Elvis (2022) - full transcript

Oh, let our love survive

I'll dry the tears

from your eyes

Let's don't let a good thing die

Snowman's coming

Yes, he's coming

He'll take you by the hand

He'll say one, two, three

And you will be...

In cotton candy land

For those of you

who are wondering,

who this fella here is,

I am the legendary

Colonel Tom Parker.

Colonel Tom

Parker, legendary manager

of Elvis Presley, has been

rushed to Valley Hospital.

I am the man who

gave the world Elvis Presley.

Without me, there would be

no Elvis Presley.

And yet, there are some

who'd make me out

to be the villain

of this here story.

Colonel Tom

Parker was a liar, a cheat, a con man.

A shocking new book

accuses Colonel Tom Parker

of massive fraud

and mis-management.

Parker received as much

as 50% of Elvis' income.

He worked Elvis like a mule,

to support his own

gambling addiction.

The court finds

that the compensation received

by Colonel Parker was excessive,

and shocked the conscience

of the court.

Many believe

that Colonel Tom Parker

was responsible for the death

of Elvis Presley.

Now, you listen to me.

The only thing that matters

is that that man

gets up on that stage tonight.

Glory, glory, hallelujah

His truth is marching on

His truth is marching on

Tom Parker killed him!

No! That's not true.

No, no, I didn't kill him.

I made Elvis Presley.

Nothing all those muckrakers

said in their books was true.

Me and Elvis, we was partners.

It was Elvis the Showman

and the Colonel the Snowman.

This is the lying Dutchman.

I always knew I was

destined for greatness.

As an orphan,

I ran away to the carnival,

where I learned the art

of the "snow job,"

of emptying a rube's wallet

while leaving them with nothing

but a smile on their face.

But a carnival act

that would get you

the most money, the most snow,

had great costumes

and a unique trick,

that gave the audience feelings

they weren't sure

they should enjoy.

But they do.

And I knew if I could

find such an act,

I could create the greatest...

show...

on...

earth.

After the carnival, I moved

into the music business...

the country music business.

I partnered with one of its

biggest stars, Hank Snow.

Pardon me if I'm sentimental

When we say goodbye

And his hapless son,

Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

Hot-diggity-dog, Billy.

- I got one.

- Oh, yeah.

Can't believe it.

Blow their socks off.

Security. Security, Diskin!

Tell the mayors of these towns

that we need a police escort

for Hank when he arrives.

In Baton Rouge, we are going

to have a carny wedding

at the top of the Ferris Wheel,

so, Zina, pick out

your next husband.

In New Orleans, we're gonna

use the loudspeaker

- to announce you, Hank.

- Oh, sure.

...you are

going to march in the parade.

Am I gonna be riding

on an elephant, too?

A man on an elephant

looks important.

And taller.

We still need to get

a novelty act

- to bring in the young folk.

- Well, yes, yes,

that's why you have a meeting

with the Duke of Paducah tonight.

If we can book "the Funniest

Mouth in the South,"

we'll have the greatest show

of the season.

Hey, Jimmie,

turn that record off.

Y'all have to hear this.

Kids all over town

are playing it everywhere I go.

I hear Negro rhythms.

But with a country flavor.

Sun Records?

That's Sam Phillips' label.

Oh, yeah, Phillips.

He makes all those race records

with the colored singers.

Well, this fella's

on the Hayride tonight,

after me in the newcomer spot.

In Shreveport?

No, they are not putting

a colored boy on the Hayride.

That's the thing. He's white.

He's...

He's white?

What do you think, Texarkana?

Shall we play it

for the 27th time?

Well, that's all right, mama

That's all right for you

Shall we play it

for the 27th time?

Everybody's talkin' 'bout

this new Presley kid

That's all right...

That's all right

That's all right...

He's white?

But it don't matter

if you do ten stupid things,

as long as you do one smart one.

Welcome y'all

to the Louisiana Hayride,

broadcasting live

to 26 of these United States.

How do you think I feel

I know your love's not real

Well, the apple

doesn't fall far from the tree.

Where is the Colonel?

You have the fella that's

singing the "All Right, Mama,"

that new record that's

on the Sun label, eh?

- The pop jocks keep playing him.

- Yeah.

Country DJs, too.

Even the colored kids,

they're buyin' his record.

The colored ki... Well, where

would I find such an act?

The dressing room.

- Oh. Howdy.

- Hey, Elvis Presley?

- Blue Moon Boys?

- Yeah.

- You're up next.

- Oh, sh...

Excuse me. Bill, go time!

I know, I know.

- Hi!

- How's his stomach?

I thought I'd grab him a Pepsi,

but poor thing's still shaking

like a leaf.

I'll get him on the stage.

Come on. Let's go.

Here.

It'll settle your stomach.

What if I forget

the words on live radio?

All we gotta do out there's

just a bit of clownin' around.

That's how we got this thing

started in the first place.

Scotty and Bill are right,

Elvis.

You're not out there

on your own.

- You boys are a band.

- That's right.

The Lord gave us music

to bring people together.

We're like a family,

and family is the most

important thing of all.

Amen.

Come on now, Booby.

Jesse's shining bright tonight.

Shining down his strength

upon you.

Oh, I'll fly away

Jesse, Elvis's twin

brother, who died at birth.

Tragic.

Vernon, come quick!

It's another child!

My darling, you'll

have the strength of two men.

But when my boy's

daddy passed a bad check

and got carted off to prison...

...the boy and his mama had

to take one of the houses

for white folks

in a colored neighborhood.

New boy! Come over!

But that boy

had a big imagination.

He really believed

he was the hero

in one of them comic books.

He was going to bust

his daddy out of the hoosegow

and fly him

to the Rock of Eternity!

Then he buys

his mama a pink Cadillac.

Pink Cadillac?

What are you talking about?

Hey, fools! Whoo!

Ohh

Black snake crawlin' in my room

Come on, Doc, let's go.

Them comic book heroes

all have them super powers.

His was music.

That's all right, Mama

That's all right with you

That's all right, Mama

Anyway you do

Ohh... Black snake

crawlin' in my room

Move, man. Hey, it's my turn.

That's all right, Mama

That's all right, Mama

Oh, I'll fly away Oh, Glory

I'll fly away

When I die

When I die Hallelujah, by and by

What you doin'?

I'll fly away

-No more preachin', no more

-I'll fly away

-No more pain, no more

-I'll fly away

I'll fly away

No more preachin', I'll fly

No more pain, I'll fly

I'll fly away

Hey, fool, come back.

No. He's with the spirit!

It's all right.

Ohh

Black snake crawlin' in my room

Whoo!

That's all right, Mama

That's all right with you

That's all right, Mama

Anyway you choose

I'll fly away, oh, Glory

I'll fly away

Oh, away

Black snake crawling in my

room -Hallelujah, by and by

-Ohhh

- I'll fly away

Elvis. Come on,

you gotta get on in.

They've already announced you

on the radio.

Folks are real excited.

At Sun Records,

Sam Phillips was on a mission

to save the world

by recording Black music.

But it didn't sell.

So to pay his bills,

he needed to find a new singer

for his country act.

I don't know what it is

you see in this boy.

I just think he's different.

How do you know

"Big Boy" Crudup?

That's all right, Mama

That's all right for you

That's all right, Mama

Anyway you do

That's all right

That's all right

That's all right now, Mama

Anyway you do

He's a young singer

from Memphis, Tennessee.

Got a song out on the Sun

label. It's all over the radio.

Give him a warm Hayride welcome

to a Mr. Elvis Presley.

Elvis, how are you this evening?

Just fine, how you, sir?

Greasy hair, girly makeup.

I cannot overstate

how strange he looked.

Are you all geared up

with your band there to...

- I'm all geared up.

- ...let us hear your songs?

Uh... well, I'd like to say how

happy we are to be down here.

It's a real honor

for us to be...

Get a chance to appear

on the Louisiana Hayride.

We're gonna do a song for you

we got out on Sun Records.

Uh...

You got anything else

to say, sir?

No. I'm ready.

It goes...

It goes something like this.

Oh, baby, baby,

Baby, baby, baby

Baby, baby, baby

Baby, baby, baby

Baby, baby, baby

Come back, baby

I wanna play house with you

Get a haircut, fairy!

In that moment,

in a flash of lightning,

I watched that skinny boy

in the pink suit

transform into a superhero.

Well, you may go to college

You may go to school

You may have a pink Cadillac

But don't you be nobody's fool

Now, baby Come back, baby, come

Come back, baby, come

Come back, baby

I wanna play house with you

Well, listen and

I'll tell you, baby

What I'm talking about

Come on back to me, little

girl So we can play some house

Baby, come back, baby, come

Come back, baby, come

Come back, baby

I wanna play house with you

Wanna play house!

- What are they hollerin' at?

- The wiggle!

The what?

Them girls wanna see you wiggle.

Move, man!

- Do more!

- Much more!

Man!

Do it again.

Well, this is one thing, baby

That I want you to know

Come on back

Let's play a little house

And we can do what we did before

Now, baby

Sit down!

Come back, baby, come

Come back, baby, come

Come back, baby

What in God's sweet name

am I looking at?

Hit it!

What were you thinking, Jimmie?

I don't know what I'm thinking.

Please, Lord,

don't let 'em hurt my baby.

Hurt him?

Looks like they wanna...

Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby

Now, I don't

know nothin' about music...

...but I could see

in that girl's eyes,

that she was having feelings

she wasn't sure

she should enjoy.

Black snake crawlin' in my room

Yes.

He was a taste

of forbidden fruit.

She could've eaten him alive.

Why are you trying

to kill my son?

It was the greatest

carnival attraction

I'd ever seen.

He was my destiny.

Right under my nose...

In Memphis.

Top of the morning

to you, friends,

from the home of colorful,

old Beale Street.

The place where the blues began

in Memphis, Tennessee,

Where you see pretty browns

dressed in beautiful gowns,

along with tailor-mades

and hand-me-downs.

Where you see honest men

and pickpockets skilled,

and business never closes

till somebody gets killed.

Now, just kidding.

But there's a lot goin' down

on Beale Street tonight,

and nowhere more-so

than at the Club Handy.

Come around if you wanna see

Big Mama Thornton,

layin' down her newest hit.

Get it, get it

Get it! Come on!

Oh, let's do it

Now, listen up,

while Brown America speaks.

You ain't nothin'

but a hound dog

Quit snoopin' 'round my door

Just why a truck

driver from Memphis, Tennessee,

liked to hang out

on Beale Street, I do not know.

You told me you was high class

But I could see through that...

But it did him no favors,

fitting into them

white housing projects.

Hey, squirrel. Nice shoes.

And, Daddy, I know That

you ain't no real cool cat

Hey, Elvis!

Hey, Tommy.

That's that boy whose record

everybody's talkin' about.

You ain't nothin'

but a hound dog

Hey, sideburns.

Where's the Negro suit today?

He was crazy

for that Beale Street music.

Beale Street style.

He had Beale Street stars

in his eyes.

What do you think, Tony? Huh?

B.B. King.

No, I didn't take my boy away

from nothin'.

He was runnin'

from the day he was born.

I just opened the door

to our destiny.

So without so much as

a word to your daddy and me,

you quit your job

to go traveling

all the way to Florida

with this Colonel fellow

that we have never met.

Mama, it's only four days.

Yeah, four days.

And then what?

I knew a fella once,

got his record on the radio.

It was all over in a flash.

Mama, I'm just trying

to take care of you and Daddy.

That's all I have

ever cared about.

I ain't ever gonna let us

get back to a place again

where Daddy gets in trouble

with the law

- to put food on the table.

- Elvis!

How dare you?

As the good Lord warns us,

do not wear yourself out

to get rich.

Do not trust your own

goddamn cleverness!

Elvis, you've upset your mama.

You know, Mama, I was thinkin',

maybe I'll buy you one of them

pink Cadillacs

like you saw back when you

was working at the hospital.

I don't need no pink Cadillac.

Satnin, I just gotta be making

the most of this thing

while I can.

It's like Daddy says, this

could all be over in a flash.

I'm not fearful

of it being over, Booby.

I don't know how to explain it.

But I saw it

in that girl's eyes.

It's something beyond us,

but I know that whatever it is,

it's something that...

It's something

that can come between us.

Oh, no, Mama, no. Hey.

Ain't nothing ever

gonna do that.

You're my girl. My Satnin.

You'll always be

my bestest girl.

Hey.

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

I will call you every night.

Will you promise me, Booby?

I promise.

I promise. I promise,

I promise.

- All right. I love you.

- Bye, baby.

Nothing but nothing...

I love you.

...is gonna come between us.

- Let's go!

- Bye, Booby!

See you soon!

Wanna bet?

Well, it's one for the money

Two for the show

Three to get ready

Now go, cat, go

But don't you

Step on my blue suede shoes

Well, you can do anything

But stay off of my

Blue suede shoes

Well, you can knock me down

Step in my face

Your attention, please.

I have some good news.

Our next four nights

are sold out...

...thanks to the dazzling

performances

of our tremendous showman,

Hank Snow.

Pardon me if I'm sentimental

When we say goodbye

And I've noticed a mild interest

in our newest act,

Elvis Presley.

Hi.

Yeah, Dixie, I'll be back

before prom.

Well you can burn my house

Steal my car

Drink my liquor

From an old fruit jar

Do anything that you want to do

Colonel, what is

that boy doing on our tour?

Well, I told you all about him.

And he wants to record

one of your songs.

Oh? Which one?

All of them.

Well, you warn him plenty.

None of those lewd gyrations

or sudden, jerky movements.

Let's go!

Let's rock!

Is that a pair

of young ladies' intimates

I see upon the stage?

Yes, I believe it is, Hank.

Best not happen

when he sings one of my songs.

I'm sure it won't.

Elvis, the papers say

there are girls

around your hotel

all night long.

I don't even go out, Mama.

I stay in.

You know, it gets lonesome.

I tell you, this

new sensation, Elvis Presley,

he's breaking hearts

all over the South.

Quit knocking at my door,

Scotty.

Are you sorry We drifted apart?

Never know How much I love you

Never know how much I care

When you put your arms around me

Oh, come on, E.P.

Life on the road ain't

the concern of folks back home.

Fever

Why don't you try one of these?

Put the pep back into your step.

What a lovely way to burn

Well, shake, rattle and roll

I said shake, rattle and roll

I said shake, rattle and roll

I said shake, rattle and roll

Well, you won't do right

Whoo!

To save your doggone soul

You're really

something else, man!

I promise,

I'll put my heart in...

I wanna be just like you!

Okay. Yeah, thank you.

I can no longer,

in good conscience,

go on stage with that boy.

Yes, a conundrum. A conundrum.

Please welcome

to the stage, Hank Snow!

After I perform, I shall

spend the night in prayer.

And I will do

what needs to be done.

Come on, Jimmie!

How do you think that I feel

Oh, baby Oh, baby

How do you think that I feel

That night,

I happened to see him.

Alone.

Lost.

A snowman is only as good...

as his attraction.

Elvis!

- Come on, man.

- Elvis, come on! Hurry up!

It was all, or nothing.

Elvis, we're going

to the hall of mirrors!

Wait up!

Screw the hall

of mirrors. That's boring.

Right, hang on.

Here we go.

Hold on.

All right, fellas. Come on.

- Oh.

- Lost, my boy?

Colonel Parker, sir.

You look lost.

- I guess I am.

- Ah, yes.

The roar of the crowd.

The life on the road.

And then calling home

to your loved ones,

pretending nothing has changed,

when everything has.

Yeah. Lost.

I'm sorry, sir. I... I meant

I don't know the way out.

Yeah, that is precisely

what I am saying.

I... I saw you.

Apart from all the others.

Burdened.

Like you don't know

how to get out of this.

But I do.

Snowman's coming

Allow me to show you.

Yes, he's coming

Take his magic hand

Creatures of the carnival.

And I am one myself.

It's where I learned the art

of the snow job.

- Snow job?

- Yes.

It's like the trick

you do with the wiggling,

getting all the girls hyped up,

empty their wallets

and leave them

with nothing but the smiles

on their faces.

I'm no trickster.

Oh, yes, you are.

All showmen are snowmen.

It's a wonderful place.

Nobody on the aerio.

Your future, Mr. Presley,

blazing before you.

Recording contracts,

television, even Hollywood.

You're great, Colonel.

You are the best person

I could ever hope to work with.

You know, this is something

I ain't never

said to nobody before...

But I believe

I can be great, too.

Oh, no doubt.

But we could be

even greater together.

But to achieve this, I need

to represent you exclusively.

Exclusively?

Sir, I... I don't follow.

What about Hank Snow?

Hank. Yes...

He sent me here to fire you.

Hank wants you off the tour.

So I will have to leave Hank.

We will both have to

make sacrifices.

We will need a record label

with national distribution.

RCA?

RCA.

Sam Phillips... discovered me.

I know, but we have a way

to help Sam understand

that it would be foolish of him

to hold you back.

Every man has his price.

RCA does have the distribution.

I just need to know that you'll

still be with me as friends.

Don't doubt that,

we're not going anywhere.

Marion and I just don't want to

stand in your way, that's all.

The world needs

to hear you sing, Elvis.

Elvis Presley's

contract sold to RCA today

for the highest price

in music history.

Quite the payday

for Sun Records.

It's just business.

Show business.

To achieve truly great things,

one must make

truly great sacrifices.

You will have to be free

of any entanglements.

You see, my boy,

show business is snow business.

And the fans need to believe

that you are always available.

The Colonel says

that with all the publicity

that's gonna be coming,

he might have to

put it out there that...

That...

I don't have a girl.

Then we will need

your parents' legal commitment.

They may need a bit

of convincing themselves.

Sam Phillips

is a good man we can trust.

We don't know this Colonel

from a nail in a wall.

Is there a lawyer

representing the family?

Oh, unnecessary.

I am of the firm opinion

that family is the most

important thing in the world.

In mind of that,

I have taken the liberty

of making these contracts out

in the name

of Elvis Presley Enterprises.

A family business.

And I was thinking,

Vernon Presley:

Business Manager.

What do you think, Daddy?

Uh... Well, uh...

- I like it very much, son.

- Ah!

Mrs. Presley,

your son has a unique gift.

It's as though

he has the strength

of two men inside of him.

You know, Colonel,

I would do anything

to make sure my mama and daddy

never have to live

in no poverty ever again.

Mama, it's gonna turn out

so, so good.

Mm.

Colonel, I wasn't fooling

when I told those other kids

I was gonna buy 'em

a Cadillac one day.

My boy, with me, you will

buy them two Cadillacs.

Two?

A hundred?

Two hundred.

- A thousand.

- A million.

An aeroplane.

How about a rocket ship?

Well, maybe not a rocket ship.

My mama don't like me to fly.

But me, I've always

wanted to fly. Fast.

Faster than the speed of light

to the Rock of Eternity.

What? To the Rock of Eternity?

Captain Marvel, Jr.

He's my favorite

comic book hero.

He flies.

Well, what about you,

Mr. Presley?

Are you ready to fly?

Yes, sir. I'm ready.

Ready to fly.

Uh, Mr. Presley,

try not to move around

so much during the takes.

If I can't move, I can't sing.

Well, since my baby left me

Well, I found a new place

To dwell

What is he doing?

We paid for this?

It's down at the end of

Lonely Street at...

It's a suicide song.

...Heartbreak Hotel

Them know-it-alls

said I'd backed the wrong horse.

But my boy knew teenagers.

And that first record

changed everything.

Well, it's so very hard to have

To leave the one you love

And you get more lonely

With each passing day

It's so lonely just sitting

And dreaming of...

In a few short months,

Elvis Presley has popped

out of nowhere.

Everywhere he goes,

he causes riots,

mountains of press

and rivers of money.

It's another

gold record for Elvis Presley.

This one giving him his first

worldwide hit.

Mrs. Presley, look!

Come on, Mrs. Presley, let

me show you how to use this.

Come on, hens! Come on, hens!

Come on!

Come on! Outside!

Out of my house!

Come on, this way!

Come on, babies!

Dodger!

- Go, Billy boy!

- Ya-hoo-hoo!

I took my boy's wiggling

and put it in the movies.

I took his name and face,

and put it on all sorts of toys

and knick-knacks,

and called it...

"Merchandise."

Your face on every

conceivable object,

including teddy bear, perfume,

plaster busts...

Of questionable likeness.

"The Elvis Presley Game."

Something so everyone

can show their love.

Grandma Dodger,

what is that behind your ear?

"I hate Elvis."

Huh?

Yes. I hate Elvis.

In my way of thinking,

"I love Elvis,"

that's an easy sell.

Those who hate your son

will do so

whether we profit

from it or not.

After all, what is hate worth

if it's free?

Oh, yeah. I get it.

Snowman strikes again.

Merchandise, promotion.

Diskin, what else do we have?

- Necklaces.

- Necklaces.

- Scarves.

- Oh, scarves. Yes...

Mr. Presley

and Mr. King...

regular peas in a pod,

relieving me

of my finest threads.

Must be some occasion.

Mr. Lansky, it's Milton Berle.

The whole of America'll

be watching.

I don't watch television.

So what's it gonna be?

How you gonna

blow their wigs off?

Well, the network

wants me to do a ballad.

But I'm thinking about

cuttin' it up with "Hound Dog."

Whoo!

Elvis Presley, "Hound Dog,"

and Uncle Miltie.

Strange things

are happening every day.

You ain't nothin'

But a hound dog, hound dog

Cryin' all the time

You ain't nothin'

but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Well, you ain't never

Caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine

When they said

You was high classed

Well, that was just a lie

Yeah, they said

You were high classed

Behold, tomorrow, all of America

will be talking

about Elvis Presley.

My wiggling boy.

Even as a little one,

he made me laugh so.

He's so funny!

You never caught a rabbit

You ain't no friend of mine

You ain't nothin' But a

hound dog, a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

And, Senator, for the next leg

of your racial integrity tour,

we booked the Over ton

Park Shell in Memphis.

What are they laughing about?

You ain't nothin'

But a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Who the hell is that?

It's that boy from Memphis.

Elvis Presley.

Cryin' all the time

A white boy from Memphis,

moving like a goddamn...

Is your heart filled with pain

Shall I come back...

The obscenity and vulgarity

of this rock and roll music

is obviously a means by which

the white man and his children

can be driven to the level

of the Negro.

The colored folks have

been singing and playing it

just like I'm doing it now,

man, more years than I know.

Colonel Parker,

we called you in here

to talk about this act of yours.

A petition has begun circulating

to bar Elvis Presley

from television.

We've set up a committee

to keep an eye on this vulgar,

animalistic rock and roll bum.

Your style

of gyrating while you sing

has been bitterly criticized...

I don't feel I'm doing

anything wrong.

We simply will not

advertise on any station

that puts this delinquent

on television.

Colonel, you put an end

to your boy's animal behavior,

or we will.

Don't worry, Senator,

my boy does what he's told.

Tell me, dear

Are you lonesome tonight?

"Elvis the Pelvis."

That's one of the most childish

expressions I've ever heard

coming from an adult.

Is Mr. Allen gonna cancel me

from the show?

Yes.

Yes, he is.

He is replacing you with one of

the country's greatest singers.

Mario Lanza?

Someone greater.

The new Elvis Presley!

Yeah, I snowed 'em!

You just have to put on

one of these tails here,

can sing the "Hound Dog,"

and it's a light-hearted,

sophisticated family show.

I can't move in one of these.

And that is the point.

Mr. Allen agreed only as long

as there is no wiggling

of those hips.

I can't figure it out. My own

mother approves of what I do.

Mmm.

You have read the papers,

my boy?

Yeah, I read the papers.

The papers say that I shot

my mother and smoke marijuana.

Your movement's

in the style of a Black man,

and you have broken

the segregation laws.

So let's follow the plan.

It's a good plan.

You do the Allen Show,

family style,

and then tomorrow

we go back to Memphis and

we snow them on the July 4th

Children's Charitable Concert.

And we put this whole

unfortunate misstep behind us.

Now, do you want

to go into politics?

Or shall we stay

in show business?

We want to do

a show the whole family

can watch and enjoy,

and we always do.

And at this time, it gives me

extreme pleasure to introduce

the new Elvis Presley!

He used to be so hip.

He looked so silly.

I mean, he looked like a butler.

I can't believe

he agreed to sing to a dog.

God damn it!

He could've given us

some warning.

I know how to do a skit,

I could've made it funny!

The most stupid, embarrassing,

humiliating thing I ever did.

Well, what the hell

do you want me to do about it?

We're musicians!

It's just embarrassing.

Who does he think he is?

She just went on

and on about the damn dog.

And I said, "Neighbors

shouldn't speak like that."

And then she said...

I like the bit with the dog.

It was the most embarrassing

performance of my life, Daddy.

She wasn't the only one

who said it.

- All the neighbors did.

- Oh, God.

Those New York people

were using you

to poke fun at the whole South.

Getting a laugh out of putting

a hillbilly in a tailcoat

and singing to a dog.

God damn it, Mama, it was

either that or I get canceled.

Then that's it for television.

Colonel says I'm running out

of states that I'm welcome in.

And they don't pay

unless I can perform.

So Colonel says I play the

charity concert tomorrow night,

as the new family style,

then everybody calms down

and we get back on track.

Someone's got to think about

keeping a roof over our heads.

Roof over our head?

We've always managed to keep

a roof over our head, Vernon.

Mama, Daddy is business

manager. It's his job.

That's right.

We was doing just fine

before that man came along.

Colonel has got us all of this.

I don't want all this!

You're unhappy!

I am not!

You're losing yourself, Booby!

Oh, hell, Mama, I...

Satnin knows.

The way you sing and move...

it's God-given.

So there can't be nothing

wrong with it.

Hey, I'm gonna ask cousin

about the movie.

Hey, E.P., E.P.!

Can we close down

the movie house

and watch Godzilla tonight?

Don't tramp mud

in the house, Billy!

But you said

we could watch the movie!

Get out! Get out of my

goddamn house!

- You said you'd take us!

- Tramping mud in my house

and doing my damn head in.

Mama, you ain't never happy.

No matter what I do,

no matter how much I give you,

it ain't never enough.

And, I wish you would not drink

so goddamn much.

It's not good for you.

Baby!

- Put that back in the shed!

- Elvis, wait!

Elvis! Elvis, come on!

Elvis!

Here's Elvis Presley.

This is

Rufus Thomas here from WDIA.

You can catch B.B. King tonight

at Club Handy,

with Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Hello.

E.P.!

- B.B.! Hey!

- Get over here!

Have a good night.

Thank you. Have a good night.

Hello.

Hey!

Get him! Get him in here!

E.P.! E.P.!

All right, all right.

Thank you.

Wop, bop-a-loo-bop

Ba-lop, bom, bom

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Got my mama going on

about the "Hound Dog,"

and the Colonel's

got me wearing tails,

and everybody wants

something different.

Hey, listen, man.

If you're sad

and you want to be sad,

you're at the right place.

If you're happy and you want

to be happy, guess what?

You're at the right place.

So just do me a favor...

Let it all hang out.

Let it all hang out, E.P.!

Let it all hang out, baby.

She rocks to the east

She rocks to the west

But she's the girl that

I love best

Tutti frutti, oh rooty, uh!

Hey, man.

Tutti frutti, oh rooty, whoo!

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Wop, bop-a-loo-bop...

Whoo! Man, he's cuttin' it!

Sister Rosetta found this kid

in the backwaters of Georgia.

They should get the Colonel

to book him on Steve Allen.

They would love his moves.

Got a girl named Daisy

She almost drives me crazy

Got a girl named Daisy

Whoo!

She almost drives me crazy

She knows how to love me

Yes, indeed

Boy, you don't know

What she do to me

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Man, he sings the hell

out of that song!

I would love to record that.

If you do, you'll make

a whole lot more money

than that kid

could ever dream of.

Tutti frutti, oh rooty

Wop, bop-a-loo-bop,

Ba-lop, bom, bom

I'm a-workin' on the building

Workin' on the building

It's the new foundation

The new foundation

I'm goin' to heaven

Yeah!

Goin' to heaven

To get my reward

Get my reward

Whoo!

Ha-ha! That's all right.

That's a nice ride

you rode up in tonight.

It ain't like your ol'

big B.B. King bus.

Big Red.

Yeah, well, I can go where

I want, play what I want,

and if they don't like it,

I can go someplace else.

You've got to be

in control, man.

You should have your own label,

like me.

You don't do the business,

the business will do you.

Man, I just leave all that

to the Colonel.

So it's, um...

It's his idea, this new Elvis?

Listen, I don't get it, man.

Cats buy your records

because they like what you do,

not because you're dressed up

like some... like some butler.

You really think those kids

want to see Elvis the butler

at the Russwood Park

gig tomorrow?

Man, I ain't wearing no tails.

I just... gotta lay

off the moves, is all.

Colonel says if I don't,

they're gonna put me in jail.

Come on, man.

They're not gonna

put you in jail.

They might put me in jail

for walking across the street,

but you're a famous white boy.

Too many people are making

too much money off of you

to put you in jail.

You think so?

I know so.

Colonel's a smart man.

There's gotta be another reason.

Every day, yes

There are strange things

Happening every day

Hey, Elvis, B.B.!

Give us a smile.

Every day

You promised us

a new Elvis, Colonel.

Yet, here he is with this

B.B. King at Club Handy,

jiggling and wiggling

with Billy Ward, and here,

on Colored Night

at the Memphis Fairgrounds.

We've been poking

into your background,

and we've found your records.

"Unfit for military duty."

"Acute psychopathic state."

Well... I was pretending

to be crazy. I wanted out.

I was just a boy

from Huntington, West Virginia.

Well, before the army, we found

no record of you at all.

Every day, yeah

There are strange things

Happening every day

Every day Are so strange

Every day

People are stealing the planes

Oh! There are strange

Things happening

Every day Oh, ain't

that strange, every day

Every day, yes

There are strange things

Happening every day

While 10,000 screaming

fans were cramming in

to see our show,

Senator East land was holding

a segregationist rally

just three miles away.

The mayor loved you

on the Steve Allen Show.

All the important people did.

What song are you going

to sing tonight?

I've made no decision.

I'll feel it.

Pay no mind to all the cameras.

Those are our friends

in the vice squad.

They don't mean nothing.

Ain't that right, chief?

As long as you don't

so much as wiggle a finger.

Oh, yes, sir, good people!

A big thank you

to Shorty Morgan's Dixie Dolls!

But I know some of

the young people

are very excited

about this next act!

Jesse's with us tonight, baby.

Play it smart out there, yeah?

Well, stop talking about it

We're talking about everything

And do somethin' about it

Elvis Presley!

Strange things happening

Every day

Just sing the nice song.

Smile the nice smile.

No wiggling.

Then we can get back

to our show business.

And have fun, my boy! Fun!

Oh, we want peace!

We want peace!

We ought a stop talkin' about

it And do somethin' about it

Oh, there are strange

Things happening

Every day

There's been a lot of talk

about the new Elvis.

And of course, that other guy.

You ain't

Nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

...at his

command, both civil and other,

to maintain public order,

and prevent crime and riots.

He can use those forces...

to prevent the racial

integration of schools,

if this is necessary, under the

police powers of that state...

There's a lot of people

saying a lot of things.

...in fact, it is his duty...

Of course you gotta listen

to the people that you love.

...and prevent

turmoil and strife within the state.

But in the end,

you gotta listen to yourself.

So I want you to know,

those New York people

ain't gonna change me none.

...the subversives who own...

...control and dominate

the entertainment industry...

- "Trouble."

- ...are determined...

...to spread

Africanized culture...

I'm gonna show you what

the real Elvis is like tonight!

...influencing your children...

to accept the Negroes.

If you're looking for trouble

- No.

- What's going on?

You came to the right place

If you're looking for trouble

Just look right in my face

I was born standing up

And talking back

My daddy was a green-eyed

Mountain jack

Because I'm evil

My middle name is misery

Well, I'm evil

So don't you mess around with me

I've never looked for trouble

But I never ran

I don't take no orders

From no kind of man

I'm only made out

Of flesh, blood and bone

But if you're gonna

Start a rumble

Don't you try it on alone

Because I'm evil

My middle name is misery

Elvis!

Well, I'm evil

So don't you mess around with me

I'm evil, evil evil as can be

I'm evil evil, evil as can be

So don't mess around

Don't mess around with me

I'm evil

I'm evil

Evil, evil

Uh, now would be a good time

to get back into the car.

I'm evil

Evil

Evil

Our friends at RCA are not

gonna be happy when they see this.

He didn't listen to me.

Why?

Why didn't he listen to me?

I'm evil

Get my boy off that stage!

...with me

Get your hands

off him. Hey!

Hey, Elvis!

Elvis!

Go look after the merchandise.

Look after the merchandise!

Elvis, come on!

Get off of me!

Mama, you get in the car!

Get in the car!

You're gonna get us in trouble.

He's all right, come on.

- Elvis!

- Scotty, come on.

Let's go.

My dear boy had chosen.

You, his audience, his fans.

He had no idea what

he had done to both of us.

We warned you, Colonel.

You've lost control

of this act of yours.

And he's dividing this nation.

There are a lot of people

who want to see him in jail.

I had to find a way out.

A way to save him.

Crawfish

Crawfish

No. There's no way my baby's

going to Germany for two years.

It is either the army or jail.

There is something else.

Vernon, they are poking

into your background.

We don't have nothin'

to be ashamed of!

Now, my daddy is a good man.

Yes, yes.

But your papa did go to jail.

You know them,

and their flashy headlines.

"Elvis, The Draft Dodger."

"A Family of Delinquents."

There was no moon

We may never book another

date, or sell another record again.

And my way of thinking,

the army could be a

brand new start for all of us.

Let them cut your hair.

Prove to the world that you are

a clean-cut, all-American boy.

You do your two years, and when

you come back, I promise you

I will have done

everything I can

to make you the biggest

actor in Hollywood.

You will choose

your own pictures.

It's gonna be okay, Mama.

And I pulled Mr. Crawfish

out of his hole

Young Mr. Presley,

a rock and roller no more.

He'll do six months'

basic training at Fort Chaffee

before shipping off to Germany.

Since the day he was born,

she had feared

losing her second son.

While he was

in basic training...

she worried and drank...

Worried...

and drank.

Hey...

Alberta!

Oh, no...

No!

There are some fine folks

from the press waiting outside.

A few questions, pictures,

and they will leave us alone.

I can't get him to do anything.

He trusted her like nobody else,

and now she's gone

and who does he have now?

Well...

He trusts you.

Can you talk to him?

Oh, no.

It's not my place...

Can you do it, Colonel?

We need your help now.

Your daddy is doing

the best he knows how,

but he is overwhelmed.

He needs your help out there.

I can't go out there.

I just wanna stay here forever.

Oh, my boy.

No one could never replace her.

But you listen to me.

From this moment on,

anything she would have done...

I will carry out, in her name.

When you are overseas,

I will stay here at home.

And I will work,

and I will worry.

Trust me.

Now, you go and you stand

by your papa.

You comfort him.

You comfort him.

Comfort your friends

and your family,

and even your fans. Hmm?

Because if you don't do that...

all that your mama

has sacrificed for you

will be for nothing.

No matter what happens,

you stay with me

through thick and thin, okay?

You're like a...

like a father to me.

I needed to protect him.

Even from himself.

My plan, Elvis Presley

would return

a clean-cut, all-American boy.

But...

...I did not consider

the most dangerous thing of all.

Love.

Priscilla,

the pretty teenage daughter

of a United States

Air Force officer.

And then he said to me...

"You know what, Priscilla?

You gotta listen to me, sweetie,

because this guy, he's got

girls all over the world, okay?

He's got girls waiting

outside of his house

and girls writing him

endless fan mail."

And then

Mommy decides to pitch in and go,

"Ooh, what could he possibly

see in you, okay?

What do you two do

up there all night?"

And...

And I just said, "Mom, Dad...

we talk and we listen

to music, okay? That's all."

And then they were going on

and on about that photo of you

and Natalie Wood riding around

on that bike in Memphis,

and...

and then what I said...

And I said this really calmly,

I said, "Listen, okay?

He's just really lonely.

And quite frankly, so am I."

And then they didn't really

know what to say after that,

so I went upstairs

and I went to bed.

Never met anyone like you.

Well, I hope not.

So... what

is Natalie Wood like?

She's nice, you know.

She's been writing me

about acting.

I've been asking her

stories about...

working with James Dean and...

God, I just hope to one day

be as good as him, you know?

Mmm.

Colonel's promised me

that when I get back

he's gonna set me up in

Hollywood to be a serious actor.

That's really what I dream of.

Hey, E.P., E.P.,

now, you promised the captain

that you'd get her home

by 7:00.

Hey, Charlie.

What's that behind you?

What? No...

He don't boss me around.

You know, I think

if you dream it, you'll do it.

You do?

Yeah.

Shall I stay?

Would it be a sin

If I can't help

Falling in love with you?

You no longer

want to sing in your films,

is that right? You want

to be a dramatic actor.

Well, sir, that's

my big ambition now.

It takes a lot of time,

a lot of experience.

He was as good as Brando.

But you didn't want to see him

in movies where he didn't sing.

A little less conversation

A little more action

All this aggravation

Ain't satisfactioning me

Thanks to me, his life

became one big Hollywood movie!

Starring Priscilla...

Bright light city

gonna set my soul

Gonna set my soul on fire

And a cast

of his "buddies" and "cousins."

His Memphis Mafia.

So get those stakes up higher

There's a thousand pretty

women Waitin' out there

And they're all livin'

The devil may care

And I'm just the devil

With love to spare, so

Viva, Las Vegas

There was that

fairytale wedding.

And the honeymoon

on Frank Sinatra's jet.

And introducing Baby Lisa Marie.

I made him the highest paid

actor in Hollywood history.

We had a lot of fun!

But Elvis was a young man,

and of course,

he got distracted.

So we made them faster

and cheaper.

Beatlemania sweeps America,

as teens turn their attention

to the teenage rockers.

Is it my fault

the world changed?

Good evening.

Dr. Martin Luther King,

the apostle of non-violence

in the Civil Rights movement,

has been shot to death

in Memphis, Tennessee.

New Elvis stinker

bombs, another flop.

There's no more appetite

for Presley pictures.

It don't matter

how hard I worked,

how many snow jobs

I came up with,

how much snow I made them.

My boy loved to spend.

And with them hillbillies

around him,

the money would just melt away.

With the sale of the ranch

and the horses,

that's gonna cover the payroll,

but as for the security

at Graceland...

Officers also reportedly chased

and fired on

a radio-equipped car

containing two white men.

Dr. King was standing

on the balcony

of his second floor

hotel room tonight,

when, according to a companion,

a shot was fired

from across the street.

Dr. King.

Uncle Vernon, come quick!

He always spoke the truth.

What happened?

They rushed the 39-year-old

Negro leader to a hospital,

where he died of a bullet wound

in the neck.

Jingle, jingles...

Here comes Santa Claus

Here comes Santa Claus

Right down Santa Claus Lane

Vixen and Blitzen

And all the reindeer

Pulling on the rein

Elvis Presley's

Wonderful World of Christmas.

Brought to you by

the Singer Sewing Machine

Company,

to every television set

in America.

It only takes three days

to tape,

and there's no audience.

Violence breeds violence,

- repression breeds retaliation.

- ...Christmas sweater.

Made on the new Singer,

home knitting apparatus.

- Memphis is burning.

- ...and to fear his brother.

When you teach

that he is a lesser man

because of his color

or his beliefs...

...dreaming

of a white Christmas,

because, oh,

it's definitely going to snow.

Christmas special.

Is this the best we can do,

Admiral?

Well, we took

the Hollywood phonies

for every nickel they had

and now it is time

for us to pack up our tents

and move on

to even greener pastures.

We've seen "Elvis the Rebel,"

we've seen

"Elvis the Movie Star."

Now we will see

"Elvis the Family Entertainer."

And appliance salesman?

What did you say?

Listen, Jerry,

I don't need you to question me

about how I support my family

and every goddamn person here.

You understand me?

If you don't like it,

you can go back to Memphis.

Laugh it up, assholes.

What a beautiful rendition

of "Here Comes Santa Claus"

that was,

with all the sparkle and magic

that the season brings.

And you'll be even warmer

this season

in a 12 gauge

cable-knit woolen sweater...

- Satnin?

- Hi.

...made right at home on the

Singer Sewer SK155 home knitter.

And now, here's Elvis!

Can I watch the memorial

with you?

Yeah, baby.

I'm so tired of playing

Elvis Presley.

Too many people rely on me.

I love you.

And your daughter loves you.

We don't care about the money

or anything else.

We just want you to be happy.

Lord, hold my hand

And don't let me fall

You're only really happy when

you sing the music you love.

Oh

Take my hand

Mahalia Jackson.

I used to hear her sing

at East Street Church.

Got a feelin' in my body

That's the music

that makes me happy.

This will be our lucky day

So when things are too

dangerous to say... sing!

When Moses walked the children

out of Egypt land

He said "Now don't you worry

we're in the lord's hands"

I got a feelin' in my body

This will be our lucky day

We'll be released

from all our sorrow

Leave it layin' along the way

You gotta meet these

Binder and Bones guys, E.P.

They're the ones

that put James Brown,

the Rolling Stones onstage.

They're doing some

cutting edge stuff.

Mr. Binder, Mr. Howe...

thanks for coming.

When I first came

to Hollywood, I'd come up here

and sit for hours.

Right over there,

the observatory...

that's where they shot

Rebel Without a Cause.

Man, I used to dream of being

a great actor like Jimmy Dean.

This sign was beautiful then.

And now...

Feels as though lots of things

are like that these days.

Broke down, beat up.

Rotten.

I really like what you guys did,

putting James Brown

and the Stones together.

We're, uh...

big fans of yours, too.

It's just that, Mr. Presley,

we don't usually...

Oh, Elvis.

Elvis, uh...

Christmas specials

aren't really our thing.

I know.

Tell me, honestly...

where do you boys

think my career's at right now?

Well, it's...

It's in the toilet, Elvis.

You hear that, Jerry?

Oh, Lord. I knew you were

the right guys for this job.

You know,

back when I was starting out,

some people wanted

to put me in jail,

even kill me,

'cause of the way I was moving.

So they cut my hair,

they put me in uniform

and they sent me away.

That killed my mother.

And ever since then...

I've been lost.

And when you're lost,

people take advantage.

I need you fellas to help me

get back to who I really am.

And who are you, Elvis?

I sure as hell ain't somebody

who sings Christmas songs

by a fireplace for an hour.

And what does the Colonel think?

I don't give a damn

what the Colonel thinks.

For this television special,

we've got this Bindle fella,

number one hotshot director.

Elvis will be humoring him by

doing a few of his fresh ideas.

Ah, the sweater!

To Mr. Presley's

dressing room, please.

We are going to sing three

spectacular Christmas songs

in that very sweater.

Now, when that sign lights up,

what do you do?

Applause.

"Silent is the Night"

and "Deck the Halls,"

and, uh...

"Whose Child Is This?"

You think we can do some gospel?

Well, if you want

to find yourself,

first thing you do is go home.

Metaphorically, you know.

Get back to who you really are.

And what is the boy that...

- Oh, "The Little Drummer Boy"?

- Yes, "The Little Drumming Boy."

Oh, the... with the...

We get your old band

back together.

But we are going to start with

"Here Comes Santa Claus,"

isn't that right, Mr. Bindle?

Uh, the Christmas specials

come later in the show.

Can you bring up two?

A leather jacket.

Raw, dirty.

Remember, ladies and gentlemen,

this is television, not radio,

so when that goes up

and you clap,

let's see it

on your faces as well.

But you need an audience.

Audience?

- Bring it over to one.

- At any second now,

Elvis is gonna walk onto this

stage and perform just for you.

I ain't sang in front

of an audience in a long time.

That's my point.

Ladies and gentlemen,

here's Elvis Presley!

Well, since my baby left me

Well, I found a new place

To dwell

Well, it's down at the end

Of Lonely Street

At Heartbreak Hotel

Where I'll be

I'll be so lonely, baby

I'll be so lonely

I'll be so lonely I could die

Well, the bellhop's tears

Keep flowin'

And the desk clerk's

Dressed in black

Well, they've been so long

On Lonely Street

Well, they'll never

They'll never look back

They'll be so lonely, baby

They'll be so lonely

They'll be so lonely

They could die

Well, that was... energetic.

You ain't nothin'

But a hound dog

Snoopin' at my door

You ain't nothin'

But a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Well, you ain't never

Caught a rabbit

You ain't no friend of mine

Come on!

Colonel...

Is "Here Comes

Santa Claus" next?

Absolutely.

I see no reason why not.

He's not in the swe... he's not

even wearing the sweater.

Well, it's one for the money

Two for the show

Three to get ready

Now go, cat, go

But don't you

Step on my blue suede shoes

I do not know what is going on.

Singing "Hound Dog"?

What does that have to do

with Christmas?

Blue, blue, blue suede shoes

Yeah

Blue, blue, blue suede shoes

Baby

Blue, blue, blue suede shoes

Yeah

Blue, blue blue suede shoes

Well, you can do anything

But lay off of my

Blue suede shoes

Young man, you tell them

it's time for "Here Comes

Santa Claus." I said so. Now!

All right. First positions!

Warden threw a party

In the county jail

The prison band was there

And they began to wail

The band was jumping

And the joint began to swing

You should a heard Those

knocked out jailbirds sing

Let's rock All right,

everybody, let's rock

Everybody in the whole

Cell block

Was dancing to the

Jailhouse Rock

Dancing to the Jailhouse Rock

Dancing to the Jailhouse Rock

Dancing to the Jailhouse Rock

Dancing to the Jailhouse Rock

They were dancin'

Well, they were dancin'

To the Jailhouse Rock

Hah!

All right.

It's been a long time, baby.

A long time.

Well, I like a lot

of the new groups,

you know, the Beatles

and the Byrds, but,

a lot of it is basically...

Rock and roll music

is basically, uh...

gospel or rhythm and blues.

Well, that's one thing about

this TV special that I'm doing,

they're gonna let me do

what I want to do.

Sing the music that I want.

Music that I love.

Music that makes me happy.

Those know-it-all

hippies had brainwashed Elvis,

acting like he was

one of them radicals,

throwing his career away

to sing spirituals

with a bunch of longhairs.

Bindle...

- Cue the gospel number now. Go.

- "Here Comes Santa Claus."

Up above my head

There is music in the air

No.

Up above my head

All right, none of this

will be in the special.

Can you make a note that

that should be in the special?

Okay, now let's segue straight

into the whorehouse dancers. Go!

Whorehouse? No.

Now bring in

the kung fu spectacular.

What? Kung fu?

If you ever take

a trip Down to the ocean

Find yourself down around Mobile

This has nothing

to do with Christmas!

You'll be hearing

from our lawyers.

But, we still have

"Here Comes Santa Claus"!

Santa Claus is bringing you

a lawsuit!

Digging the finest

Little five-piece group

Up and down the Gulf of Mexico

Guess who's leading

That five-piece band

Well, wouldn't you know

It's that swinging little

Guitar man

I got a feelin' in my body

This will be our lucky day

Just put your arms around me

Real tight

We'll be released

From all our sorrow

Leave it layin' along the way

Well, I'm the king of the jungle

They call me the Tiger Man

I got a...

I got a feelin' in my body

This will be our lucky day

Bobby Kennedy been shot!

Bobby Kennedy's

been shot, everybody!

Senator Kennedy has been shot.

Oh, my God.

Senator Kennedy has been shot.

Get the gun. Get the gun.

Take a hold of his thumb

and break it if you have to!

Get his gun!

We're ready on set.

Oh, my God.

...Senator Kennedy

was involved in a shooting,

that a newsman was involved,

and that one other man

was involved.

There are now three doctors

back there caring for them.

Steve,

we gotta get back to work.

Work?

...amount of blood

on the floor of this anteroom.

Ice is now being, uh, brought...

Listen, I, uh...

I just want to say that...

...that this nation is hurting.

It's lost. You know? It...

It needs a voice right now

to help it heal.

We have to say something.

You...

have to make

a statement, E.P.

Mr. Presley does not

make statements.

He sings

"Here Comes Santa Claus"

and wishes everyone,

"Merry Christmas

and good night."

...Senator Kennedy's

press secretary

was made roughly an hour

and a half ago.

Some five to ten minutes later,

the operation began.

The six-man team

of neurosurgeons

probing for the bullet

that had lodged

in Senator Kennedy's brain.

No report yet

as to how that operation...

Poor Mrs. Kennedy.

This tragedy...

A tragedy.

But it has nothing

to do with us.

The White House

has reacted to the shooting...

It has everything to do with us.

No, I just do not think

we should be making speeches

about politics and religion.

Dr. King was shot

eight miles from Graceland

while I was out here

singing to turtles.

And now this, and all you can

think about is how many

goddamn sweaters I can sell?

I am a promoter.

That is what I do.

And I'm Elvis Presley.

That's what I do.

Well, Mr. Bindle has really

gotten inside your head

with all of his hippie friends.

You actually think that

you singing your old songs

dressed in black leather,

sweating, mumbling incoherently

to the audience

was a good show?

Colonel, I know when

I've excited an audience.

That was not a real audience,

my boy.

There was a sign

flashing "applaud,"

telling them

when to clap for you.

This entire jamboree

is an embarrassment.

You have embarrassed

the sponsors,

you have embarrassed yourself,

you have embarrassed me.

Now, you can sing whatever songs

you and Mr. Bindle choose

for 55 minutes,

but at the end of the show,

there will be a Christmas song.

Or else we will be sued.

No, you will be sued

for breach of contract,

because I will no longer be

the promoter of your career.

I will have to leave you.

Hmm.

Mmm-hmm.

Now, I have convinced

our friends

at Singer Sewing Machines

to come back tomorrow

for "Here Comes Santa Claus."

I will see you in the morning,

Mr. Presley.

Oh, and as I recall,

Dr. King said

rock and roll music

contributed

to juvenile delinquency.

It would be wrong,

it would be self-deceptive

to ignore the connection

between that lawlessness

and hatred

and this act of violence.

It would be just as wrong

and just as self-deceptive

to conclude from this act

that our country itself is sick,

that it's lost its balance,

that it's lost its sense

of direction,

even its common decency.

200 million Americans

did not strike down

Robert Kennedy last night,

any more than they struck down

President John F. Kennedy

in 1963,

or Dr. Martin Luther King

in April of this year.

My fellow citizens, we cannot,

we just must not tolerate

the sway

of violent men among us.

We must not permit men

that are filled with hate...

Here comes Santa Claus

Here comes Santa Claus

Right down Santa Claus...

We're pretty set for the number

tomorrow, right, E.P.?

It's pretty familiar territory,

right?

A reverend once told me...

"When things are too dangerous

to say...

sing."

There must be lights

Burning brighter somewhere

Got to be birds flying higher

In a sky more blue

Standing by.

We're seconds away, folks.

We're just waiting on upstairs.

We're gonna get a rehearsal

going very shortly.

Let's go, let's go, people!

First positions!

Here we go, from the top.

Mrs. Presley is quite

the homemaker, Priscilla is,

and I'm sure

she would love to have

one of the SK551 machines

so she can knit Elvis's...

- They were in there all night.

- Doing what?

He's working on a new song.

He says he's singing it.

New song? Whoa, hey!

It's beginning to look

a lot like Christmas. Yes!

Gentlemen, take your seats.

Now, that's a winter wonderland.

Mr. Bindle.

You and I are

on the same page at last.

Bring up the lights on the sign.

Okay, yeah. Let's go.

Dancers, stop.

Dancers, stop. Stop!

Turn about. Turn about.

You've got to get some roll.

I got action on the right side.

Turn around. Come on,

through, through, through!

We're lost in a cloud

With too much rain

We're trapped in a world

That's troubled with pain

But as long as a man

Has the strength to dream

He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart

There's a trembling question

Still, I am sure

That the answer's

Answer's gonna come somehow

Out there in the dark

There's a beckoning candle, yeah

And while I can think

While I can talk

While I can stand

While I can walk

While I can dream

Oh, please let my dream

Come true, oh

Right now

Let it come true right now

Thank you. Good night.

I was always said,

when it came to music,

my boy knows best.

But the special was my idea.

It was a tremendous hit.

We was back on top.

But some people were

putting ideas into his head

that he didn't need me no more.

Whoo-hoo!

It's working.

London, Germany, Japan...

Hulett here has got it

all lined up.

Air Presley's new wings.

You know, when you

play stadiums, it's like...

you do a week of shows

in just one night.

And when it's done,

you get on the plane...

You go where you want,

you play where you want,

and if they don't like it,

you go someplace else.

You know who told me that?

B.B. King.

Well, B.B. knows, man.

And the someplace else you

should be going is overseas.

I like that.

You know, I heard last year

alone, you had two offers.

Germany and Japan,

for a million bucks

for one night.

I mean, why the Colonel

would turn that down,

I have no idea, man.

Well, if you figure it out,

can you let us know?

Yeah.

Well, screw him.

You've got the plane now.

You should use it.

Yeah, come to Daddy.

Maybe we should call it

the "Lisa Marie."

That's a beautiful name.

Right?

Hit me. Hit me.

Mr. Parker, Mr. Kohn

would like to see you.

Colonel Parker. Hit me.

I can't, sorry.

You've run up

quite a tab, Colonel.

And we hear your boy's working

with new people.

You've lost your meal ticket.

It's time to settle up,

before we have to make things...

Uncomfortable.

Well, before the army, we found

no record of you at all.

No passport, no residency.

You were never a colonel.

Never a Tom.

You weren't even a Parker.

Why did you flee Holland,

Andreas van Kuijk?

I don't know why

you can't just let

the lawyers take care of it.

I have to see him in Vegas.

He's in the hospital.

It's the right thing to do.

- Yeah, well...

- He's frail right now.

You know what he's like, baby.

Hey! Watch it.

You know what he's like. The

second that you're near him,

you'll be under ten feet of snow

before you know what's happened.

My mind's made up.

Business is business.

He and I are done.

But I owe it to him

to tell him to his face.

Well, just make sure he

doesn't clip your wings, honey.

He won't!

I am gonna go see him in Vegas.

I'm gonna look him in the eyes,

and I'm gonna tell him...

- Watch my hair.

- I'm gonna tell him...

- Mmm-hmm.

- Mmm-hmm.

...it's over.

You break it, you burn it

Drag it all around

You twist it and turn it

You cannot tear it down

'Cause every minute,

every hour you'll be shaken

By the strength

and mighty power of my love

Colonel doesn't want you

making a fuss.

- Colonel?

- Mmm?

Elvis is here.

Oh...

Oh. My boy.

Admiral. How are you?

Oh, my boy, I should have

come down to see you.

But I'm a little

laid up, you know.

You've just had a heart attack.

You're not meant

to get out of bed.

Heart attack?

Colonel, you said your back...

My heart just stopped is all,

and I fell. It's...

I put my back out.

There you go.

It was all the excitement about

the Christmas special, you see.

I should never have worried,

because you came through

like you always do.

Nobody can sell "show"

to an audience like you.

I admit it. I was wrong.

Colonel, I...

I wanted to tell you in person.

Um...

As far as business

is concerned...

I think we need to go

our separate ways.

Well, you may be right.

Maybe it is time for me

to retire.

Oh, come on, Colonel,

quit snowin' me.

You ain't retiring.

I will miss the circus. I will.

But I cannot keep up

with these young fellas,

like your Mr. Hulett,

who wants to put together

a new show

for an international tour,

for you to play stadiums.

These international tours

are very, very expensive.

And the costs

cut into the artist's profits.

I worry that the financial risk

would put a strain

on your daddy.

But I cannot help but think,

as your former technical advisor

and as an old friend, what if...

the next Elvis Presley show

did not cost you a red cent?

I wonder if your daddy would

not like the sound of that.

The brand-new

International Hotel.

It's a mighty big stage.

The biggest in Las Vegas.

You could get lost

in a place like this.

My boy, you performed

that comeback special

on a tiny square,

inside a studio,

and the fans loved it.

In a room this size,

you could give them

the greatest show on earth.

Nothing less than Elvis Presley.

I've been experimenting

with a new, big sound.

Good. Good, my boy.

Because you can fill up

this entire stage

with every musical idea

that is inside that head.

No, it would cost.

Yes, that's the beauty of it.

You see, this here

International Hotel...

This International Hotel...

Mmm-hmm.

...needs a major drawing card

to pull in all the rubes

and put it on the map.

So they will cover

all of the costs

of putting together your show.

And you just play here

for six weeks,

and then off you go,

to tour around the world

with no financial risk

to Elvis Presley Enterprises.

None.

Well, goddamn.

- Snowman strikes again.

- Oh, yeah.

We're going to make it snow.

It will snow.

First of all, we're gonna

need the Sweet Inspirations.

Yeah, yeah

And the Imperials.

We're caught

in a trap I can't walk out

And a 30-piece orchestra.

You know, the first

thing that I ever recorded,

the very first thing,

was an old, uh, rhythm

and blues-type song

called "That's All Right,

Little Mama."

And back then we only had

two or three instruments

at the time.

But this ain't

no nostalgia show.

We're gonna do something

different.

I, uh...

I wanna try something new.

All right, Glen, you're gonna

start us off, okay?

Take the intro here.

All right, bring that

bass up, Jerry.

Keep playing.

Whoo!

Oh! Oh! Oh!

-That's all right

-That's all right

-That's all right

-That's all right

Boys...

That's all right

With me.

Any way you do

All right.

James, you ready?

Oh!

Flames, man!

Flames are coming

out of that guitar.

I got that. Ronnie.

I'll get back to that.

Horns, you ready?

Ba-da-bom! Ba-da-bom!

Let's up the octave!

Yeah! Goddamn!

All right, 'bones.

On a one, three, four...

Ronnie,

you know what to do, man.

Do it to me, come on.

Take us home.

Huh, huh, huh, huh

Hah! Hah! Hah!

Come on.

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!

- Colonel, nice to see you.

- Oh, here you are.

Yeah. Here you go.

- How 'bout a hound dog?

- Cool.

I'll fix you with

some food and drink.

Thank you.

All right, let's go.

Well, that's all right, Mama

That's all right with you

That's all right, Mama

Just any way you do

-That's all right

- That's all right

-That's all right

- That's all right

That's all right now, Mama

Any way you do, yeah

Well, my mama, she done

told me Papa told me too

"The life you're livin, son Now,

women be the death of you"

Now, that's all right

That's all right

That's all right now, Mama

Any way you do

That's all right

That's all right

That's all right

Any way you do

Da, da-da, dee, dee, dee

Dee, dee, dee-dee

Dee, dee, dee-dee

Dee-dee, dee-dee, dee-dee, do

-That's all right

- That's all right

-That's all right

- That's all right

That's all right now, Mama

Any way you do

Well, that's all right now,

Mama Any way you do

Ain't nobody gonna do

a better show than that.

I tell ya, if I was you,

I would book him

for a hundred years.

Well, no better time

than the present.

But we hear Hulett has him

doing a world tour.

Well, well, well, uh,

I think Mr. Presley

could be persuaded to make

the International his home,

provided he was paid

pretty well.

What did you have in mind?

I'd like to introduce to you

a couple of people tonight,

one of which being

my beautiful wife, Priscilla.

Would you stand up, honey?

For an attraction as tremendous

as Mr. Presley...

We love you, Priscilla!

Also, this man over here,

I wouldn't be here without,

my manager of many years,

Colonel Sanders.

Parker. Parker.

Well, we're gonna do a new song

for you tonight.

It's called "Suspicious Minds."

"Suspicious Minds."

We're caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you

Too much, baby

Why can't you see

Oh, what you're doin' to me

Oh, when you don't believe

A word I'm sayin'?

We can't go on together

With suspicious minds

And we can't build our dreams

On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know

Shove it up your nose

Stops by to say hello

Would I still see suspicion

in your eyes?

That is what my boy

would expect.

Now...

What are you going to pay me?

Oh, let our love survive

Colonel, your sideshow

is the jackpot.

If you bring him back

every year,

I'll make it worth your while.

Oh, I've never...

Lied to you

Caught in a trap

I can't walk out

...good thing die

Yeah, yeah Now, don't you know

Caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you too much

Caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you too much

Caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you too much

Caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you

Too much, baby

Oh, don't you know

Caught in a trap

Of course, I will reserve

the right to sell calendars,

pictures and such?

You do whatever

you want, Colonel,

as long as that boy

stays on that stage.

My boy's light burned brighter

than even 15 years before.

Hi, darlin'.

I saw in her face that night

what I had always known.

She could never compete

with the love he felt from you.

I'm sorry I couldn't

make it up there, man.

Take my... take my hand

Take my whole...

whole life too

For I... for I...

I can't help

Hey, guys. Time to go back.

Falling in love with you

Oh, oh, for I...

For I can't help

Falling in love

With you

Thank you very much.

Thank you! Thank you.

Such a fine show.

Yeah, baby! Yeah.

- Wow, great show.

- Thank you. Thank you, all.

Goddamn, Elvis.

That was great.

That was fantastic.

There she is.

Oh, God. I don't know

who that was out there.

You were... You...

You were incredible.

You were...

You were everything.

Thank you, baby. Thank you.

Mr. Elvis Presley,

I guess that's your

new manager over there, hmm?

- Mmm.

- Mmm-hmm.

Yeah. I'm gonna go talk to him,

all right?

- Okay.

- You okay to get upstairs?

Mmm-hmm. Yeah.

Tremendous...

tremendous triumph.

The greatest show on earth.

My dear boy, this brainchild

came from you and me,

but you alone rose above it

all, and it worked with your talent,

and your dedication.

We did it. We did it!

- We did it.

- We did.

Come on.

I can't wait to show the world

what you and I can do.

The world will see this show.

Whatever it takes,

I guarantee it.

Whatever I have to do.

Ladies and gentlemen

of the press,

the King of Rock and Roll,

Elvis Presley!

No, I'm not the king.

Hey, Fats. Mr. Fats Domino,

ladies and gentlemen.

This is the real king

of rock and roll.

Yeah, I'm somethin' else.

Any plans

to take this show on tour?

There's so many places

I haven't been yet, you know.

I'd like to go to Europe.

I'd like to go to Japan.

I've never been

out of the country,

except in the service.

What are you lookin' at

back there?

Oh, Mr. Diskin.

Have we discussed

with Mr. Hulett,

pertaining to the death threats?

The death threats?

Precisely. Death threats!

Down in Louisiana

Where the alligators

Grow so mean

Lived a girl that I swear

To the world

Made the alligators look tame

Polk salad Annie

Colonel,

once we finish the season,

Elvis wants

to take the tour overseas.

Overseas? Have you thought

about security, Jerry?

Of course I have.

This is Elvis Presley,

the most famous man

on the planet.

Straight-razor totin' woman

Lord, have mercy

The crazies

in those countries...

They're a hundred times

more dangerous.

Am I the only one

who thinks about security?

Sock a little polk salad

You know I need it

There is nothing more important

than security!

Am I the only one who ever

thinks about Elvis' security!

Get him out of here!

Those guys turned out to be

some over-excited fans

from Peru.

But the death threats were real.

I'm going back on.

I'll rip his goddamn tongue out

by the roots.

It started to take its toll.

Here at Baptist Memorial

Hospital in Midtown Memphis,

Elvis Presley has apparently

checked in to a private suite,

suffering from exhaustion.

A sign that Elvis

is in fact here

is the aluminum foil that covers

his windows to deflect the sun.

Shock around the nation today

as a free rock concert

at the Altamont Speedway

by English band

The Rolling Stones,

ended with four deaths.

One resulting from a stabbing,

allegedly committed...

Elvis,

Dr. Nick is here.

Such a lovely girl,

Ms. Tate.

What has happened to law

and order in this country?

Hippies and radicals,

threatening and killing

popular entertainers.

The IRA blowing up England?

Planes exploding in mid-air?

Has the world gone mad?

Hulett's security

is not what it needs to be.

And he knows it.

An international tour now

is out of the question.

What are you talking about,

Colonel?

I ain't gonna let these sons of

bitches push me off the stage.

Precisely.

You are not one of Hulett's

long-hair Zeppelins,

you are Elvis Presley.

You are beloved.

And I told him I have to

look Priscilla in the eye,

and I have to promise her

that little Lisa Marie's daddy

will be safe while

he's away from home.

We're taking the show

to the world, Colonel.

I ain't gonna disappoint

those fans.

Well...

If you want to book more dates,

we could do an American tour,

15 cities in 15 days,

while Mr. Hulett straightens out

his security problems overseas.

I'd like that very much, son.

How is that gonna be any safer?

Because staying in this country,

I can handle every aspect

of security.

And then we go international?

Yeah, sure, around the world.

Wherever you want.

But in the meantime,

here in America,

we put on a great show.

And what will we do, Charlie?

And have a lot of fun.

Taking care of business.

Taking care of business.

I'll get guarantees

from every mayor.

We'll double

the police presence.

You'll have more security

than the President.

Lord Almighty

I feel my temperature rising

Higher, higher It's

burning through to my soul

Girl, girl, girl

You're gonna set me on fire

My brain is flaming

I don't know which way to go

And when the show is done,

the boys will hustle you

to the motorcade.

Elvis has left the building.

Once you're in the air,

Dr. Nick will ensure your rest.

Burnin' love

Land in the next city,

then we do it all again.

Fifteen times!

I'm just a hunk

A hunk of burning love

I'm just a hunk

A hunk of burning love

It was life on the

road, just like the old days.

We were making so much snow,

we did it again.

And again.

And again.

All in the safety

of the US of A.

Eventually, he lost interest

in going overseas.

Why would you?

But I still kept my promise.

I brought the world to him.

I invented the world's

first ever satellite concert.

1.5 billion people in

one night, for a single artist.

Nothing like it before,

nothing like it since.

But it wasn't enough.

He was addicted to the love

he felt from you onstage.

Ordinary love

just didn't compare.

So, in the lonely moments

between shows,

he turned to them pills.

Priscilla, I want you to

do something for me, will you?

You give my baby girl

a big hug for me, okay?

The roar of the crowd.

The life on the road.

Calling home to your loved ones,

pretending nothing has changed,

when everything has.

Lost.

What was that?

Ain't no one gonna walk around

sayin' they killed

Elvis Presley.

- What did you say?

- Nothing, baby.

Dr. Martin

Luther King has been shot

in downtown Memphis,

Tennessee...

Sharon Tate was the last to die.

Is that you, doll?

I'm leaving you,

and I'm taking Lisa with me.

Uh, 'Cilla, is this about

what happens on the road?

About the what?

Is this about what happens

on the road?

The girls? You think

I give a shit about the girls

that you sneak in

through the side door?

No. I couldn't care less

about whoever it is

you sneak through the side door.

It's about this, Elvis.

- And this.

- Hey. Whoa.

And these goddamn pills

those leeches

and has-beens feed

down your throat!

God damn it.

- Like you're strung out.

- Strung out?

Goddamn, I'm in the best

shape of my life.

Best shape of your life.

The only time you're happy

is when you're on that stage.

And in between that,

you're a ghost.

'Cilla, I give you everything

you could want.

What I want is a husband.

I am your wife.

I am your wife!

And Lisa is your daughter.

She needs a father.

I am her father!

Do you remember the last time

that we laughed together?

Do you remember the last time

that the three of us

sat down and had

dinner together?

You won't even make love

to me anymore.

I gift you my life, and I have

nothing left in me to give you.

Do you still love me?

When you're 40 and I'm 50,

we'll be back together.

You'll see.

I have to go.

Will you please stay?

I have to go. Okay?

If I stay, I'll never leave.

- Please...

- You have to let me go.

- Please, Priscilla.

- You have to let me go.

Fifty thousand people gathered

in New Orleans earlier today

to mourn the passing

of gospel legend,

Mahalia Jackson.

Will you come to Mississippi

and sing with us, Mr. Presley?

Why, B.B. King will be there.

Perhaps even the Rolling Stones.

I'm sorry, Ms. Jackson.

The Colonel, he...

he won't allow it.

You are a man,

Mr. Presley.

And a man don't

make up his own mind

about matters of conscience.

Come on, Diskin.

Elvis needs a challenge

to get back on track.

Why won't the Colonel

let him go overseas?

- Security, Jerry. You know that.

- Bullshit!

The Colonel's killing his

greatest asset without a reason.

So what is the reason?

Colonel always has his reasons.

I'm not at liberty to divulge

personal information

about Mr. Parker.

He lied.

There wasn't gonna be

an international tour

'cause he can't leave

the country.

He's got no citizenship,

no official identity.

He doesn't exist.

There never was

a Colonel Tom Parker.

What are you

talking about, Jerry?

Hey, whoa, whoa!

Get him an ice bucket!

Colonel's a smart man.

There's got to be

another reason.

Come on, man!

I will stay here at home,

and I will work

and I will worry.

I mean, why the

Colonel kept turning them down,

I have no idea, man.

Get out of the way!

Now, you listen to me.

The only thing that matters...

is that that man

gets up on that stage tonight.

If he was my son,

I'd put him in a hospital.

Well, of course, this is

a Presley Enterprises decision.

Vernon?

Well... um...

Well, what can you...

What can you do for him,

Dr. Nick?

His truth is marching on

His truth is marching on

Thank you. Thank you.

Now he's gonna ask the house

lights to be brought up,

'cause we've been

looking at him.

He wants to look at us now.

He loves this.

I'd like to turn

the house lights up,

- ladies and gentlemen.

- Eh?

'Cause now that you've seen me,

I'd like to take a look at you.

Oh, you're beautiful.

Thank you.

He'll mention the VIPs

that are here.

We've got some high-rollers

in here tonight.

Get ready for the spotlight.

Mr. International Hotel

himself.

- Thank you.

- Ah, there you go.

And right next to him,

is my so-called manager,

Colonel Tom Parker.

- There he is.

- Come on.

But I hear rumors

that Colonel is an alien.

Got here on my rocket ship.

Oh.

Somebody call the FBI

and tell 'em that

he has abducted me,

that he has locked me

in this golden cage,

to keep me here forever

with you, ladies and gentlemen.

So I'm caught in a trap

I can't get out

'Cause Colonel's got some

big debts, baby.

Excuse me.

Well, this is the last show

I'm ever playing here.

I'm gonna get on my jet plane,

the Lisa Marie...

It's named after my, uh...

my beautiful daughter.

And I'm gonna fly away.

No, no, no...

You know, I'm gonna fly away.

Stop the show.

Stop this show!

Come on, get this curtain down.

Fuck the International.

Mr. Schilling, what the devil

is happening here?

And Las Vegas.

That's what he wants to know.

Ain't no one gonna stop me, man.

Oh! Security.

Security!

Security, security! Security!

800 shows!

You don't have a goddamn

passport, you son of a bitch!

You are fired!

You are fired!

You're fired!

You're fired.

E., I...

Colonel, I gotta...

I'll talk him down.

This is Colonel Tom Parker.

I wish it to be known

that Dr. Nick's services

are no longer required.

Thank you.

Hmm.

Well, Diskin...

if the boy wants to set out

on his own,

it's all right by me,

but Presley Enterprises

is going to cough up

what it owes.

- Are you ready?

- Ready.

Gasoline for the first trip

to the Hayride...

one dollar and 25 cents.

Un-recouped promotional costs

pertaining to souvenir

calendars, $100.

Collectible trading cards, $100.

Posters, flyers and programs,

$100.

Balloons, $50...

What's the hold-up?

Sorry, E.P. Your daddy

won't come down.

Daddy.

What is this?

Well, that is what we owe

the Colonel.

We're broke.

Daddy, I've been playing this

mausoleum for a hundred years.

How could we be broke?

You spend so much money.

You know, you got the cars

and the girls and the clothes,

and all the...

you know, new airplane.

Daddy, you are

my business manager.

You're supposed

to be taking care of business.

I don't know what to tell you,

son, we're broke!

We're plain broke.

Gotta take the Colonel back.

I am not taking him back.

We're gonna lose Graceland.

I am not taking him back!

He takes everything from me.

He takes 50%

of everything that I make!

And now he wants

to take the home

that we bought for Mama!

Listen to me, Daddy.

That old bastard

can sue if he wants,

but I am flying away.

With or without you.

Oh, you bloodsucking,

old vampire.

You bled me dry

and you still want more?

I'm not an uncaring man,

Mr. Presley.

Don't you "Mr. Presley" me,

you toad.

If you are so determined

to get out of our contract...

You're goddamn right I want out.

Well, I will personally

loan you the money

that you owe

to Jamboree Attractions.

Yeah, you'll still have

your claws in me.

You'll still have me

working here

like a goddamn slave

in a salt mine,

you phony, no-good

piece of trash!

I ought a shoot you in your fat,

goddamn face!

Who are you?

I am you. And you are me.

Cut the horseshit!

Everything I've ever known

about you has been a lie.

E.P., you all good?

My past is the least

of your problems, my boy.

Everyone else you associate

with lives from you, Mr. Presley.

Even Vernon.

That's right,

even your own daddy

has looked after himself

before he's looked after you.

Yes, I have lived from

you, too, but the difference is

you have also lived from me.

We have supported each other.

Because we shared a dream.

We are the same, you and I.

We are two odd, lonely

children, reaching for eternity.

Maybe you should fly away,

my boy.

Away from all of this.

But if you do choose to leave...

then I, for one,

will be very lonely.

So would your father.

But I think you may

be lonely, too.

Oh, you see, my boy, the...

truth about

the Rock of Eternity...

It is forever

just beyond our reach.

Do the chairs in your parlor

Seem empty and bare?

Do you gaze at your doorstep

Picture me there?

Is your heart filled with pain?

Shall I come back again?

Tell me, dear

Are you lonesome tonight?

Is your heart filled with pain?

Shall I come back again?

Tell me, dear

Are you lonesome tonight?

Son, I know...

I know, I...

I wanna try and...

I wanna try and fix this.

You know...

Daddy...

Tell that son of a bitch...

I want things to go back

to the way they were.

And, Daddy...

Tell the Colonel

to send up Dr. Nick.

It's a beautiful day

in Las Vegas,

with lots going on this weekend.

Those teen sensations,

The Jacksons,

are causing a lot of excitement

with their residency

at the MGM Grand.

And for the older crowd,

Elvis is back for a fifth year.

And don't we love him.

In Entertainment News today,

Elvis Presley is in talks to

play opposite Barbra Streisand

in a remake of A Star is Born.

These days,

when he's not slurring

on stage in Vegas or playing

the same old

domestic concert circuit,

the singer spends weeks

at a time in his bedroom,

tormented by his

growing waistline.

Sounds like it won't be

much of a stretch for him

to play the role

of a washed-up singer.

Oh, look, here they come.

- Are you all right?

- Yep.

All right, Daddy loves you.

- Bye, baby.

- Come on, baby.

- Bye, Papa.

- Good girl.

- Bye, baby.

- Give me your hand.

Hi!

- Here she is.

- Hi, baby. How you doing?

Want to say goodbye to Daddy?

- Bye, Daddy.

- You're so good.

Hi. How are you?

How you doing?

We're okay.

Hey.

Hi.

Hmm.

How are you doing?

Honey, there's this place

in San Diego

that you can go to rest.

To heal.

After the show, you can fly

directly and be in a clinic

before anyone knows.

It's all been arranged.

I'm gonna be 40 soon, 'Cilla.

Forty.

And nobody's gonna remember me.

I never did anything lasting.

I never made that classic film

that I could be proud of.

But what about A Star is Born?

Uh...

Barbra... the Colonel...

Please go.

For Lisa?

If you dream it,

you can do it, baby.

I'm all out of dreams.

Promise me.

I... will always... love you.

Hi, baby.

Did you know

there's a kind of bird

that doesn't have any legs?

So it can't land on nothing.

It lives its whole life

on the wing.

When it gets tired,

it just spreads its wings

and sleeps on the wind.

If it ever does land,

even but one time...

so it dies.

Good evening.

Elvis Presley died today.

He was 42.

Apparently,

it was a heart attack.

He was found in his home

in Memphis...

President Carter

has just made a statement...

Elvis Presley's death

deprives our country

of a part of itself.

He was unique and irreplaceable.

Thousands

of mourners have gathered

outside the gates

of Graceland...

Using the styles

of white country

and Black rhythm and blues,

permanently changed the face

of American popular culture.

The outpouring of

grief can be seen everywhere.

He was a symbol

to people the world over,

of the vitality,

rebelliousness...

What killed my boy?

Them doctors say

it was his heart.

Others, the pills.

Some say it was me.

No. I'll tell you

what killed him.

It was love.

His love for you.

You know, a few weeks

before he died,

I saw him sing

for the very last time.

He could barely stand up.

"Unchained Melody."

From an album called

Unchained Melody.

Makes a lot of sense. Okay.

But that night,

he sang as he always did.

With all his heart and soul.

How you like it so far?

That old voice rang out,

and he sang with all his life.

Oh, my love

My darling

I've hungered for your touch

A long, lonely time

Time goes by

So slowly

And time can do so much

Are you

Still mine?

I need your love, ooh

I need your love

God speed your love

To me

Lonely rivers flow to the sea

To the sea

To the open arms of the sea

Lonely rivers cry Wait

for me Wait for me

I'll be coming home

Wait for me

My love, my darling

I've hungered for your kiss

A long, lonely time

When I was a

child, ladies and gentlemen,

I was a dreamer.

I read comic books

and I was the hero

of the comic book.

I saw movies and I was

the hero in the movie.

So every dream

that I ever dreamed

has come true a hundred times.

Are you still mine?

I need your love, ooh

I learned very early

in life that...

"Without a song,

the day would never end,

without a song,

a man ain't got a friend,

without a song,

the road would never bend,

without a song."

So I keep singing a song.

To...

Ooh-hoo

Ooh

Me

Elvis has left the building.

As the snow flies

On a cold and gray

Chicago mornin'

A poor little baby child is born

In the ghetto

And his mama cries

'Cause if there's one thing

that she don't need

Is another hungry mouth to feed

In the ghetto

People, don't you understand

The child needs a helping hand

Or he'll grow to be

an angry young man some day

Take a look at you and me

Are we too blind to see?

Do we simply turn our heads

And look the other way

Well, the world turns...

"You never

stood in that man's shoes

Or saw things through his eyes

Or stood and watched

with helpless hands

While the heart inside you dies

So help your brother

along the way

No matter where he starts

For the same God that made you

Made him, too

These men with broken hearts"

And his mama cries

And a hungry, little boy

with a runny nose

Plays in the street

as the cold wind blows

In the ghetto

And his hunger burns

So he starts to roam

the streets at night

And he learns how to steal

And he learns how to fight

In the ghetto

Then one night in desperation

The young man breaks away

He buys a gun, steals a car

Tries to run,

but he don't get far

And his mama cries

On a cold and gray

Chicago mornin'

Another little baby child

is born

In the ghetto

And his mama cries

Summer kisses, winter tears

Summer kisses, winter tears

That was what she gave to me

Never thought

I'd travel all alone

The trail of memories

Don't tiptoe, stomp my ground

Gotta let 'em know we're comin'

Just stay there, woman

Engine still runnin'

Get dressed

Like the whole world watchin'

God bless

Gotta leave 'em shooken

Girls goin' wild, too cray

Look at what you made

Always come correct

There's no turnin' back

Takin' bigger steps

That's all I can do

That's all for the moment

If that's all right with you

That's all right, Mama

That's all right with you

That's all right, Mama

Anyway you do, that's all right

That's all right

That's all right now, Mama

Anyway you do

We can't go on together

With suspicious minds

And we can't build our dreams

On suspicious minds

There must be peace

and understanding sometime

Strong winds of promise

That will blow away

the doubt and fear

If I can dream of a warmer sun

Where hope keeps shining

on everyone

Tell me why, oh, why,

Oh, why won't that sun appear

We're lost in a cloud

With too much rain

We're trapped in a world

That's troubled with pain

But as long as a man

Has the strength to dream

He can redeem his soul and fly

Oh...

Deep in my heart,

there's a trembling question

Still I am sure that the answers

The answers gonna come somehow

Out there in the dark,

there's a beckoning candle

And while I can think,

while I can talk

While I can stand,

while I can walk

While I can dream

Please let my dream

Come true

Right now

Let it come true right now

Oh, yeah

Thank you.

You're fantastic.

Thank you very much.