CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

dglink Headed by a cast that includes Richard Eagen, Debra Paget, Mildred Dunnock, Bruce Bennet, James Drury, and, oh yes, a young crooner making his film debut, Elvis Presley, "Love Me Tender" is a tidy post-Civil War western. Directed by Robert D. Webb from a screenplay by Robert Buckner, the story follows the Reno family in the period just after the War between the States. Four of the Reno brothers were Confederate soldiers, who, on the day after Lee's surrender, steal the Union payroll from a military train. When the brothers realize that the war is over, rather than deliver the cash to their Confederate superiors, they decide to keep it as spoils of war. When the three brothers reach home, they face several unexpected changes that propel the rest of the film.Without Presley as Clint, the youngest Reno brother, who stayed home with their mother, "Love Me Tender" would likely have gathered dust in the vaults of Twentieth Century Fox. Not that the film lacks merit. Ruggedly handsome Eagen is a strong lead as the eldest brother, and the story holds viewers' attention, as does solid acting from veteran actress Dunnock as the boys's mother. Another major asset is Leo Tover's luscious black and white cinematography, which captures the period in images that often merit freezing and framing. However, even before the inclusion of Presley, the film had anachronisms with Paget, whose hair, costumes, and demeanor have more to do with the mid-1950's than the post-civil-war era.While Elvis Presley is the film's major asset, he is also a major detriment to credibility. As an actor, the young rock and roll singer is quite good in the dramatic scenes; he has an easy natural quality, and the camera loves him. Unfortunately for the film, but fortunately for his fans and music history, "Love Me Tender" features several songs by Presley, which have nothing to do with the Civil War. He delivers the rock songs with his trademark hip swiveling, which sent audiences wild on the Ed Sullivan show, but might have merited strong disapproval from Ante-Bellum Southerners. Only the title tune, beautifully sung to Clint's mother and wife on the family porch, arguably fits into the film. However, without Presley and his songs and his hip swivel, "Love Me Tender" would not have received the care and visibility that it has. A mixed bag, but all on the positive side, "Love Me Tender" showcases a young actor with dramatic potential, some 1950's rock and roll hits, and an engaging western story. That's good entertainment value for 52 cents, the average cost of a movie ticket in 1956.

Harry Lags "Twentieth Century Fox was uncertain whether to feature Elvis in the film as a singer or as an actor. So they tried to have it both ways."This movie brings it's highs and lows. A trio of brothers fresh from a raid of a Union payroll find out that the war is over on their way to turn in the money to their General with the unit.Their commander Vance (Richard Egan) decides there is no Confederate Government to turn the cash in to. They split the dough and head home. The plot twists when the Union army decides to come after the former raiders, causing splits among the raiders and increasing the tension between the brothers. The movie is good, the acting is pretty good and the story moves along well. As far as Elvis goes, this movie proves he can act. Its a shame that we did't see him in later years in more conventional movies such as this one, its a pity Elvis never got that chance.Good movie! But then anything is good with Elvis in it!

Aida Nejad "Vance, I didn't mean it! I swear I didn't mean it!" This was a pretty nice start at Elvis' career, spanning over 30 films. His first film performance was good, not great and not bad, just good. One problem was that he and Debra Paget, who played Cathy Reno, lacked chemistry. I actually found the rest of the actors in this films pretty boring and forgettable, but I think it was made that way so the focus would be on the rising star at that time, Elvis Presley. The ending was actually my favorite part of the movie, where Clint (Presley) has just been shot and he begs of forgiveness to his brother. It's pretty sad, really. Anyway, you should definitely watch this film, but don't expect a masterpiece of some sort.

vitaleralphlouis "Love Me Tender" was filmed as "The Reno Brothers" and was a solid western drama concerning a train robbery by Confederates before word got around that the war was over. At issue is the cash from a Union payroll. The film was well written and the acting was universally solid. This was Richard Egan's and Debra Paget's movie; with Elvis Presley in a supporting role as Egan's hot headed kid brother.Therein lies the only fault with this picture. The lines of moviegoers stretched around Loew's huge and beautiful (3485 seat) Capitol Theater were wanting more of Elvis -- the nation's biggest star -- than the 4 songs in this movie. The assignment for Elvis was to play Egan's younger and immature kid brother, so (guess what?) Elvis comes across as young and immature. In 1956 he was faulted for bad acting, which was a bum rap.Any Civil War movie benefits from being told from the Confederate side, as we were the good guys and the best fighters. With 2 to 1 odds in numbers, we took down 2 blue-bellies for every johnny-reb that fought. Sixty-five percent of the Civil War casualties were Union. But anyway "Love Me Tender" isn't so much a Civil War movie as a post Civil War movie. Just don't get me started about Yankees, that's all.