Gun smoke and hot songs
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Gun smoke and hot songs |
| Original title | Love Me Tender |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1956 |
| length | 89 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Robert D. Webb |
| script | Robert Buckner |
| production |
David Weisbart for Twentieth Century Fox |
| music | Lionel Newman |
| camera | Leo Tover |
| cut | Hugh S. Fowler |
| occupation | |
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| chronology | |
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Successor → |
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Powder Steam and Hot Songs (Original Title: Love Me Tender ) is an American western from 1956. It is the first of a total of 31 films in which Elvis Presley appeared as an actor.
action
The year 1865: Brothers Vance, Brett and Ray Reno have been fighting on the side of the southern states in the American Civil War for four years . Together with four other men in their group, they rob the regimental funds of the Northerners during a train robbery. When they return to their base and want to give the money to their supervisor, they find that, without their knowledge, the war had ended before the robbery and that they are on the losing side. Their unit has already dissolved and so the seven split the money among themselves, but promise to keep it quiet.
The three brothers return home. Vance in particular is looking forward to his fiancée Cathy, whom he wants to marry as soon as possible. When he arrives at the farm, he learns the truth: Everyone thought he was dead, and so Cathy married the youngest son of the Reno family, the musical Clint, two months ago. Vance can hide the shock of this news from his brother, but for the next few days he consistently avoids what hurts Cathy. He plans to leave the farm.
At a party where Clint is singing, Vance, Brett, and Ray are visited by Northerners Major Kincade, Mr. Siringo, and his men. They are on the government's behalf to collect money stolen during the war. The three brothers are arrested for the stolen funds. All three deny the robbery, but one of the seven has already betrayed everyone else as accomplices. The three brothers are asked to face the traitor so that he can identify them unequivocally. On the train ride to the confrontation, the brothers are freed by their remaining three comrades. Clint also takes part in the campaign because he didn't want to be the only one at home again, as he had done in the war. Vance decides he doesn't want to live in constant fear - he plans to return the funds to Mr. Siringo. Now all of the men in the group are considered outlaws , so Clint is sent to Mr. Siringo to announce Vance's arrival. Meanwhile, Vance, with Cathy's help, organizes the money that is still hidden on the parents' farm. Both are discovered and pursued by Kinkade's soldiers. Vance's return to the group is delayed and aroused suspicion in his cronies. They suspect he fled with the money and Mike Gavin in particular is inciting against him. He tells Clint that Vance is still in love with Cathy and probably disappeared with her and the money. Clint is furious with jealousy. When Cathy, who has been left behind in a secret hiding place by Vance and is discovered there by the initiated Brett and Ray, returns to the group, Clint hits her in front of everyone. Cathy is protected by Brett and Ray and sent back to her hiding place. Clint follows her with the three cronies Vance and holds her hostage, knowing that Vance will return to the hiding place.
Meanwhile, Vance was warned by Brett while Ray rode into town to hand over the money. When they reach the hiding place, there is an exchange of fire between Clint, Mike Gavin and Vance, in the course of which Vance is shot. All three former cronies pounce on the wounded man to search him for the money, and Clint realizes whose side he is on. He fires at the three men and is then shot by Mike Gavin. The men Mr. Siringos and Major Kinkades arrive alarmed by Ray and confront the three fleeing men. Clint dies in Cathy's arms.
A little later you can see the Reno family at Clint's funeral. He sings, faded into the scene, Love Me Tender .
production
The film's script is based on a story by Maurice Geraghty . The shooting took place from August 23 to October 8, 1956. The exterior shots were filmed on a ranch in the San Fernando Valley .
The film premiered in New York City on November 15, 1956 and was released in US cinemas on November 21, 1956. In Germany, powder steam and hot songs were shown in cinemas on February 1, 1957. In the German version , Harald Juhnke dubbed Elvis Presley. In later films, Presley was mostly voiced by Rainer Brandt .
Elvis Presley sings four songs in the film that he wrote with Ken Darby :
- Love Me Tender
- Let me
- Poor boy
- We're gonna move
The working title of the film The Reno Brothers was changed to Love Me Tender when the success of the single of the same name became apparent. Film and song thus advertised each other.
Reviews
“A Civil War Western tinkered with Elvis Presley […], in which he made his debut as an actor without overtaking himself. [...] Elvis is only allowed to recite four song titles, then the pistol overtakes him and he can only reappear as a ghost. Involuntarily weird. "
“Elvis trudges angrily through the prairie grass, throws the lock of lard out of his face - and luckily sings a number of hits in his debut film. (Rating: 2 out of 4 possible stars - average ) "
"Much cult of the 50s, but a poor story."
literature
- Gregor Hauser: Muzzle flashes: The 50 best B-Westerns of the 50s and their stars . Verlag Reinhard Marheinecke 2015, ISBN 978-3-932053-85-6 . Pp. 114-117.
Web links
- Gunpowder and hot songs in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Gunpowder and hot songs atRotten Tomatoes(English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Gun smoke and hot songs. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ^ Adolf Heinzlmeier, Berndt Schulz: Lexicon "Films on Television" (extended new edition). Rasch and Röhring, Hamburg 1990, ISBN 3-89136-392-3 , p. 657.
- ↑ Gunpowder Steam and Hot Songs - Filmkritik - tvspielfilm.de , accessed on July 4, 2010.