Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Jailhouse Rock movie storyline. A great black and white B-film, and considered the best, most popular, and most famous of Elvis Presley’s musicals (his third film out of over 30 films from the late 50s through the 60s) – and slightly parallels the rocker’s own life. Presley plays cocky, quick-tempered Vince Everett, who is serving a one-year jail sentence for accidental manslaughter.

While in jail, his cellmate Hunk Houghton (Shaughnessy), a former veteran country singer, mentors him to learn guitar and sing, and persuades him to enter the prison talent show. After his release from incarceration, the budding rock star is introduced to the record business. Struggling to break into the music industry, he decides to form his own record label, and becomes an overnight sensation.

After being seduced by the decadent lifestyle of a pop star, he becomes rebellious and unwilling to work with his former cellmate and Peggy Van Alden (Tyler), his loyal and pretty girlfriend / talent scout / record promoter. [Judy Tyler (formerly Princess Summerfall Winterspring on the Howdy Doody TV show) tragically died in a car crash before the film was released.]

This pre-Army film is filled with Presley classics, especially the wonderfully-choreographed set piece for “Jailhouse Rock,” as well as the other memorable numbers including “I Want to Be Free,” “Treat Me Nice,” “Baby, I Don’t Care,” “You’re So Square,” and the two tender ballads: “Young and Beautiful” and “Don’t Leave Me Now.” Presley’s most memorable films also include Love Me Tender (1956), King Creole (1958), G.I. Blues (1960), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964).

Directed by: Richard Thorpe
Starring: Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Vaughn Taylor, Jennifer Holden, Dean Jones, Anne Neyland, Don Anderson, François André, Arthur Berkeley, Robert Bice, Helen Bruno
Screenplay by: Guy Trosper
Production Design by:
Cinematography by: Robert J. Bronner
Film Editing by: Ralph E. Winters
Set Decoration by: F. Keogh Gleason, Henry Grace
Art Direction by: Randall Duell, William A. Horning
Makeup Department: William Tuttle
Music by: Jeff Alexander
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: November 8, 1957