Blue Hawaii (1961)

I think I enjoyed this movie more having been to Hawaii last October then I would have had I not visited there. "Blue Hawaii" is an Elvis vehicle where "The King" eschews the family fruit business in favor of getting involved in the tourist industry upon his discharge after two years in the army in Europe. The film manages to cram in 14 songs in an hour and 42 minutes. Angela Lansbury plays Elvis's mom and does a horrible southern accent. Jenny Maxwell plays a teenage tourist who falls for Elvis, she was later killed at age 39 along with her husband in a still unsolved robbery attempt in 1981. The film was directed by best director Oscar winner Norman Taurog ('Skippy' 1931). **