With its breathtaking Hawaiian scenery and heartwarming soundtrack, Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii is not only a visual feast, but it also contains a wealth of amusing errors that deepen our admiration for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
A few mistakes slipped past the editors as Elvis Presley charmed his way through the 1961 musical with his unmistakable magnetism.
Nobody could ever match Elvis Presley in terms of music, stage presence, or those recognizable good looks, not even in their wildest aspirations.
Blue Hawaii hardly ever makes the top three when experts assess Elvis Presley’s films, yet the argument over his best film will likely never end. Still, this fan favorite has an indisputable unique quality.
A few little-known bloopers
The film, which was full of humorous scenes and demonstrated Elvis Presley’s superb comedic timing, gave him the opportunity to collaborate with other gifted actors, many of whom were comedy titans of their era. Blue Hawaii earned $4.2 million at the box office, making it the tenth highest-grossing movie of 1961 despite reviewers’ mixed reviews. It was a delightful and entertaining appearance for Elvis as Chad Gates, a charming former G.I. who left his father’s fruit business to become a beach-loving tour guide.
Not to mention the soundtrack! It produced enduring hits like “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
However, despite winning people over with its breathtaking landscapes and Elvis Presley’s innate charm, Blue Hawaii also had several lesser-known gaffes and behind-the-scenes accidents that made it much more entertaining to see now. Ready to discover a few of these undiscovered treasures? Let’s get started!
Blue Hawaii marked a big change
This was a huge eye-opener for me, though I’m not sure how many others have noticed. The first time an Elvis character wasn’t a performer with an inherent motivation to sing was in Blue Hawaii.
Rather, Chad Gates would sing at the most unexpected times, whether he was canoeing or just relaxing on the beach. Blue Hawaii is a delightful, feel-good film because of its impromptu musical enchantment, even though it may be a little corny.
A blueprint for all future Presley movies
Upon the success of Blue Hawaii, both the film and its music, Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, saw a formula for success.
He made the decision to use it as the model for all subsequent Presley movies, making sure that Elvis sang enough songs to fill an album, setting him in an exotic setting, and including a few stunning co-stars. And you know what? It was successful! During the 1960s, Elvis appeared on the Top Ten Box Office Stars list seven times.
Hundreds of screaming fans
I simply must remember this little gem the next time I watch Blue Hawaii. If you turn up the volume enough, you can clearly hear hundreds of shouting fans who were present for the filming when Chad (Elvis Presley) first walks off the plane, according to IMDb. How awesome is that?
Juliet’s special demands
It’s difficult to picture Blue Hawaii without Joan Blackman, who played Maile Duval, and Elvis. An interesting fact, though, is that Juliet Prowse, who costarred with Elvis in G.I. Blues (1960), was first contracted to play Maile.
Her unorthodox requirements, however, included having the film’s company pay for her secretary’s plane ticket to Hawaii and bringing in a cosmetics artist from another studio. She made the decision to leave the position once those demands were rejected.
Elvis looked ‘disgusted’ and ‘ashamed.’
I believe that Elvis was frequently overlooked as an actor. He continuously produced powerful performances when given excellent material.
When it comes to Blue Hawaii, the King has frequently been portrayed in a positive light, but was it all sunshine and palm trees for him? The King himself considered the encounter somewhat embarrassing, according to Elvis’s publicity director, Anne Fulchino.
Fulchino remembered going to see Elvis while the movie was being made and feeling his discomfort.
“It was a while before he came over and talked to us, and when he did — you see, at the beginning I used to call him Chief and I said, ‘Hi, Chief,’ and he just looked at me like he wished I hadn’t come.” Fulchino shared in Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick.
Fulchino could relate to Elvis’s emotions.
“I said to myself, ‘If I was making these crappy pictures, I wouldn’t want to see anybody from my past either,’” she said. “That’s the reason I didn’t hang around.”
She noted how evident it was that Elvis felt uncomfortable and departed the set early.
“He was obviously uncomfortable with what he was doing; he was frustrated and disgusted—it was all in his face,” Fulchino continued. “The emotion I respected most was that he was ashamed of it, which meant that he knew better—but you could see that he was trapped.”
When Elvis yelled ”CUT!”
Making Blue Elvis Presley didn’t exactly have an easy time in Hawaii. Security had to remain vigilant since admirers were often swarming to catch a peek of The King. Elvis lost out on many of the island’s tourist attractions since he could barely go around without further protection. One thing, though, he made sure to do: he took golf instruction from professional Gary Player.
Gary recalled: “After I won my first Masters in 1961, I received an invitation telegram from Elvis – The King. A telegram, not as easy as a text is today. We were playing in Los Angeles and I went to the set of ‘Hawaii’ where Elvis was filming. He saw me walk in the room and yelled ‘CUT!’ The gentleman he was, Elvis went and put a jacket before he came to shake my hand. Elvis was just starting to play golf and asked for a few swing tips. He gave me a practice swing, and I swear, it was like a cow giving birth to a roll of barbwire. So, I adjusted his grip and told him he really had to use his hips during the downswing. He said, ‘Baby, you’re talking to the right man.’ And gave us all a little shake.”
Elvis played a frightening prank
Elvis clearly knew how to have a good time on set, whether it was out of irritation or a little mischief. Anita Wood, his then-girlfriend, assisted him in conducting a wonderful practical joke while Blue Hawaii was being filmed. The strategy? Elvis would act as if he had passed away.
Wood suddenly started yelling that Elvis wasn’t breathing, which terrified his entourage. As everyone hurried to his house in a panic to call for an ambulance, Elvis was sitting up and chatting away as he explained:
Cheatsheet said, “I just wanted to see what you guys would do.”
The red MG roadster
If you’re an Elvis fan, you’re surely already aware of his lifelong passion for automobiles, and not just any automobiles, but the most expensive luxury models.
During the Blue Hawaii filming, he was particularly drawn to the 1960 MGA 1600 MkI roadster. He ended up purchasing it because he loved it so much. His motorcycles, Cadillacs, Stutzes, and a host of other dazzling toys now share room with that exact red MG in Graceland’s amazing collection.
A popular wedding location
With good cause, Hawaii swiftly rose to prominence as one of Elvis Presley’s preferred locations for filmmaking! The picnic scene with Chad and Maile is among the most famous scenes from the three films he shot there.
At an overlook along Tantalus Drive, this charming scene was captured on camera, and guess what? That breathtaking view is still available today. It is exquisite that it has gained popularity as a wedding venue.
And here’s a fun fact about the places where Blue Hawaii was filmed: The famous Coco Palms Resort, which actually appeared in the movie, was where Elvis Presley resided while filming. The Coco Palms Resort is most likely most known for being the location of the fictional wedding between Joan Blackman and Elvis Presley. Additionally, it appeared in the well-known scene where Elvis performs the “Hawaiian Wedding Song.”
The resort drew movie stars like Rita Hayworth, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra when it was at its best.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Iniki devastated the resort in 1992, and it has never been developed or reconstructed. The ruins of the Coco Palms, a small bit of Elvis history, are still accessible if you’re ever in Hawaii.
Elvis wanted to marry Joan Blackman
In 1961, while filming Blue Hawaii, Elvis Presley became close to his co-star, Joan Blackman. Joan said that she felt a unique spark between them when they first met in 1957, demonstrating how intense their connection was.
”When we first set eyes on each other, there was a spark, a magic in the air… There was just that special something between us, sometimes so warm and wonderful you could almost reach out and touch it,” Joan shared in a 1977 interview with Midnight Globe.
Despite their obvious bond, Elvis wasn’t afraid to declare his desire for Joan as his wife, even pleading with her to feature in more of his movies.
However, Joan had other plans: “I wanted parts because of my ability, not because I was dating Elvis,” she stated.
A bad cut
Let’s now explore several blunders that may have only been seen by true Blue Hawaii supporters.
There is a clear edit error in the “Almost Always True” automobile scene: Chad’s left arm mysteriously moves from resting on his seatback to extending behind Maile, and Maile’s hands abruptly change position on the steering wheel.
Pineapple field scene
Ellie remains in the car (obviously in the driver’s side back seat) in the pineapple field scene while the others go to the stand.
However, Ellie has inexplicably moved to the passenger side to make room for the camera angle and conversation when Chad returns with some pineapple—a classic continuity error!
The magic ukulele in Blue Hawaii
Of all the Elvis films, Blue Hawaii had the most songs—14.
However, can you recall the moment when Chad was playing the ukulele? If you listen carefully, you’ll see that he doesn’t change chords, despite the fact that the music is
Later, Elvis actually gave that famous ukulele to his buddy Hank Garland, aka “Sugarfoot.” Hank was a top-notch guitar player in Nashville and even toured with Elvis from 1958 to 1961. Elvis liked Hank so much that he even etched his initials into the ukulele. At a 1961 Hawaiian benefit concert, Elvis called Garland ”one of the finest guitar players in all of the country.”
The patch Chad wears on his uniform
Chad’s Blue Hawaii uniform patch is more than just a decorative accent. In reality, it is the symbol of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Armored Division, popularly referred to as “Spearhead.”
When Elvis Presley was stationed in Germany, he served with this exact division and was promoted to buck sergeant.
Final holiday
In a stunning full-circle experience, Elvis Presley returned to Hawaii, a destination that held many great memories for him, for his last vacation in March 1977.
The Hilton Rainbow Tower was where Elvis Presley and his Memphis Mafia stayed. He later moved to a seaside house with his fiancée Ginger Alden and her two sisters, but that’s not all.
For Elvis, Blue Hawaii was more than simply a movie; it was a memorable period of his life, filled with remarkable experiences like golf lessons with Gary Player and the enchantment of Hawaii’s breathtaking scenery. Behind the scenes, Elvis demonstrated that he could still find time for laughter, fun, and, of course, a little musical magic despite the mayhem all around him. This movie is still a classic because of its majestic sequences, amusing antics, and his own connection to the Aloha spirit.
Therefore, pay attention to the small details and intriguing facts the next time you see Blue Hawaii. After all, Elvis was a real icon both on and off the set, and he wasn’t simply The King on television. Remember to share your most treasured Elvis experiences, and together, let’s maintain the Aloha vibe!
