Though one of Elvis Presley's biggest ever successes, this movie was directly responsible for turning him from the new James Dean into the king of pap. Confronted with the huge box office grosses, Elvis's controllers - venal manager Colonel Tom Parker and film producer Hal Wallis - decided that every movie their boy made from then on would be the same mix of girls, songs and exotic locations. Thirty films later, they'd sacrificed both their audience and Presley's screen credibility. His talent was bigger than they knew, however, and he died a king. For all that, this is colourful, amiable fluff, with some nice near-jailbait, Angela Lansbury as Elvis's mom, and such beautifully performed songs as the title number and Can't Help Falling in Love.

Chad Gates has just been discharged from the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surf-board, his beach buddies and his girlfriend.