die.

Rating:
Summary: Reno Brothers
Review: Good movie worthy of any western collection as well as Elvis collection. Again for those who don't think Elvis had talent to act this first movie showed what could have been developed. The death scene is good. Good movie for the whole family.

Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining
Review: I enjoyed this movie very much. There are several worthwhile songs and Elvis has great chemistry with his co-stars. The title song is very memorable and for Elvis fans, this is the one where Mr. & Mrs. Presley can be seen in the final concert scenes.

Rating:
Summary: Remember the king!
Review: If there was an award for the strangest Elvis Presley film. My vote will go to Love Me Tender. For 3 reasons. A. He doesn't have the lead part. B. His chacater in this movie is married. C. This has a different ending than other Elvis Presley films. As Love Me Tender opens, it is April 10th 1865. The North fighters are happy that Lee has quit bring the war to the end. But some fighers doesn't know that the war is over. Including a fighter named Vince Reno (Ricard Egan). He finds out. So he makes plans to go back to Texas and marry his girlfiend named Cathy (Debra Paget). He and his brtohers, Brett and Ray has joined the war. But the youngest Reno brother named Clint (Elvis Presley in his film debut) has stayed home. Vince doesn't know that his family at home thinks he is dead. But he finds out. And his pa was killed at home and Cathy has moved in with Clint and his mom. Vince finds that out to. But he doesn't know yet that Clint has married Cathy. Vince finds out that his family thinks he is dead. Because a letter came to Clint and his mom that Vince died in the war.... And won't you believe it to, if you got a notice like that in the mail.