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1. LOVE ME TENDER - 20th Century Fox |
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Elvis plays Clint Reno, one of the Reno brothers who stayed home while his brother went to fight in the Civil War for the Confederate army. When his brother Vance comes back from the war, he finds that his old girlfriend Cathy has married Clint. The family has to struggle to reach stability with this issue. Vance is involved in a train robbery, while a Confederate soldier, of Federal Government money. There is a conflict of interest, when Vance tries to return the money, against the wishes of some of his fellow Confederates.
Movie location:
Pictured:
August 24, 1956 - October 8, 1956 |
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Richard Egan - |
Vance Reno Cathy Reno Clint Reno Mr. Siringo Brett Reno Mike Gavin Martha Reno |
Recordings
Songs:
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| Writer Screenplay | - Robert Buckner | Directed by | - Robert D. Webb |
| Story | - Maurice Geraghty | Producer | - David Weisbart |
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Title was changed from "The
Reno Brothers" to promote
the title song sung by Elvis
Presley. The footage of Elvis Presley singing 'Love Me Tender' at the end was shot after preview audiences reacted badly to his character's fate. This new footage created a continuity error, as Elvis had dyed his hair black by the time of the additional shooting, while in the movie his hair color was closer to blonde. Elvis Presley's real-life backing musicians Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D.J. Fontana were not allowed to play the roles of the band in the movie because according to the casting crew they didn't look like country musicians. The part of "Clint Reno" was originally offered to 20th Century-Fox contract players Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter and also actor Cameron Mitchell before Presley got it on loan to Fox from Hal B. Wallis to whom he was under contract. Elvis Presley is credited as co-writer of the film's four songs, but in fact had little to do with writing them; it was just for purposes of royalties. Elvis did reveal at a 1968 press conference , when asked about his 'lack of songwriting, in general' that he did contribute one line of lyrics to the title song, 'Love Me Tender'. A record number of prints of 'Love Me Tender' were struck in 1956 to accommodate the demand for Elvis Presley's movie debut. Extra scenes and lines were added for Elvis Presley's character, which was originally supposed to be a minor role before he got the part. When the film played in theaters, Elvis Presley's fans were screaming so loud that audiences couldn't hear any of his lines. In its opening weekend film it shot to #2 in Variety's list. Only James Deans' film Giant had more viewers. The film was produced by 20th Century-Fox but the premiere was at the Paramount Theater on Broadway in New York City. Thousands of fans were outside the building on the night of premiere. A huge paperboard with the image of Elvis Presley was on the outside of the building. Made back its production cost - approximately $1,000,000 - on its opening weekend. Although this started out as a "B" feature, it wound up costing approximately $1,000,000. It reportedly made its production cost back in only the first three days of release. Elvis Presley was later offered the starring role in director Robert D. Webb's next film, The Way To The Gold, but 20th Century-Fox refused to pay the $250,000 plus 50% of the profits that Elvis' manager asked (Fox had offered $150,000 plus 50%). The title song, "Love Me Tender" was taken from the Civil War ballad "Aure Lea", written by W. W. Fosdick (words) and George R. Poulton (music). That song first appeared on the screen in 1936 sung by a Francis Farmer in "Come And Get It". It was adopted, almost from its' beginning, as the "school song" of The West Point Military Academy and was part of the soundtrack for The West Point Story and The Long Grey Line (1954). Possibly the first American film to use a 'Squib hit' on an actor (using an explosive under clothing with a blood pack to simulate a bullet hit). In the scene where Cathy Reno is at the window crying, a car can be seen in the background. A Confederate soldier zips up the pants that were taken off Northern soldiers, before zippers were invented. When the locomotive engineer is ordered to halt his train, he applies an air brake. Elvis' hair is black during the final 'Love Me Tender' reprise, but closer to blonde in the rest of the film. Love Me Tender is a western drama set immediately after the Civil War. In Elvis Presley's first film, he appears in the secondary role of Clint Reno. This was the only time in his acting career that Elvis received second billing. Clint, the youngest of the four Reno brothers, stayed behind to run the family farm during the war while his older brothers were off fighting for the Confederacy. Star Richard Egan plays Vance Reno, the eldest brother whom the family believes to have been killed in battle. Upon returning home, Vance is shocked to discover that Clint has married Vance's former sweetheart, Cathy, played by Debra Paget. The love triangle, complicated by the greedy actions of some unscrupulous ex-Confederates, eventually pits brother against brother, resulting in Clint's death. The downbeat ending is tempered by the brothers' reconciliation as Clint dies in Cathy's arms. Actor Richard Egan who played Vance Reno, older brother to Elvis' character, Clint, was a high ranking officer in the U.S. Army during W.W.II. He received a master's degree at Stanford and taught school at Northwestern before deciding to become an actor. He won a Golden Globe award in 1953 as Most Promising Male Newcomer. Neville Brand played Mike Gavin, the man who shot and killed Elvis' character. Brand had joined the Army in 1939, intending to make it his career, and became the fourth most decorated GI in World War II. While in the army he made his acting debut in army training films, which changed the direction of his life. Brand went on to play in 79 movie roles and 29 TV roles. His heavy features and gravel voice made him a natural tough guy. He would play gangster Al Capone in four different projects. Mildred Dunnock played Elvis' mother. Dunnock was nominated twice for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar - first for Death Of A Salesman (1951) and then for Baby Doll (1956). She was a schoolteacher before becoming a character actress. Bruce Bennett played Major Kincaid. Bruce Bennett was his name as an actor. Before that he was known as Herman Brix, a silver medal winner for shot put in the 1928 Olympics. He was personally picked by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs to follow in the footsteps of fellow Olympic stars Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe to play the role of Tarzan on the silver screen. He would go on to play in 119 movies. Barry Coe, who played Mr. Davis, won a Golden Globe in 1959 as Most Promising Male Newcomer, nominated with Troy Donahue, George Hamilton and James Shigeta. Shigeta's greatest fame came with the film Flower Drum Song and he later co-starred with Elvis in the film Paradise Hawaiian Style. Producer David Weisbart would go on to produce three more Elvis movies: Flaming Star, Follow That Dream and Kid Galahad. Weisbart's credits included producing Rebel Without A Cause (1955) and an Oscar nomination for Best Editing for Johnny Belinda (1948). Writer Robert Buckner had won both a Writers Guild Of America award and a Golden Globe award for Bright Victory (1951) and had received an Oscar nomination for writing for the film Yankee Doodle Dandy. Behind The Scenes of Love Me Tender Elvis' first experience as a Hollywood actor was closely followed in the entertainment press from the day he was assigned a role in Love Me Tender until the day the film was released. The close scrutiny affected the outcome of the film in several ways. Originally called The Reno Brothers, this western drama was retitled after a number of articles announced that advanced sales for 'Love Me Tender' -- one of the songs recorded for the film -- exceeded a million copies. It was the first time advanced sales for a single release had ever surpassed the million mark, and the producers capitalized on the publicity by changing the film's title. The enormous amount of press coverage also affected the film's conclusion. During production, fanzines leaked that Elvis's character was supposed to die near the end of the film. As originally shot, the final scene features Mother Reno solemnly ringing the dinner bell as her three remaining sons toil in the fields. Pain and loss are registered on the faces of Mother Reno and Cathy, who mourn the death of Clint. Elvis' legion of fans were disturbed by the news that their idol was to be killed off in his first film. In an attempt to counter an 'adverse public reaction,' Twentieth Century-Fox shot an alternative ending in which Clint is spared. For reasons known only to the producers, this second ending was rejected. A compromise ending was used instead. Clint is killed as called for in the original script, but the final shot superimposed a ghostly close-up of Elvis as Clint crooning 'Love Me Tender' as his family slowly walks away from his grave. The fans were then left with a final image of Elvis doing what he was famous for...singing. Prior to the film's premiere at the Paramount Theater in New York, a 40-foot likeness of Elvis as Clint Reno was erected atop the theater's marquee. Part of the ceremony surrounding the unveiling of the huge cutout included placing the world's largest charm bracelet, which measured nine feet, around the figure's wrist. The charms depicted various events in Elvis's career, and the bracelet was a giant replica of one being merchandised across the country. Some fans attending the unveiling carried placards that complained about Elvis's on-screen death, but Presley biographers have speculated that Colonel Tom Parker, the singer's notorious manager, passed them out to garner even more publicity. If the promotion surrounding Love Me Tender generated excitement among Elvis fans, it generated loathing among the critics. Reviewers around the country were lying in wait for the film, and many were brutal in their assessment of Elvis' performance. In a particularly scathing review for Time magazine, one critic compared Elvis' acting and screen presence to that of a sausage, a 'Walt Disney goldfish,' a corpse, and a cricket -- all in the same brief review. Many did not confine their criticism to Elvis' screen performance. Critics used the opportunity to reiterate the same complaints the Establishment had always hurled at Elvis, including his singing style, his hair, his Southern background, and his fanatical following. If Elvis cried over the mean-spirited reviews, then he cried all the way to the bank. The film recouped its production costs within three days of release, guaranteeing that Elvis' Hollywood future would be lucrative.
The Story
Behind The
Song: Love
Me Tender Elvis Presley might not have had one of his hit records if the Poulton family hadn't left England in 1835 to seek a new life in America. They settled in Lansburgh, New York, where young George learnt violin and piano, and hoped to move into conducting. At the age of 12 he also tried composing and, over the next two decades, had more than 20 songs published. It was the age of minstrel shows, which often featured jaunty, upbeat songs. With this in mind, Poulton composed a tune, with words by lyricist William Whiteman Fosdick, which would be a contrast - a simple sentimental ballad with the highly traditional theme of a beautiful young woman with shining hair. They called the song Aura Lee and it was published and copyrighted in Cincinnati in 1861: As the blackbird in the spring, 'Neath the willow tree Sat and pip'd I heard him sing Sing-ing Aura Lee. Aura Lee! Aura Lee! Maid of golden hair; Sunshine came along with thee, And swallows in the air. Although Aura Lee was successful as a minstrel song, it gained unexpected popularity with the trainee soldiers at West Point, where it quickly became a graduating class song and gained new words (by LW Becklaw), soon becoming known as Army Blue. The song was also known later as The Violet and The Girl With the Golden Hair. Soon after Aura Lee was released, the American Civil War began. Music is often part of war. Certain music gains a special currency among the combatants - and so it was with this conflict. Drums, fifes, fiddles, banjos and brass were played by camp fires, at ceremonies, while marching, and even during battle. Aura Lee became a favourite for troops on both sides of the conflict. The image of the lovely girl was even added to another war song, The Yellow Rose of Texas: Talk about your Clementine Or sing of Aura Lee. After the war, Aura Lee was taken up by barber-shop quartets and recorded by many artists, but its military connection still hovered. In the 1936 movie 'Come and Get It', Frances Farmer sang it as two different characters (she played a mother and daughter) in different voices. It reappeared in 'The Last Musketeer' (1952) and 'The Long Grey Line' used it as a West Point song, under the titles, in 1955. Only a year later, Poulton's melody was to be launched to a much wider international audience. An entertainment phenomenon called Elvis Presley had caused musical hysteria with his recording of Blue Suede Shoes - a hysteria that gained momentum through Heartbreak Hotel, then Hound Dog. With the royalties from these successes, Elvis bought a roomy house in Audubon Drive, Memphis and, having reached impressive heights in recording and television studios, started to cast his eye on a possible movie career. With the doubtful guidance of Col. Tom Parker, a Dutch immigrant made an honorary colonel, in 1956 Elvis was contracted into his first role, in a movie to be called Love Me Tender. And it was decided that in it he would sing his first-ever non-rock ballad. So a song was needed. The music director on the movie was Ken Darby, who found the 95-year-old melody Aura Lee. The simple tune needed no restructuring, but new words were called for. It is believed that Darby himself was responsible for the revised lyrics, but he gave the credits to his wife Vera Matson - and Presley. So was born the song Love Me Tender. Elvis recorded it in August 1956 on a large sound stage without his usual band and backing singers. The second take was declared satisfactory and Love Me Tender was unleashed on a Presley-enthusiastic world. It topped the Billboard chart, remaining number one for five weeks. Presley and his manager had no compunction about rearranging existing songs to suit themselves. Wooden Heart was a combination of new English words added to the German tune Muss Ich Denn, the French Plaisir d'amour became Can't Help Falling in Love and It's Now or Never was a rewrite of O Sole Mio. After Presley, other artists stepped up to the recording mic with Love Me Tender: Connie Francis, the Platters, Tony Bennett, Marty Robbins, Kenny Rogers, Engelbert Humperdinck, Paul Anka, Ray Conniff, the Lettermen, Linda Ronstadt, even Frank Sinatra. It was difficult, however, to escape the shadow cast by Presley's intimate and huskily crooned performance. |
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