23 Best Elvis Movies and Where to Watch Them

First on the list of best Elvis movies is Change of Habit, a 1969 crime drama musical film starring Presley and Mary Tyler Moore. The story is based on one written by John JOseph and Richard Morris, following three Catholic nuns preparing for their final vows who are sent to a rougher inner city neighborhood dressed as lay missionaries to work at a clinic run by a young doctor. Their lives become complicated by the realities they face in the inner city, and by the doctor who falls in love with one of the nuns.

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Roustabout is a 1964 musical feature film starring Presley as a singer who takes a job working with a struggling carnival. And while he helps the carnival, he ends up falling in love with a teenager, causing friction with her father. While the reviews were not the best, it did get nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for Best Written Musical. The soundtrack album was one of Presley’s most successful.

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Another musical-drama, Wild in the Country, is a 1961 film starring Presley, Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld, Millie Perkins, Rafer Johnson, and John Ireland, and is one of the best Elvis movies. The story is based on the 1958 novel by J.R. Salamanca and follows the concerns of a troubled young man from a dysfunctional family who pursues a literary career encouraged by his counselor.

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Directed by Hal Kanter, Loving You is a musical drama that was Elvis’ first major starring role following his debut supporting role in Love Me Tender. The story follows a delivery man who is discovered by a music publicist and a country-western musician who wants to promote the talented newcomer.

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Many would argue that this is one of his worst movies, but it’s not as bad as some of his others. Ranking among the best Elvis movies is Charro, a Western film that was Elvis’ only film where he didn’t sing. And the only film in which Elvis wore a beard. The story follows Jesse Wade, a rugged horseman and dangerous outlaw Vince Hackett’s right-hand man, who wants out. But that means he betrays Hackett, causing Jesse to be hunted down like prey.

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Another Western, one of my favorite genres for classic movies, Frankie & Johnny stars Elvis as a riverboat singer with a weakness for gambling. When he sets out to find his lucky redhead, his girlfriend is not amused.

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Elvis sings in almost every single one of his movies, and Tickle Me is another example of that. This musical comedy western was directed by Norman Taurog and stars Elvis as a champion rodeo bull rider and bronco buster. When he gets hired on at an expensive all-women ranch and beauty spa, things take a turn, however, and he falls for a pretty fitness trainer.

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Another musical film, however, this one is an action film starring Elvis as a racecar driver, Steve Grayson, who has a heart of gold and spends all of his money helping out friends and relatives. That being said, when he finds out about his financial situation and his trouble with the IRS for nonpayment back taxes, his racing career might be over sooner than he had hoped.

This romantic musical stars Elvis in his eighteenth feature as a nightclub singer, Rusty Wells, who just closed down their engagement at the club where they work to get ready for their annual spring break trip to Florida. When the club’s owner extends their stay at the club, however, their plans are foiled, making them have to find their own kind of fun.

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Another feature with cars, the musical comedy stars Elvis as a lead singer of a band and part-time race car driver and is considered one of the best Elvis movies around. Life gets a bit complicated when he has to choose between marrying a beautiful rich girl and driving her father’s car in a prestigious race.

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Directed by Peter Tewksbury, this movie was one of Elvis’ final movie roles and is based on the 1960 novel Chautauqua by Day Keene. The film follows a Chautauqua manager Walter Hale and his loyal business manager who struggle to keep their traveling troupe together in small-town America.

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Viva Las Vegas is about a musically gifted race driver Lucky Jackson who wants to score enough money to get a new motor so he can win the Grand Prix. He loses his winnings in the hotel pool, and he is forced to remain in Vegas longer to win back his money.

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It Happened at the World’s Fair is about a crop duster named Mike Edwards who loses his plane due to gambling habits to his partner Danny Burke.  To get the plane back, he heads to the Seattle World’s Fair for adventure, fortune, and maybe even love.

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Kissin Cousins is about the U.S. government that wants to build a missile silo inside a Tennessee mountain, but the backwoods hillbillies who own it refuse to lease it to them. Josh, a relative of the owners and a G.I. scout, is sent in to try to reason with them, but he soon runs afoul of his identical cousin, Jodie, who hates his city-bred lookalike and everything he stands for.

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Fun in Acapulco is about a yacht owner’s spoiled daughter who gets Mike, played by Elvis, fired. A boy helps him get a job as a singer at the Acapulco Hilton and as a lifeguard. He upsets one of the lifeguards by taking his girl and his work hours.

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By far one of the best Elvis movies is Girls! Girls! Girls! The movie is about a sailor who discovers his boss is retiring to Arizona. The sailor has to find a way to buy the boat his father built now that he is no longer employed. He is also caught between two women who are club singers.

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Follow That Dream is about Pop Kwimpel, their son Toby, and their ragtag clan of adopted orphans who wind up stranded on the side of the road in Florida. So, they set up a home on the beach till they figure out their next move. An uptight local bureaucrat is attempting to evict them.

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Blue Hawaii is about Chadwick, who is discharged from the U.S. Army he returns home to Hawaii. After being in strict military life for several years, he wants to let loose and surf all day. His family has other plans and pressures him to work for the family pineapple business. He gets a job as a tour guide where his girlfriend works.

Flaming Star is about a mixed-race son of a white rancher, Pacer Burton gets into some problems with local racists by not letting the doctor see Neddy Pacer’s mom, and she dies, and is one of the best Elvis movies ever. A war starts that puts a wedge between Pacer and his white brother, and Pacer starts to take matters into his own hands.

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G.I Blues is about a soldier Tulsa stationed in West Germany who hopes to open a nightclub when he gets out of the army. Tulsa may lack the capital for such a venture, but a chance to raise the cash comes his way through a friendly wager. A local dancer, Lili bets Tulsa everything he has that a friend can earn her affection. This takes a turn when the friend is dispatched to Alaska, and it’s up to Tulsa to melt Lili’s heart, so he doesn’t lose everything.

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King Creole is about Danny Fisher, who is denied his high school diploma after a schoolyard fight.  He is unsure how he will support himself and his unemployed father. A club owner hears him sing and offers him a job to sing at the club. Things look promising until rival club owner and Danny’s former boss, Maxie, try to lure him back with threats and the charms of his on and off again girlfriend, Ronnie.

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Jailhouse Rock is about Vince Everett being convicted of manslaughter after being drawn into a fight trying to defend his woman, and is one of the best Elvis movies out there. In prison, Everett finds salvation when his cellmate hears him sing and tells him he can be a future star since he should know being a country singer himself. Once released, Everett gets a job in a nightclub and meets Peggy Van Alden, a young woman who works for a record company and sees talent in Everett.

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Number one on the list of best Elvis movies ever is Love Me Tender. The movie is about Confederate soldiers led by Vance Reno, who robbed a Union train of its payroll money. Since the Civil War officially ended the day before, their theft was not a legitimate act of war. Now an outlaw, Vance takes his share and heads home, where he intends to marry his fiancée, Cathy. Returning, he discovers that she has already married his youngest brother, Clint.