Touchstone and Beyond: "Heartbreak Hotel"

Feature Presentation: Heartbreak Hotel

Cast of Characters

• David Keith as Elvis
• Tuesday Weld as Marie Wolfe
• Charlie Schlatter as Johnny Wolfe
• Angela Goethals as Pam Wolfe

Elevator Pitch

It’s 1972, and the world is in an uproar over Vietnam, and the changing counterculture that has reshaped rock and roll. Elvis Presley is the king of rock and roll, but Charlie Wolfe is concerned about his mom. She seems to never date the right guy, and after she gets hurt, Johnny has a plan to brighten her day.

With a group of friends Johnny kidnaps Elvis and brings him home for a few days. When the King of Rock and Roll wakes up, Johnny convinces Elvis to spend some time at his house and to meet his mother.

What follows is several days of a rock star finding his voice again, and a family that comes together with the help of Elvis. As Elvis spends more time with his new friends, he learns that there is more to life than playing concerts for fans well past their teen years.

The Orson Welles Award of Brilliance

David Keith does an earnest job in bringing the King of Rock and Roll to life. His Elvis is not cartoony, but it’s a creation that would match well with the world of the movie.

The Alan Smithee Award of Anonymity

The story is not that interesting. As much as I enjoyed Keith in the role of Elvis, the background story never gives Elvis enough time to become an important part of the story. I want to care for Elvis, but I don’t because he doesn’t get to shine.

The fight at the diner and the dancing scene was silly. 

There is some heart and emotion to the story of a young teenager trying to help his mom, but I never connected with Charlie at any point in the movie. He seemed far too needy, and if I was Elvis the moment I woke up at their house, I would have left right away. 

Production Team

Directed by Chris Columbus

Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Silver Screen Partners III

Written by Chris Columbus

Release Date: September 30, 1988

Budget: $13 million

Domestic Box Office Gross: $5.5 million

I Know Their Name

If you are a fan of Deadwood, then you will have no trouble spotting John Hawkes as M.C. It’s hard to miss when Hawkes is on the screen, even if he only gets a moment of screen time. 

Deep Dive Behind the Scenes

• The film was not well liked by critics. Roger Ebert was particularly blunt in his assessment. He referred to the movie as “The goofiest movie of the year.” He found the movie to be so bad that he almost felt genuine affection for it. His television partner and fellow critic Gene Siskel was also not a fan, and the two listed Heartbreak Hotel on their list of worst movies for 1988.
• The movie had a tough time at the box office, finishing second to Gorillas in the Mist, even though Heartbreak Hotel played on double the number of screens.
• This was a film that featured Elvis singing. The majority of the songs that are heard in the film were Elvis recordings.
• The movie was nominated for two Young Artist Awards, one for Angela Goethals and for the movie.
• Tuesday Weld was in the Elvis Presley film Wild in the Country.
• Jason Priestley auditioned for the part of Johnny.
• Even though the film has Elvis not a fan of Alice Cooper, in real life, Elvis admired Cooper and met with him in 1970.
• The film grossed half of its final box office haul on its opening weekend.  

Bill’s Spicy Take 

Heartbreak Hotel is supposed to be a comedy, I did not find the movie funny. 

Oscar Thoughts

(These rankings are awarded based on my love for Hitchcock films)

{Frenzy Award-Skip this Film, Torn Curtain Award-Desperate for Something to Watch, For the Birds-A Perfect Film for Any Device, Rear Window Award- You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen because this film is cinema.}

There is lots to applaud in Heartbreak Hotel, but there is more to be forgotten than to remember. David Keith was outstanding, but the narrative lacked heart and emotional connection that Heartbreak Hotel gets my Torn Curtain Award. If you are desperate for something to watch then check this out, but if you miss it, don’t worry. 

Coming Attractions

Next week, a look back at Mr. Wrong.