Rene D This Elvis movie, the first one after his discharge from the army (and after the Sinatra Timex Special) simply is one of the better ones from his sixties movie career. And by that I mean, the movies with say 12 songs, like he used to make them.Sure, this one has a lot of music, but the setting for those songs is just right, and even if one does not like a song like Wooden Heart, seeing it midway this story, it works very well.Elvis as we all know spent his army years in Germany, Bad Nauheim and Friedberg. But we never see Elvis himself actually in Germany in this movie. Yes, it seems like we do, but no, Elvis did not make a movie outside of the US. Elvis plays Tulsa, a GI stationed in Germany, like he was in real life, and he has a combo with 2 army buddies, not including the sergeant, one that they pull jokes on.Can somebody hand me my soap during the shower scene sums it up pretty well. The guys all throw their soap at the Sergeant. A scene that always made my dad laugh, and me too.The movie of course is a musical comedy with lots of scenes like that. Real Hollywood Elvis style, but not as slick or "cheap" like later years, the years Elvis started to dislike his own movies.Juliet Prowse as the female lead is just perfect, and she works well with Elvis. They both look great, and she was just perfect for that part back in those days. Songs: of course as I mentioned Wooden Heart, the number one hit worldwide. But also good ones like the title song, and Frankfurt Special, Shopping Around, Doin The Best I Can and What's She Really Like, Didja Ever and more.Fun part is the song Blue Suede Shoes, which Elvis recorded himself of course. It is played on a jukebox when Tulsa (Elvis) is singing. That guy who put it on wanted the original. Of course that ends in a fight.I could go on about this movie, but I will say this for now (my first review on IMDb) if you like Elvis and his music, this is one to see. It has all the fun you would expect from an Elvis movie from that era. Great stuff!

wes-connors Back in Hollywood, after a two-year stint in the US army, Elvis Presley (as Tulsa McLean) is a stationed-in-Germany singing soldier out to bed sexy dancer Juliet Prowse (as Lili). This tailor-made film set the standard for the successful "ELVIS" movie. Presley spent the 1960s swinging and singing through "Top Ten" box office and record charts. "G.I Blues" propelled Elvis back into Quigley Publications "Box Office" ten most profitable movie stars, where he stayed through 1966. The RCA soundtrack went platinum, and was #1 for ten of its amazing 111 weeks on the LP chart. RCA planned no 45 RPM singles (which helped album sales), but "Wooden Heart" and "G.I. Blues" became hits anyway.Unfortunately, the musical's trend-setting success overshadowed Presley's superior studio recordings from the time (listen to "Elvis Is Back!"). Also note, the re-recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" is a pale imitation of the 1956 original. So, a creative cancer was being forged. But, it's not fair to fault "G.I. Blues" for the sight and sound of Elvis Presley singing "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" in "Double Trouble" (1967). And, although everyone (including Presley) longed for him to be a great dramatic actor, he shows up in "G.I. Blues" as a charming and natural light performer. Herein, Presley introduces many of the playful mannerisms used throughout the remainder of his career, in musicals and on stage.****** G.I. Blues (8/18/60) Norman Taurog ~ Elvis Presley, Juliet Prowse, Robert Ivers, James Douglas

bkoganbing GI Blues was Elvis Presley's fifth picture and first one since his return from the Army as America's most celebrated draftee of the Fifties. It also marked his first film with director Norman Taurog who did nine films with the King.Taurog like so many in Hollywood in front of and behind the camera was getting less and less employment and taking what he could get. These were the kind of people that Elvis's manager Colonel Tom Parker made sure helped his meal ticket in any way possible. Norman Taurog won an Oscar in 1931 for Skippy and was nominated for his direction of Boys Town in 1938 which won Spencer Tracy an Oscar. Over the years Taurog directed such musical performers as Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Mario Lanza, Eddie Fisher, and Debbie Reynolds. This man was most assuredly a help to the King's career and I've no doubt Parker was behind getting him. Parker is a controversial figure, especially among Elvis's legion of fans as to whether he helped or hindered Elvis's career. He might have done a little of both, but one thing the man was always sure of is that in Presley's movies, he made sure that he got the best support in front and behind the camera. Norman Taurog extended his own career via the King. Everybody made out here.The Colonel also was a master at keeping the publicity going while Elvis was a $78.00 a month GI serving in Germany. So much so there was a tremendous about of advance publicity about this film which was about a young rock and rolling soldier who finds love in Frankfurt.Elvis gets hooked into a Guys and Dolls type bet that he can't spend the night in Juliet Prowse's apartment. Prowse is a local entertainer at one of the clubs in Frankfurt and she's got a reputation as one cold lady. But you know she ain't got a chance with the king.Part of the publicity surrounding this film was Juliet Prowse's relationship with another guy she did a film with that year, Frank Sinatra. She and Sinatra were quite the item and they announced their engagement and then broke it off just as quickly. Juliet was quite the dancer both in GI Blues and in Can-Can. I remember all of this quite well as a lad. And it was always a special treat in Elvis films when he got a female co-star who was also musical like Ann-Margret, Nancy Sinatra, or Juliet Prowse.Elvis had a bunch of songs in the film including his own Blue Suede Shoes playing on a jukebox during a bar brawl. One song I really liked was Pocketful of Rainbows which he sings to Juliet while riding in a cable car. It should have been a bigger hit for him.GI Blues was a fine jump start for Elvis's return to the big screen and to his loyal legion of fans.

JoeKarlosi Sometimes when rating movies I can feel a little embarrassed in giving certain films a three out of four star rating. Well, to hell with that -- I flat-out enjoyed G.I. BLUES, which was Elvis Presley's fifth movie and marked a significant shift in his public image and how he would be perceived throughout the 1960s while The Beatles and other groups were taking over. After coming back from his stint in the U.S. Army, Elvis made this picture which capitalized on that event. He plays a G.I. who takes a bet with some of his army pals in Germany that he will be able to score with leggy fraulein dancer Juliet Prowse. Along the way there are laughs, songs (naturally), and some romance.Gone here is the young rockin' rebel we'd previously seen in films like LOVING YOU, JAILHOUSE ROCK, and KING CREOLE. Now we have Elvis as the more matured family man, Elvis as the comedian. And you know what? Elvis could be funny! Some of his comedic facial expressions in this are priceless, and the scene where he nervously bumbles about while trying to babysit a screaming child is truly humorous. Regardless of how Elvis himself felt about doing such a film, it doesn't show in his performance at this stage as it would many years later when it would appear he was just going through the motions in these types of formulaic situations; here he seems to be having a good time. The songs aren't superb, but they're fun and entertaining. I personally like the title tune of "G.I. Blues", as well as "Shoppin' Around," "Didja Ever," "Doing the Best That I Can," and - my personal favorite singalong, "Frankfurt Special" (whoa, whoa, whoaaa!). *** out of ****