Elvis Meets Nixon (1997)

The photograph of Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon immediately after their first and only meeting is reputed to be the most asked for photo from the National Archives. Why this picture? What about it is so intriguing, why is it so, well, funny? The shear randomness and incongruity of it perhaps?  Elvis and Nixon, they couldn't have anything in common; or could they?

This movie in opening narration by Dick Cavett points out that the two figures had oddly parallel carers, both burst on the scene from no where to spectacular success in the 1950's, fell largely from relevance through most of the 60's, had unexpected comebacks in 1968 (Nixon elected president, Elvis's career revitalizing Christmas special), and meet tragic ends of one form or another in the 70's. So how did these two come to meet? Well its a story made for a Showtime television movie

Just before Christmas 1970 a board and frustrated Elvis Presley made a 'secret trip' to Washington D.C. with an eye to being made a "Federal agent at large" for what was then called the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Elvis snuck out of Graceland, and on his own without an entourage for the first time since he was 21, made his way for the nations capital. While the Nixon scenes prior to his meeting with Elvis are an uninteresting exhausted caricature, the Elvis scenes work because they are true. Elvis buying his own ticket and using a credit card for the first time, Elvis pulling a gun at an all-night donut shop, Elvis not used to being alone at night flying out to California and encountering hippies who don't recognize him.

Elvis, much like Nixon it seems was an isolated figure, living cut off from the world, largely out of sync with the popular culture. "I wonder what my fans would think if they knew I didn't even like rock-n-roll music anymore?", musses Elvis to an old associate. Later an anti-war activist tries to recruit Elvis to the cause, 'you were the first rebell' he says 'you made all this possilble'. But Elvis isn't pleased, the rebel has become a reactionary. Elvis loves America uncritically, he loves Nixon, and while constantly popping pills he wants to help fight the war on drugs. An unlikely and amusing true story.

Fair