Jailhouse Rock is a 1957 American musical drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, and Mickey Shaughnessy. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and dramatized by Guy Trosper from a story written by Nedrick Young, the film is about a young man sentenced to prison for manslaughter who is mentored in music by his prison cellmate who realizes his musical abilities. After his release from jail, while looking for a job as a club singer, the young man meets a musical promoter who helps him launch his career. As he develops his musical abilities and becomes a star, his self-centered personality begins to affect his relationships.
The wife of producer Pandro S. Berman convinced him to create a film with Presley in the role. Berman delegated the casting to Benny Thau, head of the studio and Abraham Lastfogel, the then president of William Morris Agency. Berman hired Richard Thorpe, who was known for shooting productions quickly. The production of Jailhouse Rock began on May 13, 1957, and concluded on June 17 of that year. The dance sequence to the film's title song "Jailhouse Rock" is often cited as "Presley's greatest moment on screen".
Before pre-production began, songwriters Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber were commissioned to integrate the film's soundtrack. In April, Leiber and Stoller were called for a meeting in New York City to show the progress of the repertoire. The writers, who had not produced any material, toured the city and were confronted in a hotel room by Jean Aberbach, who locked them into their hotel room by blocking the hotel room door with a sofa until they wrote the material. Presley recorded the soundtrack at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on April 30 and May 3, with an additional session at the MGM Soundstage on May 9. During post-production, the songs were dubbed into the films scenes, in which Presley mimed the lyrics.
Jailhouse Rock premiered on October 17, 1957 in Memphis, Tennessee and was released nationwide on November 8, 1957. It peaked at number 3 on the Variety box office chart, and reached number 14 in the year's box office totals, grossing $4 million. Jailhouse Rock earned mixed reviews, with most of the negative reception directed towards Presley's persona. In 2004, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry and was deemed "culturally, aesthetically or historically significant." On its January 28, 2019 edition, the Ultimate Classic Rock website named it the best rock movie of 1957.
Storyline
Construction worker Vince Everett accidentally kills a drunken man in a brawl and is sentenced to between a minimum of one to a maximum of ten years in the state penitentiary. His cellmate, washed-up country singer Hunk Houghton, incarcerated for bank robbery, teaches Vince some guitar chords. Hunk then convinces Vince to participate in an inmate show that is broadcast on nationwide television. After his appearance, Vince receives fan letters, but the warden prevents their delivery.
Hunk convinces Vince to sign a pact to become equal partners in his act when they are both free. Later, during an inmate riot in the mess hall, a guard shoves Vince, who retaliates by striking him. As punishment, the warden orders Vince to be lashed with a whip. Vince later learns that Hunk attempted to bribe the guards to forego the punishment but did not have enough money.
Upon Vince's release 14 months later, the warden gives him his withheld fan mail. Hunk promises Vince a singing job at a nightclub owned by a friend. There, Vince meets Peggy Van Alden, a promoter for pop singer Mickey Alba. Vince is surprised when the club owner denies him a job as a singer but offers him a job as a bar boy. To prove himself to the owner, Vince takes the stage to sing when the house band takes a break. However, a customer laughs throughout the performance. Enraged, Vince smashes his guitar and leaves the club. Peggy then persuades him to record a demo so that he can listen to himself sing. The recording helps Vince improve his style, and he records a song. Peggy takes the tape to Geneva Records, where the manager seems unimpressed, but reluctantly agrees to play the tape for his boss in New York. The next day, Peggy informs Vince that the song has been sold. She then takes him to a party at her parents' home, but Vince leaves after offending a guest whom he mistakenly believes is belittling him. Angry, Peggy confronts Vince, who kisses her. Later, the two discover that Geneva Records gave the song to Mickey Alba. Alba recorded and released the song, thereby stealing it. Infuriated, Vince storms into the label's office and attacks the manager.
To avoid a similar misfortune, Vince convinces Peggy to form their own label, which they name Laurel Records, and hire attorney Mr. Shores to oversee the business. Vince then records another song and begins pitching it. The song is universally rejected until Peggy convinces a friend, disc jockey Teddy Talbot, to air it. Then, it becomes a hit. Vince asks Peggy out to celebrate but is disappointed to learn that she had already accepted a dinner date with Teddy.
Later, Vince makes arrangements for another television show. At a party, Hunk, who has been granted parole, persuades Vince to give him a part in the show in an effort to revive his own music career. However, Hunk's number ends up being cut because of his outdated music style. Vince later informs Hunk that the pact that they signed in prison is worthless. However, indebted to Hunk for having tried to bribe the guards, Vince offers him a job with his entourage.
Vince soon becomes a star. However, Peggy no longer speaks with Vince, as his success has made him arrogant. Vince signs a movie deal, and the studio head asks him to spend the day with his conceited costar Sherry Wilson for publicity purposes. Sherry then falls in love with Vince after shooting a kissing scene.
Mr. Shores later approaches Vince with an offer from Geneva Records to purchase Laurel Records and sign him to a rich contract. Peggy refuses to sell and is devastated when Vince wants to close the deal anyway. Enraged by Vince's egotism and treatment of Peggy, Hunk starts a fight and strikes Vince in the throat, endangering the latter's voice and singing ability. At the hospital, Vince forgives Hunk and realizes that he loves Peggy and that she loves him. Vince's doctor later informs him that his vocal cords are fully recovered, and in the living room, Vince tests his voice by singing to Peggy. Realizing that Vince's singing voice is intact and his worries are unfounded, the two put their arms around each other.