Paramount Pictures, 1960

Colour 104 minutes

Director: Norman Taurog

Producer: Hal. B. Wallis

Writing Credits: Edmund Beloin and Henry Garson

Assistant Director Michael Moore

Associate Producer Paul Nathan

Elvis Presley.......Tulsa McLean

Juliet Prowse......Lili

Robert Ivers.......Cookey,

Letícia Román.....Tina

James Douglas....Rick

Sigrid Maier.........Marla

Arch Johnson.......Sergeant McGraw

Mickey Knox........Jeeter

Fred Essler......... Papa Mueller

John Hudson.......Captain Hobart

Beach Dickerson..Warren

Kenneth Becker...Mac

Trent Dolan..... ...Mickey

Jeremy Slate.......Turk

Carl Crow............Walt

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In an effort to cash in on Elvis' return from the army G.I Blues is roughly based on Elvis time in Germany.

G.I Tulsa McLean (Elvis Presley) is posted to Frankfurt and on arrival he and his unit place a bet with another unit that no one can spend the night with Lili (Juliet Prowse) a dancer at the Cafe Europa. Needless to say our guy is chosen to melt the ice maiden, but is given several knock backs before she finally warms to his charms. Although it was just supposed to be a bet Tulsa also falls in love and their courtship involves much singing to puppets, babies, cable car rides etc, but everything is almost ruined when Lili learns of the wager. All is explained in the end and everyone is happy giving the movie ending a huge feel good factor. Great viewing on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

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TONIGHT IS SO RIGHT FOR LOVE. Written by Sid Wayne & Abner Silver, Performed by Elvis Presley

A tune based on Bacarolle by Jaques Offenbach with Elvis' voice fluctuating skillfully from his normal singing tone to tonsil splitting power. Released on the soundtrack album (1960). Later on the RCA Camden LP Burning Love and Hits Form His Movies, Volume 2 (1972).Both versions Tonight Is So Right For Love and Tonight's All Right For Love were released on the soundtrack CD (1997)

WHAT'S SHE REALLY LIKE. Written by Sid Wayne & Abner Silver, Performed by Elvis Presley

A romantic up-tempo ballad delivered with style and flourish by Elvis. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (7) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

FRANKFURT SPECIAL. Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley

The swinging train scene with Elvis imitating the sound of the train against a hot instrumental beat of guitars and drums. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). A faster version (take 2) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

WOODEN HEART. Written by Fred Wise, Bert Kaempfert & Kay Twomey, Performed by Elvis Presley

Accordion, puppets and kids and Elvis singing engagingly in English and German at a Puppet show whilst on a date with Lili (Juliet Prowse). Released on the soundtrack LP and as a single in the U.K and West Germany (1960). Later on the LP's Elvis Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits Vol. 1 (1970) and Elvis Sings for Children and Grownups Too. (1978). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

G.I BLUES. Written by Sid Tepper & Roy C Bennett, Performed by Elvis Presley

Pounding marching number, the title tune from the film complete with the drill sergeant shouting Hup! Hup! as Elvis segues in the melody. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS. Written by Fred Wise & Ben Weisman, Performed by Elvis Presley

Lovely ballad sung by Elvis to Juliet Prowse on a cable car ride. Juliet Prowse contributes backing singing in the film version, but is not heard on the record. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (2) was released as a bonus track on the soundtrack CD (1997).

SHOPPIN' AROUND. Written by Sid Tepper, Roy C Bennett & Aaron Schroeder, Performed by Elvis Presley

A rocking number with strumming guitar intro with abrupt starts and stops. Horns are heard in the film version. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

BIG BOOTS. Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley

The children's lullaby that Elvis sings whilst baby sitting. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960) and later on the LP Elvis Sings For Children and Grownups Too (1978). A fast version of the song was released on the soundtrack CD as a bonus track (1997)

DIDJA' EVER. Written by Sid Wayne & Sherman Edwards, Performed by Elvis Presley

The finale of G.I Blues with Elvis asking Didja ever get one of them days boys and the entire audience responding (on the record it's the Jordanaires). Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). An alternate take (1) was released on the soundtrack CD as a bonus track (1997).

BLUE SUEDE SHOES. Written by Carl Perkins, Performed by Elvis Presley

The classic Carl Perkins Rockabilly track which Elvis originally released as a single with Tutti Frutti on the flipside in 1956. The movie version was re recorded with more acoustic guitars. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

DOIN' THE BEST I CAN. Written by Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman, Performed by Elvis Presley

A mood piece with Elvis curling his voice smoothly up from bass register to a dramatic crescendo. Released on the soundtrack LP (1960). Again on the CD release of the soundtrack (1997).

The soundtrack was recorded at RCA Studios and Radio Recorders, Hollywood, April-May 1960

Engineer Thorne Nogar.

Musicians

Guitar: Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, Neal Matthews Jr., Elvis Presley

Bass: Ray Siegel

Drums: D.J Fontana, Frank Bode, Bernie Mattinson

Piano: Dudley Brooks

Accordion: Jimmie Haskell.

Vocal accompaniment by the Jordanaires.

Wooden Heart, which was based on the German song "Muss I Denn", reached No. 1 in many countries, but wasn't released as a single in the U.S until 1964. In the summer of 1961, singer Joe Dowell covered the song and had a U.S No. 1.

On October 3, 1960, Billboard spotlighted the soundtrack, saying," The album features the still hottest singer of them all in 10 brand new tunes, all of them showing facets of the lad's talent."

G.I. Blues enters the Billboard album chart at No. 6, reaching peak position on December 5. It was No.1 for a total of five weeks and stayed on the chart for 111 weeks, making it Elvis' longest charted record.

European prints of G.I. Blues substituted "Tonight's All Right For Love" for "Tonight Is So Right For Love" due to copyright problems.

Elvis apparently had trouble making sense of the lyrics of "Wooden Heart" until it was suggested to him that he should perform it as if he was singing to a small child.

What's She Really Like had to be re- recorded as part of the dialogue because the movie required Elvis to sing it in the showers.

An orchestral backing was overdubbed on "Pocketful Of Rainbows".

G.I. Blues is ranked No. 22 and No. 57 on Billboards Top No. 1 Albums chart 1960 - 1969 and all time hot 100 Albums chart respectively.

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Elvis joked to the press "It's not about my real experiences in the Army, they couldn't film that"

Elvis' character in the film was originally called Tulsa Macauley.

Other working titles for the film included Cafe Europa and Dog Face.

Elvis and Juliet Prowse never went outside of Hollywood for their scenes. Doubles were used for the location shots.

Juliet Prowse was at one time engaged to Frank Sinatra and according to Joe Esposito had also dated Elvis.

Colonel Parker rented two private railroad cars to take Elvis and his entourage from Memphis to Hollywood as Elvis was still afraid of flying in 1960. Elvis was mobbed in Los Angeles Union Station.

Elvis broke a small bone in his hand while practicing Karate during the making of the film. It's clearly swollen in one of the sequences in the Cafe Europa.

Production began on May 2, 1960 and lasted until the end of June.

During filming, Elvis stayed at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.

On August 18, a sneak preview was held in the Majestic Theatre in Dallas. Raymond Willie, the vice president of the distribution company sent a telegram to Paramount that stated "We have never witnessed such a marvelous reaction to any picture."

Due to California law, three sets of twin boys were used to play Rick and Marla's baby in the film.

A special showing of G.I. Blues took place at the Fox Wilshire Theatre in Los Angeles on November 15, 1960. In attendance were Cesar Romero and Ronald Reagan.

G.I Blues opened in America on November 23, 1960.

G.I. Blues reached No. 2 on Variety's weekly list of top grossing films.

Variety says "the film seems to be a leftover from the frivolous musicals of the Second World War."

G.I. Blues was ranked 14th in Variety's annual national box-office ratings.

Following is a list of German text and German signs

(note: sometimes not included in English subtitle)

Order:

Character- Dialogue – Time code – English translation

Tulsa's Date – "I borrowed the car from my uncle Otto" (Otto not in subtitle) – 7:27

Sergeant – "the Geld" – 7:57 – the money

Dynamite to three girls – "Kommen Sie her!" - 9:29 – Come over here!

Sergeant to Britta – "Was ist your name?" - 9:53 – What is your name?

Britta to Sergeant – "Ja!" - 11:04 – Yes

Lili – "Herr Klugmann" – 37:16 – Mister Klugmann

Tulsa – "Nein" – 41:07 – No

Guitar Player – "Was ist ooze?" - 41:12 – What does ooze mean?

Lili – "Show him was ist ooze?"

Tulsa – "Ok I show you was ist ooze."

Tulsa – "Das ist ooze!" - 43:31 - That is ooze!

Guitar Player – "Jawohl!" - That's right or Certainly

Tulsa – "Dankeschön!" - 43:37 – Thank You

Lili – "Auf Wiedersehen" – 44:04 – Goodbye

Lili – "Liederkranz" – 44:13 – people sit together and singer

Cookey – "Taxi bitte!" - 46:13 – Taxi please

Cookey – "Gramafunken" – 46:47 -

Tulsa – "Auf Wiedersehen" – 51:35 – Goodbye

Landlady – "Ach schon wieder der soldier." - 55:49 – Ah the soldier again

Tulsa – "Fritz Liebe Emma" – 58:20 – Fritz Love Emma (in the context it should actually be liebt, so it would be Fritz loves Emma)

Tulsa – "Liebe that Sauerkraut" – 58:34 – Love that Sauerkraut

Lili – "Pretty ja?" - Pretty yes? - Tulsa – "Jawohl" – Certainly – 59:34

Puppet show

Girl - "Ach Papa, Papa ich liebe ihn so sehr!" - Papa Papa I love him so much

Father – "Was heißt lieben, lieben?" - What do you mean, love? - 60:05

Inaudible

Girl – "Süßer Junge" – Sweet Boy

Father – "Ich brauche den Jungen nicht hier in meinem Haus." - I don't need the boy in my house

Girl – "Ach Papa verstehst du mich denn nicht? Er ist ja so süß!" - Papa don't you understand me. He is oh so sweet

Father – "Ich sage dir der Junge kommt mir nicht mehr ins Haus. Verstehst du mich?" - I tell you the boy doesn't come to my house anymore, do you understand me?

Father – "Raus!" - Out!

inaudible

Father – "Ach du lieber Himmel!" - Good Gracious

record of original "Muss I denn" starts to play 61:05

61:39

Tulsa – "Was ist los?" - What's going on?

Puppeteer – "Kaputt!" - Broken

Tulsa – "Kaputt huh?"

Puppeteer – "Kaputt!"

Cookey – "Keepen Sie the change!" - 68:41 – Keep the change

Airport announcer – "Achtung bitte, Achtung bitte." - 69:15 – Attention please, Attention please

Cookey – "A stein of gin." Waitress – "Was?" (What?) - Cookey – "Jawohl,Jawohl." - That's right, That's right

Rick – "Can you imagine this little Dummkopf." - 78:51 – Can you image this little fool.

Marla – "Liverwurst" – 80:34 – liver sausage

95:06

Marla – "Ja er war. Ich kenne ihn schon sehr lange." - Yes he was. I

Lili – "Ein süßes Baby." - A sweet baby.

Marla – "Und ein gutes Baby." - And a good baby.

German SIGNS etc.

7:04

yellow sign: Wiesbaden 25km (25 kilometers to Wiesbaden)

blue sign: Autobahn Frankfurt – Köln (Interstate Frankfurt – Cologne)

during the G.I. Blues performance the piano player and the drummer are wearing typical

Bavarian national costumes

13:24

an unusual large stein in the background

sign: HAB Henninger Bier (beer produced in the city of Henningen)

18:18

signs behind Tulsa and Sergeant

Sonntagsausflugszüge (Sunday day trip trains)

Meine Ferien verbringe ich... (I spend my vacation ...)

signs behind group of soldiers

Abfahrt (

Ankunft (

Bodensee (lake in Bavaria)

sign on train wagon

DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn – German

22:28

blue neon sign

Gaststätte (restaurant)=
 

26:41

signs /Frankfurt central station

Persil (German washing powder)

AEG Elektrotechnik AEG (German electrotechnical company)

added background behind troop truck, notice the VW Beetle (Volkswagen stopped the production in the last week of July 2003)

27:47

sign

Edwards Kaserne US Army (Edwards Barracks US Army)

40:06

sign

Koffer (suitcases)

44:05

red neon sign

Bergkeller (a restaurant / usually a wine tavern)

44:46

sign

Weinstube zum Schwarzen Ritter ( a wine tavern called Schwarzer Ritter / black knight)

57:41

sign

Rhein (river Rhine)

57:44

sign

Köln-Düsseldorfer (cities but this is a ship tour company)

59:42

sign

...dankt die Wein und Rosenstadt... (the Wine and Roses City thanks....)

77:47

lamp

Königsbacher Pilsener (beer from the Rhine)

85:00

sign

Bücher (books)

85:02

sign

Kaffeehaus (Coffeehouse)

GI BLUES Original German TEXT
 

1. Muß i' denn, muß i' denn

Zum Städtele hinaus,

Städtele hinaus

Und du mein Schatz bleibst hier

Wenn i' komm', wenn i' komm',

Wenn i' wiederum, wiederum komm',

Kehr i' ei' mei' Schatz bei dir

|: Kann i' glei' net allweil bei dir sei'

Han' i' doch mei' Freud' an dir

Wenn i' komm', wenn i' komm',

Wenn i' wiederum, wiederum komm',

Kehr' i' ei' mei' Schatz bei dir. :|

2. Wenn du weinst, wenn du weinst,

Daß i' wandere muß,

Wandere muß,

Wie wenn d'Lieb jetzt wär vorbei

Sind au' drauß, sind au' drauß,

Der Mädele viel, Mädele viel

Lieber Schatz, i' bleib dir treu.

|: Denk du nett wenn i' a and're seh

No sei mei Lieb' vorbei

Sind au' drauß, sind au' drauß,

Der Mädele viel, Mädele viel

Lieber Schatz, i' bleib dir treu. :|

3. Übers Jahr, übers Jahr,

Wenn mer Träubele schneidt,

Träubele schneidt,

Stell i' hier mi' wiedrum ei'

Bin i' dann, bin i' dann,

Dei' Schätzele no', Schätzele no'

So soll die Hochzeit sei.

|: Übers Jahr do ischt mei' Zeit vorbei

Do g'hör i' mei und dei

Bin i' dann, bin i' dann,

Dei' Schätzele no', Schätzele no'

So soll die Hochzeit sei. :|

1. Got to go, got to go,

Got to blow this town,

Blow this town

And you, my dear, stay here.

When I'm back, when I'm back

When I'm back again, back again,

On your doorstep I'll appear.

|: Though' I can't be with you all the time

My thoughts are with you, my dear

When I'm back, when I'm back

When I'm back again, back again,

On your doorstep I'll appear. :|

2. Don't you cry, don't you cry,

'cause I've got to go,

Got to go,

As if our love was now gone.

Though' out there, though' out there

Are so many girls, many girls,

I'll stay true to you alone.

|: Don't think when I see another girl

My love for you, it will be gone.

Though' out there, though' out there

Are so many girls, many girls,

I'll stay true to you alone. :|

3. In a year, in a year,

With grapes ripe on the vine,

Ripe on the vine,

Then, again it's here I'll be.

If by then, if by then,

I am still your beau, still your beau

We will wed, my bride you'll be.

|: In a year my time, it will be done

And then it is yours I will be.

If by then, if by then,

I am still your beau, still your beau,

We will wed, my bride you'll be. :|

1. Moose ee den, moose ee den

tsoom shdettele henhouse,

shdettele henhouse,

oond doo mine shahts blybst here.

When ee comb, when ee comb

when ee weed room comb,

Weed room comb,

care ee ay my shahts by dear.

|: Cunn ee gly net all while by dear sigh

hunn ee doke my fried on dear.

When ee comb when ee comb

when ee weed room comb,

weed room comb,

care ee ay my shahts by dear. :|

2. When doo whynst, when doo whynst,

does ee wondera moose,

wondera moose,

we when dleeb yetst were foreby.

Sinned ow drouse, sinned ow drouse

dare maydayla feel,

Maydayla feel,

leaber shats ee blibe dear try.

|: Dank doo net when ee ah ondray say

naw say my leab foreby.

Sinned ow drouse, sinned ow drouse

dare maydayla feel,

maydayla feel,

leaber shats ee blibe dear try. :|

3. Eebers yahr, eebers yahr,

when mare tribe-aylay shnide,

Tribe-aylay shnide,

shtell ee here me weed-rum ay.

Bin ee dunn, bin ee dunn

die shetsele no, shetsele no,

so soll dee hok-tside sigh.

|: Eebers yahr doe eesch my tside foreby

doe g'hare ee my oond die.

Bin ee dunn, bin ee dunn

die shetsele no, shetsele no,

so soll dee hok-tside sigh. :|

Can't you see

I love you

Please don't break my heart in two

That's not hard to do

'Cause I don't have a wooden heart

And if you say goodbye

Then I know that I would cry

Maybe I would die

'Cause I don't have a wooden heart

There's no strings upon this love of mine

It was always you from the start

Treat me nice

Treat me good

Treat me like you really should

'Cause I'm not made of wood

And I don't have a wooden heart

Muss i denn, muss i denn

Zum Stadtele hinaus

Stadtele hinaus

Und du, mein schat, bleibst hier?

There's no strings upon this love of mine

It was always you from the start

Sei mir gut

Sei mir gut

Sei mir wie du wirklich sollst

Wie du wirklich sollst

'Cause I don't have a wooden heart

The 3d Armored Division is co-staring with SP4 Elvis Presley in a Hollywood movie, but Presley himself won't work in the film until he's just plain old Elvis again. Shooting of the Hal B. Wallis production called "G.I. Blues" began August 17 (1959) at the division's training area near Frieburg, Germany, kicking off a scheduled three weeks of filming around the 3d Armored Division area.

About 100 of the division's soldiers are working as extras in the film being made by Paramount and a company of tanks from Presley's outfit is in the show, but Presley won't start work in the movie until he gets out of the Army in March (1960).

Then Paramount and Wallis will resume where they leave off on this side of the Atlantic, and what's been filmed over there will be worked into the finished, Wallis explained. The shooting schedule calls for work at the training area, scenes of the 3d Armored Division Kaserns, some in downtown Frankfurt, others in Wiesbaden, and some along the Rhine on a river boat.

None of the filming over here has a sound track, and all the extras-all on leave status for the duration of their part in the shooting- are used to make background footage for what will be completed in Hollywood, starting probably in April. The finished product should be released in the fall of 1960, Wallis added. The first day of shooting found two tank platoons from the 32d Armor's Company B charging up and down hillsides near Frieburg as Paramount camera crews captured the rumbling monsters in Vista Vision.

Subsequent footage will include a pair of M52 howitzers from Battery C of the 27th Arty, a demolition crew from the 23d Engineer Battalion's Company A, and some armored personnel carriers from Company C of the 52d Infantry. Presley, meanwhile, continues his regular duties as a jeep driver with a scout platoon of the 32d Armor and won't even be around to watch any of the shooting over here.

Two platoons of the clanking, roaring, monsters charged up a hill and almost into a camera into the cameras for one scene and later rumbled down a steep road, whammed into a rain-filled ditch at the bottom and roared by the cameras for another.

The majority of the soldier extras who'll appear in the film will be just parts of the background worked into the finished picture, but for more specific footage, Wallis is suing soldier stand-ins-one for Presley and other actors who'll get into the film when it gets into production in Hollywood.

PFC T.W. Creel of Laurel, Mississippi is Presley's double. A member of Company D of the 13th Cav, he was selected because Wallis says he'll look like Elvis from a distance. He has the same characteristic walk and mannerisms as Presley, Wallis pointed out. In other respects he's a dead ringer for Elvis. Captain John J. Mawn, 3d Armored Division information officer who's been assigned as technical advisor for the film, said locating Creel was a stroke of luck. "Somebody remembered going through basic training with Creel at Fort Hood, Texas", Mawn recalled, "And he remembered how much Creel looked like Presley." So the 24-year old Creel was picked.

"I met Elvis only once," Creel says, "and I figure him for a pretty nice guy." Creel, who worked on an oil-drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico before being drafted in the Army, is a tank driver and can't play the guitar, but as for rock and roll, he says: "Cat I really dig that stuff." Other stand-ins who, like Creel, have no speaking parts and won't be seen close-up in the finished product, include only one soldier with acting experience. He's PFC Roland D'Auguste of the 3d Armored Division's honor guard, and a veteran of TV production back in his hometown of Los Angeles. "I've had lead parts in a number of TV programs" he replied, " including 'Navy Log,' 'Annapolis', 'West Point' and 'Walter Winchel File'. That was before he entered the Army. He's also done summer-stock acting and plans to return to the stage when he gets out of the Army. SP4 Sheridan Jouett of White Hall, Ill., and a member of the 143d Signal Battalion is a stand-in for a loader in a tank crew. Aside from high school dramatics, he's never done any acting. His chief claim to fame, he noted, is that the other five stand-ins get promoted in the picture, while he appears as his own rank. PFC Frank P. Steele, of 3d Armored Division Headquarters plays a stand-in for a platoon sergeant, and PFC Norman Fair, of Company A, 143d Signal battalion stands in for a tank driver. Steele is from Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Fair comes from Bastrop, La.

The movie started out as "Cafe Europa", Wallis said, but later was changed to "GI Blues". It's a comedy on the light side dealing with 3d Armored Division soldiers. There will be three or four girls, one French, one Italian and two Germans. The finished film will about three GI's or possibly four, Wallis explained. The show will include eight or nine songs, mostly ballads, and some rock 'n' roll. The whole thing is being done at no cost to the Army, Mawn pointed out, explaining that the gas for the tanks and other assorted expenses come out of the film's budget.

Sources/References-Stars and Stripes Newspaper and Spearhead Newspaper/ from James Cunningham's collection of 3AD memorabilia.