Spinout

For the 2008 video game, see Spinout (video game).
Spinout

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Norman Taurog
Produced by Joe Pasternak
Written by
Starring
Music by George Stoll
Cinematography Daniel L. Fapp
Edited by Rita Roland
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • October 17, 1966 (1966-10-17) (USA)
Running time
 93 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $3,000,000 (est. US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Spinout is a 1966 American musical film and comedy starring Elvis Presley as the lead singer of a band and part-time race car driver. The film was #57 on the year-end list of the top-grossing films of 1966.

Plot

Mike McCoy (Elvis), the lead singer for a traveling band who is also a part-time race car driver, enjoys his carefree single life, which is threatened by three different women who seek to marry him.

Enter Cynthia Foxhugh (Shelley Fabares), a spoiled heiress and "daddy's girl", who is determined to get what she wants, no matter the cost. Such as was the case when Cynthia's millionaire father Howard (Carl Betz) tricks Mike and his band into interrupting their gig tour to serenade Cynthia with "Am I Ready" for her birthday. Cynthia becomes first of the three women who want to marry Mike. Also, apparently knowing about Mike's racing skills, Howard is determined to hire Mike to drive Howard's Fox Five car in an upcoming road race, but Mike prefers to race his own car, a Cobra 427 sports car, which is towed around the country by a 1929 Model J Duesenberg.

Meanwhile, Mike is stalked and spied upon by Diana St. Clair (Diane McBain), an author of books for women about men. Diana is in the process of writing her new book, The Perfect American Male, and uses Mike as one of her subjects. Actually, she later reveals to Mike that he is the "perfect American male", thereby planning on Mike to marry her—to the point of already making wedding arrangements.

The female drummer of Mike's band, Les (Deborah Walley), is looked upon by Mike and the other band members as a tomboy, and becomes fed up with such treatment. Mike and his other band members are taken aback when at a party, Les picks her moment and reveals her true feminine side, walking back out from a room dressed up in an evening dress. She reveals herself as the third woman who wishes to marry Mike.

Faced with this predicament, Mike must decide which of the three women he will marry—after the race (which Mike wins in a car he does not even own). So, he decides to marry all three of them—to other men. Mike marries Cynthia to Phillip (Warren Berlinger), a nervous employee of Howard's who is prone to fainting (he had a secret crush on Cynthia since he has known her, which he finally picks up the nerve to tell her). Next, Mike marries Diana to Howard, who fell in love with each other after they met at one of Mike's parties. And finally, Mike marries Les to Lt. Tracy Richards (Will Hutchins), a police officer whom Les won her way to his heart through his stomach (he likes her gourmet cooking). This allows Mike to reclaim his single and carefree life, which he dearly enjoys.

Cast

Production

Elvis was paid $750,000 plus 40% of the profits.[2]

The script was written by Theodore Flicker and George Kirgo. They originally pitched the idea of a film based on Presley's life, but this was vetoed by Col. Parker. Working titles include Never Say No, Never Say Yes, and The Singing Racing Car Driver. Flicker eventually left the project to work on The President's Analyst and Michael Hoey worked on the script uncredited with Kirgo.[2]

There is a scene in the film where Mike was discussing with his band members the pitfalls of marriage and settling down, and Mike mentions being on the Ed Sullivan Show. This line was likely written as an inside joke to Elvis' 1956 appearances on Ed Sullivan.

Jack Mullaney, who also appeared with Elvis in Tickle Me (1965), plays Curly, one of the male band members.

Jimmy Hawkins, who plays Larry, the other male band member, also appeared with both Presley and Fabares in Girl Happy and coincidentally portrayed one of Presley's band members in that film, as well.

Carl Betz (Howard) and Shelley Fabares (Cynthia) had played father and daughter before, on The Donna Reed Show.

Soundtrack

Main article: Spinout (album)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Pictures of 1966" in Variety, 4 January 1967, p. 8.
  2. 1 2 Michael A. Hoey, Elvis' Favorite Director: The Amazing 52-Film Career of Norman Taurog, Bear Manor Media 2013
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