American icons like Elvis Presley are impossible to duplicate.
In the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas, his dazzling chemistry with Ann-Margret captivated the audience, particularly during their whimsical and flawless duet, “The Lady Loves Me.”
But on set, things didn’t always go as expected. There were errors and blunders in the film that went unreported until today. All set to find out what you missed? Let’s examine it in more detail!
In Viva Las Vegas, the highest-grossing Elvis Presley film, Elvis and Ann-Margret made both musical and cinematic history. Starring as Lucky Jackson, Elvis Presley is a driven race car racer hoping to win big in Las Vegas. Ann-Margret portrays Rusty Martin, a lively dancer who wins Lucky over.
I think it’s among the most underappreciated movies ever made.
It provides a unique opportunity to see long-gone Vegas sites in addition to the mesmerizing performances.
Elvis and Ann-Margret had an indisputable chemistry on screen, and their relationship off screen was equally captivating. Beyond the glamor and grandeur, however, are some amusing mishaps, obscure errors, and humorous moments that even the most ardent fans may have overlooked.
Elvis’ crown gem at the box office
The
The biggest surprise, though, was that Viva Las Vegas won, surpassing Blue Hawaii by an astounding $450,000. Even with conflicting reviews, it became the highest-grossing Elvis Presley movie.
In addition to being the shortest movie in Elvis Presley’s career, Viva Las Vegas is only one hour and twenty-five minutes long.
Ann-Margret is superior to Elvis Presley.
Elvis was and still is such an icon that it’s difficult to fathom today. But because of her fame at the time, did you know that some cinemas actually billed Ann-Margret higher than Elvis Presley?
That demonstrates just how popular and in-demand the beautiful Swedish-born Ann-Margret was in the middle of the 1960s.
The physical attributes of women are overemphasized.
Upon the debut of the movie, Ann-Margret, who was 22 at the time, was not immune to criticism. Variety’s reviewer, who went by the pseudonym “Tube,” commented on the movie’s emphasis on her physical possessions as follows:
For director George Sidney and cameraman Joseph Biroc, any reason to gaze at a moving derriere seems sufficient. The film’s obsession with examining anatomical contours and the epidermis for the sake of examining them lacks subtlety and taste, but the provocative pulchritude of Ann-Margret and other chicks and chorines makes the sexy scrutiny downright pleasurable to the male eye.
Quite the criticism, isn’t it? Despite this concentration, Ann-Margret’s star power was still evident.
The casinos that made it through Viva Las Vegas’ neon light were crucial in establishing the city’s reputation as a major travel destination. However, only six of the casinos that were seen in the 1964 opening sequence of Viva Las Vegas remain in existence today, as I previously stated. It’s an interesting little tidbit that demonstrates how much Las Vegas has evolved over time.
The filming sites were dispersed throughout Las Vegas and took place prior to Elvis Presley’s marriage to Priscilla at the Aladdin and his well-known stay at the International Hotel (now the Wingate).
What made Vivas Las Vegas so well-liked?
A number of things contributed to Viva Las Vegas’s success, including the film’s stunning technicolor images that highlighted the stars’ captivating performances as well as the vivid, neon-lit charm of Las Vegas, the indisputable chemistry between Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret, and the upbeat, catchy soundtrack.
The first time Ann-Margret and Elvis met
Ann-Margret was one of the most important ladies in Elvis Presley’s life, aside from his family.
Early in July 1963, in the Radio Recorders studios in Hollywood, the Swedish immigrant met Elvis Presley. As the stars of Viva Las Vegas, they were first introduced to the media and to one another on an empty MGM soundstage, except for a piano. As Ann-Margret remembered it:
Elvis and I met at the MGM soundstage, which was deserted save for a piano. A handful of his men loitered in the background, watching their leader, a custom I would soon learn to anticipate. A studio photographer took pictures of what the film company officials believed would be a historic occasion while director George Sidney watched.
George Sidney said, “I’d like you to meet Ann-Margret, a wonderful young lady, Elvis Presley.” Elvis Presley, this is you, Ann-Margret. Elvis and I failed to see the significance. He gave my outstretched hand a gentle shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” we both said simultaneously, which lightened the mood and got us laughing.
The ardor between Elvis and Ann-Margret
It’s evident from today’s stills and sequences from Viva Las Vegas that Ann-Margret and Elvis had a chemistry that was evident from the beginning.
The magnetism and vitality of Ann-Margret were so strong that she had surpassed her three male co-stars. Elvis, however, was different; he matched her every action. Ann-Margret would later say that their on-screen collaboration was the best she had ever had since it was so lively. Elvis appeared to feel the same way in many respects.
Simply put, they were instantly and electrifyingly attracted to each other.
According to Ann-Margret, “a current, an electricity that went straight through us,” was felt by both of us. “It would grow into a force beyond our control.”
“I have no doubt that the makers were aware that a satisfactory connection between Lucky and Rusty would enhance the fast-paced, boy-meets-girl musical. The blazing desert sun may have been the only source of heat between Elvis and me at first. But for some, there were sparks right away,” Ann-Margret subsequently revealed.
Elvis desired to wed Ann-Margret.
While Ann-Margret has been quite reticent to divulge the true events between the two celebrities, her autobiography, My Story, contains some extremely fascinating insights.
Ann-Margret said that Elvis wanted them to marry each other. Their dates frequently involved talking while driving up a hill and gazing down at the city.
We were genuinely soul mates, timid on the exterior but free on the inside. Both of us were self-destructive in our own ways and lived on the brink. According to Ann-Margret’s autobiography, “if you ignore the fame and our rapid success, we both remained very childish and were emotionally insecure in many ways.”
However, there was a single issue: Elvis was seeing Priscilla Presley. The 17-year-old Priscilla had been asked to move in with Elvis in Memphis a year before to the debut of Viva Las Vegas.
Faith, family, motorcycles, and late-night conversations
Ann-Margret and Elvis knew they had a lot in common while they were working together. In addition to their mutual love of music, they were devout Christians, loved motorbikes, cherished their families, craved privacy, and engaged in lengthy late-night chats.
She was asked to spend a night at a Las Vegas concert with Elvis and his crew in the early days of filming. Ann-Margret remembered the date as harmless and cordial. Elvis’ entourage wasn’t an issue for me because I was accustomed to having my parents go on dates with me. I always got great treatment from his guys.
Elvis’ pals were comfortable around Ann-Margret in return. Billy Smith, Elvis Presley’s cousin, revealed, “She made his life a little easier because she understood him and didn’t make any demands on him.” She was even aware of his desire for us. That was never clear to Priscilla.
For what reason did Elvis not wed Ann-Margret?
The vivacious and affable Swede ultimately bore too much like to Elvis. Given Elvis Presley’s ideals, it wasn’t a good thing that they were “mirror images.”
His perspective on marriage was conservative and traditional. Priscilla Presley was the ideal candidate; Ann-Margret was not.
Elvis understood he had to quit his relationship with Ann-Margret shortly after Viva Las Vegas, but they still exchanged love letters.
“We understood that we had to break up, that Elvis had to keep his word,” Ann-Margret recounted in My Story.
After Elvis’ marriage to Priscilla, the couple maintained communication even though their romantic relationship stopped. Whenever “The King” appeared in Las Vegas, she would receive bouquets of flowers shaped like guitars.
Elvis and Ann-Margret remained lifelong friends, and in 1977, when she didn’t get any flowers following a performance, she realized that The King had passed away. The only female co-star to attend Elvis Presley’s burial was Ann-Margret.
The controversy surrounding camera angle
Viva Las Vegas is regarded by some as the only Elvis film in which he appeared to be enjoying himself and giving the film his whole attention. Is that, however, the whole truth?
because it appeared that Elvis had a grudge against director George Sidney, and the way Ann-Margret’s camera angles favored her at his expense. The King wasn’t afraid to voice his disapproval, according to Red West, one of Elvis’ closest friends and bodyguards: “He would complain bitterly to us that the sonofabitch was trying to cut him out of the picture.”
Colonel Parker, who wasn’t going to allow anyone take away his cash cow’s attention, quickly heard Elvis’ grievances. The Colonel, who is always the one to defend, apparently told Sidney what he thought, emphatically reminding the producers that this was a “Elvis Presley picture.”
The most vibrant dance floor at Viva Las Vegas
Ultimately, it was evident that Elvis received the most of the musical attention. While Ann-Margret had only two solo numbers, he had six.
The dancing scene in Viva Las Vegas where Elvis and Ann-Margret hit the floor to the song “Viva Las Vegas” is one of the film’s most memorable and spectacular moments. 60 years later, Ann-Margret is the epitome of what it means to “dance like no one’s watching.”
She simply bursts with talent and personality, making it nearly impossible to look away. It is the one occasion, according to some fans, when Elvis actually shared the limelight with someone whose dancing skills might rival his.
Even though Elvis brought his trademark enthusiasm to the performance, let’s face it: Ann-Margret’s choreography is just amazing. We appreciate the choreographer, the talented David Winters, for creating a dance routine that is so vibrant and so mind-blowing.
Ineffective lip-syncing
Although it’s difficult to overlook how poorly Elvis Presley lip-syncs the words during the Viva Las Vegas dance/music scene, as some have noted, who is actually paying attention to Elvis anyway, given Ann-Margret’s energetic performance?
A prospective Oscar winner in the backdrop
In the famous song “What’d I Say,” you can see a woman dancing to Ann-Margret’s right. She’s dressed in a black skirt, black heels, and a white shirt with black trim.
In a different number, she sports a blouse with horizontal stripes of blue, green, and red.
If you look closely, you can see her in the background behind Ann-Margret, which is evidence that Teri Garr was already establishing herself on the big screen prior to receiving her Oscar nominations.
Identical faces in the film
Speaking of well-known characters from Viva Las Vegas, here’s another interesting fact: singer/actor Glen Campbell played guitar on the soundtrack. He contributed guitar to the title track and the song “What’d I Say.”
In Viva Las Vegas, Red West, a close friend of Elvis Presley, appears on many occasions as a number of uncredited roles. He plays a number of parts throughout the movie, if you look closely.
Quirky foof in the dance scene from “What’d I Say”
White tape or something similar emerges and disappears on Lucky’s right hand fingers throughout the performance of the “What’d I Say” dance piece, which is a delightful joke to watch.
Is it visible?
Elvis’s competitors’ improbable survival
Another amusing piece of knowledge from the film is that the race scene is one of the more perplexing parts.
Near the finish line of the race, Elvis scarcely bats an eye when his rival, Count Mancini (Cesare Danova), is involved in a horrifying collision.
He simply dismisses it with a nonchalant “that’s a shame” and speeds off to triumph. What’s the best? Despite all, the Count manages to escape unharmed and even makes an appearance at the wedding scene at the finale. What a crash course in film magic!
The candid admission made by Ann-Margret regarding Elvis
With her ageless charm and energy, Ann-Margret, at 83, never fails to enthrall her devotees. A recent induction into the UNLV College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame was made for the actress.
And despite the passing of the years, she continues to provide intriguing behind-the-scenes tales about Viva Las Vegas, preserving the film’s enchantment for future generations.
Ann-Margret gave a fresh and novel viewpoint on her connection with Elvis by disclosing further information about it in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Strange as it may sound, I had never seen him perform before working on the film. That’s difficult to believe, I know. We recently discovered how similar we were. When you act, you transform into someone else, even though we were both really shy. He cherished his mother, and I cherished both of my parents.
Thus, Viva Las Vegas will always have a particular position in movie history, whether you’re watching it again for the music, the captivating performances, or simply to experience some of the charm of the past.
Be mindful of the film that helped us all fall in love with Vegas’ neon lights and the remarkable team that made it possible.
