Introduction by Eddie Muller on Wednesday, July 15

Elvis Presley is the headstrong teen who can sing. Walter Matthau is the crime boss who wants to own him. The dance between these two makes up the central conflict of King Creole, Elvis’ last film before he joined the U.S. Army. Elvis gets plenty of opportunities to show his moves onscreen, but the real delight here comes from watching a seemingly generic Presley vehicle take all the wrong turns and wind up stranded in NOIR CITY. Management troubles would become all too real for Elvis by the 1960s, but even without this real-life parallel, the rock-and-roll star delivers the acting performance of his career. Featuring stylish direction by Michael Curtiz and a spirited turn by Carolyn Jones as the woman caught between the warring show-biz factions.