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THE FILM

FILM DIRECTOR: Peter Tewksbury

SCREENWRITER: Michael A. Hoey, Burt Kennedy (uncredited)

FILM STARS: Elvis Presley, Burgess Meredith, Joan Blondell, Katy Jurado, Thomas Gomez, Henry Jones, L.Q. Jones, Quentin Dean, Anne Seymour, Douglas Henderson, Angus Duncan, Mike Lane, Susan Trustman, Warren Vanders, Buck Kartalian, Maurishka, Caitlin Wyles, Marya Thomas

COUNTRY: USA

THIS BOOK

AUTHOR: Dan Cushman

TYPE: Novel

PUBLISHER: Bantam

THIS EDITION PUBLISHED: 1968

COUNTRY: USA

COVER: Paperback

THE ORIGINAL BOOK

ORIGINAL AUTHOR: As Above

YEAR FIRST PUBLISHED: 1953

ORIGINAL BOOK TITLE: The film title

NOTES

GENRE: Contemporary Western, Western

WORDS: This film has been panned virtually from all corners – by film critics, social critics, the general populace, and even by (especially) Elvis Presley fans. Film critics were always going to pan it, after all did they ever give unanimous praise to any Elvis film? The general populace stayed away from it because they thought it was just another Elvis film. Elvis fans didn’t like it because it deviated from the formula with Elvis’s character less than squeaky clean and fewer songs on the soundtrack. And social critics, at the time, more so now dislike it because of alleged racial stereotypes.

I’m an Elvis fan and I’m convinced, even if no one else is, if you dig deeper, you will find one of Elvis’ most satisfying films (certainly one of the funniest along with Follow That Dream (1962)).

Dan Cushman was a fine writer. was born in Osceola, Michigan, and grew up on the Cree Indian reservation in Montana. He wrote westerns and contemporary novels which always had something else to say. He wasn’t, perhaps because of the times, to speak plainly. He clearly knew and understood what he was writing about.

The book (a best seller in 1953) was a hoot and the screenplay captured its cleverness. British writer Michael A. Hoey (who also wrote Elvis’ Live a Little Love a Little (1968)) is credited with the script, but director / screenwriter Burt Kennedy had already written a treatment. I suspect his influence may have dominated (he was supposed to direct) as he was skilled ant westerns with comedic elements, both broad and subtle (Support Your Local Sheriff (1969), The Rounders (1965), The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969), The War Wagon (1967))

Perhaps the screenplay was adapted from the failed Broadway musical of the book, “Whoop-Up!” (music by Mark Charlap, lyrics by Norman Gimbel, and Broadway book by Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin), from 1958 because some of the same plot devices and characters, including Joe’s grandfather who refuses to live in a house, preferring his ancestral tepee, are used. The Broadway show however centred around Glenda’s Place (a filling station and bar) making her a rather large character which wasn’t the case in the book or the film.

“Stay Away Joe” is a contemporary western (not dissimilar in some respects to Steve McQueen’s later Junior Bonner) dealing with one, charismatic Native American, Joe Lightcloud, played by Elvis in the film. He is Navajo from Arizona in the film but one of the Montana tribes in the book. I don’t know what Native American’s think, but the book (and the film) show (humorously) some of the cultural and political problems of Native Americans and their relations with the US and modern society (mid-century modern society) – the dodgy politicians, the ostracised community, the bleakness, the poverty, the lack of education, the isolation, the loss of cultural heritage, the desire to fit in and adapt are all hinted at.

Don’t get me wrong, the book is a comedic satire and so is the film. The book, however, is more pointed in its satire whereas the film is light-hearted.

The depiction of drunkenness, poverty, lack of purpose, casual lasciviousness and unemployment are what many people complained as stereotypes of the Native Americans in the film.

The problem is that social ills whenever treated humorously (even if satire) will be condemned for promoting stereotypes and denounced. At its core both the book (especially) and film don’t avoid the stereotypes but they still embolden the Native American. I note that every Caucasian person in the film is either stupid, naïve or on the tilt. The Native American is portrayed as family oriented and proud despite the dysfunctionality of their circumstances and  their (then) recent history.

Interestingly in defence of the book (and by extension, I will say, the film), Vine Deloria, Jr (Professor of Political Science at the University of Arizona and the author of many books and articles on events affecting the lives of Native Americans. He served as the Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians and was an active spokesman and leader for the Native American Indian community throughout the nation), in his seminal book “Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto” said (page 16), “Three books, to my way of thinking, give a good idea of the intangible sense of reality that pervades the Indian people. “When Legends Die” by Hal Borland fives a good picture of Indian youth. “Little Big Man” by Thomas Berger gives an idea of Indian attitudes towards life. “Stay Away Joe” by Dan Cushman, the favorite of Indian people, gives a humorous but accurate idea of the problems caused by the intersection of two ways of life. Anyone who can read, appreciate, and understand the spiritual forces brought out in these books will have a good idea of what Indians are all about”.

There is a dull, commonly held belief that Elvis‘ movie career went as follows … the superior 50s rock films, some interesting dramatic roles in the early 1960s, the mammoth success of Blue Hawaii in 1961, and the formula that it set with diminishing results till the end of his career. Perhaps that is true but only in part. “Blue Hawaii” did set the formula for the next five years but by about 1967, Elvis no longer in the Top 10 draw, did interesting films outside of the formula, and this is one of them.

With Elvis no longer tied to a formula, marketing was minimal. You will note on this tie-in there isn’t any mention of Elvis (and I haven’t seen any other tie-ins for this film). The film made money, but it was a far cry from just five years earlier (it was #65 in best grossing films of the year).

Elvis himself (apparently) envisages this as an “Alfie Goes West” after Michael Caine’s breakthrough amoral character and, clearly Elvis is having fun chasing girls rather than them chasing him (and of course he sings). His performance indicates, also, that he can, perhaps, see the bigger picture. At the time (probably because the film was a comedy) and an Elvis film, Elvis was criticised for playing a Native American, even though he had played one (and won kudos and an award from Native Americans associations) in his best film Flaming Star (1960). Now, it’s known (though it’s not clear if Elvis knew) he does have Native American ancestry, in part. But if he had no Native American in him, I don’t see a problem. I look at the long and impressive list of Hollywood actors who have played Native Americans as heroes and protagonists and all I can say it I would be happy if any of them played a Croatian (not one major star in the golden years did).

The director, Peter Tewksbury, had a keen eye (he also directed another superior Elvis film – The Trouble with Girls (1969)), the on-location photography (in Sedona and Cottonwood, Arizona) is suitably dusty and panoramic, There are magnificent performances from Burgess Meredith (who is very broad), L.Q Jones, Thomas Gomez, Joan Blondell, and Katy Jurado, whilst Quentin Dean, Douglas Henderson and Henry Jones pop up noticeably and well, as do 150 Navajo extras.

The film it not an ensemble piece as all the characters tend to rotate around Elvis but there is enough detail so that each character has his own personality.

The film is perfect with beer or wine.

I have waffled more about the film that the book, which is a great read but, this is a film awaiting rediscovery.

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