Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii isn’t just a feast for the eyes with its stunning Hawaiian backdrop and swoon-worthy soundtrack — it’s also a treasure trove of delightful mistakes that make us love the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll even more.
The debate about his best movie will probably rage on forever, but when experts rank Elvis’s films, Blue Hawaii rarely cracks the top three. Still, there’s something undeniably special about this fan-favorite.
A few little-known bloopers
Packed with hilarious moments and showcasing Elvis’s excellent comedic timing, the movie allowed him to play off other talented actors, many of whom were comedy greats of their time. Despite mixed reviews from critics, Blue Hawaii became the 10th top-grossing film of 1961, earning $4.2 million at the box office. Elvis’s turn as Chad Gates — a charming ex-G.I. ditching his father’s fruit business to become a beach-loving tour guide — was both endearing and entertaining.
And let’s not forget the soundtrack! It gave us classics like Can’t Help Falling in Love, which climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains a timeless favorite.
Blue Hawaii marked a big change
I’m not sure how many people have noticed this, but for me, it was a real eye-opener. Blue Hawaii was the first time when a Elvis’ character wasn’t a performer with a built-in reason to sing.
Instead, Chad Gates would suddenly break into song at the most unexpected moments — whether he was lounging on the beach or paddling a canoe. Sure, it might be a little cheesy, but that spontaneous musical magic is what makes Blue Hawaii such a fun, feel-good movie.
A blueprint for all future Presley movies
When Blue Hawaii became a massive hit, both the movie and its soundtrack, Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker saw a winning formula.
Hundreds of screaming fans
Here’s a little gem I just have to keep in mind the next time I watch Blue Hawaii. According to IMDb, when Chad (Elvis Presley) first steps off the plane, if you turn the sound up loud enough, you’ll actually hear hundreds of screaming fans who were there watching the shoot. How cool is that?
Juliet Prowse’s special demands
It’s hard to imagine Blue Hawaii without Elvis and Joan Blackman, who played Maile Duval. But here’s a fun tidbit: Juliet Prowse, who starred alongside Elvis in G.I. Blues (1960), was originally signed to play Maile.
However, she had some unusual requests – she wanted to bring in a makeup artist from another studio and have the film’s studio cover the cost of flying her secretary to Hawaii. When those demands were turned down, she decided to walk away from the role.
In my opinion, Elvis was often underrated as an actor. When he was provided with solid material, he consistently delivered strong performances.
The King has often been described in glowing terms when it comes to Blue Hawaii, but was it all sunshine and palm trees for him? According to Anne Fulchino, a publicity director who worked with Elvis, the King himself found the experience a bit humiliating.
Fulchino recalled visiting Elvis during the film’s production and sensing his unease.
“It was a while before he came over and talked to us, and when he did — you see at the beginning I used to call him Chief and I said, ‘Hi, Chief,’ and he just looked at me like he wished I hadn’t come,” Fulchino shared in Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick.
Fulchino understood why Elvis felt the way he did.
“I said to myself, ‘If I was making these crappy pictures, I wouldn’t want to see anybody from my past either,’” she said. “That’s the reason I didn’t hang around.”
“He was obviously uncomfortable with what he was doing, he was frustrated and disgusted — it was all in his face,” Fulchino continued. “The emotion I respected most was that he was ashamed of it, which meant that he knew better — but you could see that he was trapped.”
Filming Blue Hawaii wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for Elvis Presley. With crowds of fans constantly trying to get a glimpse of The King, security had to be on high alert. Elvis could hardly move around without extra protection, so he missed out on many of the island’s tourist spots. But there was one thing he made sure to do—take golf lessons from none other than pro Gary Player.
Gary recalled: “After I won my first Masters in 1961, I received an invitation telegram from Elvis – The King. A telegram, not as easy as a text is today. We were playing in Los Angeles and I went to the set of ‘Hawaii’ where Elvis was filming. He saw me walk in the room and yelled ‘CUT!’ The gentleman he was, Elvis went and put a jacket before he came to shake my hand. Elvis was just starting to play golf and asked for a few swing tips. He gave me a practice swing, and I swear, it was like a cow giving birth to a roll of barbwire. So, I adjusted his grip and told him he really had to use his hips during the downswing. He said, ‘Baby, you’re talking to the right man.’ And gave us all a little shake.”
Elvis played a frightening prank
Whether it was frustration or just a bit of mischief, Elvis certainly knew how to have fun on set. During filming of Blue Hawaii, his girlfriend at the time, Anita Wood, joined him in pulling off a hilarious prank. The plan? Elvis would pretend to be dead.
“I just wanted to see what you guys would do,” according to Cheatsheet.
If you’re an Elvis fan, you probably already know about his lifelong love affair with cars – and not just any cars, but the top-of-the-line luxury ones.
One car that really caught his eye during the filming of Blue Hawaii was the 1960 MGA 1600 MkI roadster. He loved it so much that he ended up buying it. Now, that very red MG is part of the impressive collection at Graceland, sharing space with his motorcycles, Cadillacs, Stutzes, and a whole lot of other shiny toys.
Hawaii quickly became one of Elvis Presley’s favorite filming spots, and for good reason! He filmed three movies there, and one of the most iconic scenes was the picnic scene with Chad and Maile.
This picturesque moment was filmed at an overlook off Tantalus Drive, and guess what? You can still enjoy that stunning view today. In fact, it’s such a breathtaking spot that it’s become a popular wedding location.
In its prime, the resort attracted Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Bing Crosby.
Elvis wanted to marry Joan Blackman
While filming Blue Hawaii in 1961, Elvis Presley developed quite the connection with his co-star, Joan Blackman. In fact, their chemistry was so strong that Joan admitted to feeling a special spark between them when they first met in 1957.
Despite their undeniable connection, Elvis wasn’t shy about wanting Joan as his wife, even begging her to appear in more of his films.
A bad cut
Now, let’s dive into some bloopers that only the true Blue Hawaii fans might have caught.
Pineapple field scene
In the pineapple field scene, Ellie stays in the car (clearly in the back seat on the driver’s side) while the others head to the stand.
The magic ukulele in Blue Hawaii
Blue Hawaii contained 14 songs, more than any other Elvis movie.
Later, Elvis actually gave that famous ukulele to his buddy Hank Garland, aka “Sugarfoot.” Hank was a top-notch guitar player in Nashville and even toured with Elvis from 1958 to 1961. Elvis liked Hank so much that he even etched his initials into the ukulele. At a 1961 Hawaiian benefit concert, Elvis called Garland ”one of the finest guitar players in all of the country.”
The patch that Chad wears on his uniform in Blue Hawaii isn’t just a random decoration. It’s actually the insignia of the 3rd Armored Division of the U.S. Army, also known as ‘Spearhead.’
This was the very division Elvis Presley served with during his time stationed in Germany, where he earned the rank of buck sergeant.
Final holiday
In a beautiful full-circle moment, Elvis Presley’s final vacation in March 1977 took him back to Hawaii, a place that held such special memories for him.
Elvis Presley and his Memphis Mafia stayed at the Hilton Rainbow Tower. But that’s not all — he later moved to a beach house with his girlfriend Ginger Alden and her two sisters.
So, next time you watch Blue Hawaii, keep an eye out for the little details and fun facts. After all, Elvis wasn’t just The King on screen—he was a true legend, on and off the set. Don’t forget to share your favorite Elvis moments and let’s keep the Aloha spirit alive!