CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

tilloscfc Again, one of Elvis' best films - I'd place 'Roustabout' in the Top 6 Elvis movies. The King looks great in it too! Elvis plays Charlie Rogers, a moody, arrogant nightclub singer who after getting fired for being involved in a brawl after a show, is ran off the road the next day by an even moodier father who takes grievance in the motorbike riding Rogers eyeing up his daughter Cathy - played by Joan Freeman, one of the most average looking of the "Elvis Girls". The leading lady in this flick however, is not a pretty young actress for The King to chase, but Hollywood veteran Barbara Stanwyck - one of the finest actresses of her generation. Stanwyck plays Maggie Morgan, Joe's romantic partner as well as owner of a nearby travelling carnival. After being driven off the road by Joe and having his bike put into the garage, "gypsy" (effectively) Elvis is forced to spend the next week with the family at the carnival and help out with the day to day running. Of course after initially being placed on Cat Rack and Candy Floss stands, Maggie soon finds that Rogers' talent is singing and he can certainly draw a crowd. She takes a chance by giving him his own show in one of the tents and the crowds flock to boost the ailing carny, so much so that a mega rich rival from a more modern, upgraded carnival swoops in with his wallet to steal Rogers from them. Rogers had initially pledged to stay with Maggie's carnival - if he indeed decided to stay i carnivals at all - but his hand his forced after several confrontations with the angry and aggressive Joe following Elvis' continued pursuit of his daughter. After Rogers performs several shows at his new "home" and Maggie and Joe's carnival is on the brink of closure due to increasing debts and a decreasing attendance number, Cathy finally wilts and sets off with her tail between her legs to succumb to Rogers' charms, lure him back to their carnival where he brings back the crowds, saves the carnival...and pledges to wed Cathy...to Joe's delight. There's a Brand new day on the horizon after all! There are cameos for Racquel Welch early on as one of the adoring female fans dating one of the guys who starts the brawl outside the Club, and the late Richard Kiel plays "The Tallest Man in the World" in a couple of brief non speaking appearances at Maggie's carnival. The soundtrack is regularly panned alongside the movie but I'm not sure why. The movie itself strays away from the stereotypical Elvis "formula" that critics became so obsessed with, and song wise apart from the obvious two "Carny Town" and "It's Carnival Time" which are both less than a minute anyway, it's a strong soundtrack. "It's a Wonderful World", "Little Egypt", "Big Love, Big Heartache" and "There's a Brand New Day on the Horizon" are obviously no "Always On My Mind" or "Burning Love" but nevertheless solid numbers.

zardoz-13 Director John Rich's musical melodrama "Roustabout" qualifies as a standard-issue Elvis opus. Elvis and love interest Joan Freeman never generate sparks in their on-screen relationship and this shortage of chemistry isn't good for the action. When the leading man and the leading lady lack chemistry, the movie can do little to save itself from the doldrums. The most suspenseful thing in "Roustabout" occurs with Elvis mounts a motorcycle and rides in circles in a gigantic barrel. We don't even actually see Elvis riding inside the barrel in this Hall B. Wallis' production. We see him climb on the bike, but we don't see him ride the barrel. Elvis appears in a number of long shots where he straddles a bike, but a stunt man substitutes for him during a wreck that has the character smashing through a white wooden fence. Meanwhile, Elvis has a tougher time with Leif Erickson as a pugnacious father who doesn't want him hanging out with his daughter. The bad blood between these two characters doesn't change until the last minute. Barbara Stanwyck seems to be in charge of the carnival that she runs. She has a couple of scenes with the King of Rock'n Rock, but she spends most of her time lecturing him. Actually, Elvis plays a louse. He hits the road after a rather one-sided bar fracas where he drops three irate college students with his karate chops. It seems that they sought to assault him for warbling anti-college lyrics. Our hero gets back on his bike after a girl who worked in the bar with him pays his bail. As Charlie Rogers, Elvis tells her that bailing him out doesn't mean the same thing as buying him and he leaves her standing. As he heads for the west coast for a better job, he spots Joan riding in a jeep with her parents. Naturally, the father --Leif Erickson—is not amused by Elvis's flirtatious behavior and runs him off the road. Elvis loses control of his bike and his guitar is damaged. He sticks around with Stanwyck and helps out as a roustabout for her carnival until she can have both his bike and guitar repaired. Of course, the girl wins in the end after Elvis has proved that he can draw big crowds at the carnival.

sonny starr This is a very entertaining film. Elvis (Charlie Rogers) is a rebel biker who has a reputation as fighter and a womanizer. He makes a living as a traveling singer.Early on in the film he is fired for getting into a fight with a group of college toughs. While riding his bike to the next engagement, the father of a girl he was flirting with tries to run him off the road. To make ends meet, and to earn enough money to repair his bike, he joins up with a traveling carnival. The carnival is run by Maggie Moran, played by legendary actress Barbara Stanwyck. Elvis falls quickly for her lovely daughter Cathy, (Joan Freeman). The film takes off from there. It's a wonderful adventure and is sure to entertain. Plus there are some great music tracks. "Little Egypt", "Roustabout", and "Big Love, Big Heartache" are great examples. The soundtrack went to #1 on the Billboard charts. Some fun facts: Raquel Welch has a bit part at the very beginning of the film, and Teri Garr is one of the dancers. The title song, Roustabout is one everyone remembers. However Elvis also recorded another song for the film called "I'm a Roustabout". "Roustabout" was picked and "I'm a Roustabout" was never released. The song was recently discovered and was released as a bonus track on a CD in 2003. The motorcycle Elvis rides throughout the movie is a Honda 305 Superhawk.

brackenhe I know Elvis Presley made better films after this (at least in my mind) but this must have been the beginning of the end of his movie career. The only reason I give this 4 out of 10 is because there is makings of a decent movie here. But the writing is so bad, and Elvis is made to sing a bunch of ridiculous songs (except Little Egypt.) This movie makes me hate Colonel Parker more than I already hate him. There is a story here about a young man who ends up working in a carnival and falling for a girl (basis for all EP movies.) But with a supporting cast such as this, it should have been better. It had Barbara Stanwyck in it for goodness sake, not to mention several veteran character actors. I think by this point Elvis didn't care anymore because why would he make such schlock. He must have been forced into it because he needed the money to keep up the Colonel and his ever growing entourage. He deserved better than this.