When Elvis Presley stepped onto the set of Love Me Tender in 1956, he was already the biggest name in music. But, he set his sights on conquering the silver screen, too. Over the next 13 years, Elvis starred in over 30 films, bringing his swagger and unmistakable voice to everything from serious dramas to beachside musicals.
While critics often dismissed these movies as cash-grabs, many have become classics that capture Elvis at his most entertaining and charming. From Westerns to romantic comedies, here are the best Elvis movies that truly deserve your attention.
Loving You (1957)

First up on our list of the best Elvis movies is Loving You. This film was actually Elvis’s first starring role in color, and his natural screen presence shone through in every frame. The King played Deke Rivers, a delivery man turned singing sensation, a story that mirrored Elvis’s own rise to fame. When a publicist (Lizabeth Scott) discovered Deke’s raw talent, she set out to make him a star, leading to romance, rivalry, and plenty of memorable musical numbers.
Unlike his later films, Loving You captured Elvis at his most authentic, still fresh-faced and lit up with the energy that made him a sensation. The movie features some of his best early hits, including the title track and “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear.”
In the end, what made this film special was how it blended fiction with reality. The movie’s honest portrayal of the price of fame and Elvis’s genuine acting made it more than just another one of Elvis’s many movies.
Love Me Tender (1956)

Next, Love Me Tender was Elvis’s first appearance on the big screen, and it wasn’t anything like what came later. In this 1956 Civil War drama, he played Clint Reno, a young farmer who fell for his older brother’s wife while believing his brother died in the war. Elvis didn’t show up until 20 minutes into the movie. And when he did, he was working a plow instead of a stage.
The movie surely tried something different, mixing drama with Elvis’s rock and roll appeal. When Elvis sang the title song, it worked well enough. But watching him shake and shimmy through other numbers in a Civil War setting was a strange sight. His Southern drawl and energy stood out next to his experienced co-stars, but that youthful enthusiasm helped make the film a hit with teenage audiences.
What gave Love Me Tender a spot on our list was how it captured Elvis at the start of his Hollywood journey. It was the first and last time he’d played a supporting role. After the film’s success, studios ensured he was front and center in everything that followed.
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Flaming Star (1960)

Flaming Star stood out as one of Elvis’s rare serious dramatic roles, where his swiveling hips took a backseat to real acting. In this Western directed by Don Siegel, Elvis played Pacer Burton, a young man caught between two worlds due to his mixed heritage (his white father and his mother, Kiowa). When tensions erupted between settlers and Native Americans, Pacer had to choose where his loyalties lay. Though the film’s handling of racial conflict wasn’t exactly subtle by today’s standards, it gave Elvis one of his most challenging roles.
Instead of filling the screen with songs and romance, this movie only had two musical numbers and told a serious story. Elvis’ performance as Pacer proved he had talent that most of his other movies never let him show. I think it’s a glimpse of the serious actor Elvis could have become if Hollywood hadn’t pushed him toward lighter entertainment.
Blue Hawaii (1961)

Trading cowboys for palm trees, Blue Hawaii was Elvis’s first and best island adventure. Fresh from his real-life military service, Elvis played Chad Gates, a returning GI who disappointed his wealthy family by becoming a tour guide instead of joining the family business. With the Hawaiian landscape as his backdrop, Elvis traded his usual stages and sets for beaches and luaus.
While earlier films had tried to make Elvis a serious actor, Blue Hawaii found the perfect formula: just let the King relax and have fun. The plot was surely breezy, but that was exactly the point. With unforgettable songs like “Can’t Help Falling in Love“, the film created a relaxed paradise where the story took a backseat to pure entertainment.
Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Another one of the best Elvis movies was Jailhouse Rock. This film gave audiences something they hadn’t seen before—Elvis playing a genuinely rough character. As Vince Everett, a young man who landed in prison for manslaughter, Elvis showed his darker side. Behind bars, Vince discovered he could sing.
But this wasn’t your typical feel-good story about music changing someone’s life. Once he got out, Vince’s rise to fame was fast and dirty. The movie wasn’t afraid to show how success could turn someone mean. Unsurprisingly, Elvis played it perfectly, letting his natural charm darken the plot into something more complicated. The film was edgier than anything he’d done before or would do again.
Of course, like many of his other films, it’s the music that everyone remembered. The title song’s famous dance number, with Elvis leading a line of inmates in their striped prison uniforms, became one of the most unforgettable scenes in rock and roll movie history.
The Trouble With Girls (1969)

As Elvis’s movie career was winding down, The Trouble With Girls still showed us something completely different. Set in 1927, this time, Elvis played a traveling show manager leading a Chautauqua through small-town America. What started as a light comedy soon became a murder mystery, giving Elvis one of his most unusual roles.
Looking better than ever at age 33, Elvis brought a mature confidence to his role. The movie kept him off-screen more than usual, featuring just a handful of songs, including “Clean Up Your Own Backyard” and a few duets. But that turned out to be a good thing. For once, Elvis got to be part of an ensemble cast that included well-seasoned veterans like Vincent Price and up-and-comers like Dabney Coleman.
While critics couldn’t agree if this one was charming or confusing, The Trouble With Girls proved that even at the end of his Hollywood run, Elvis could still surprise audiences with something new.
Viva Las Vegas (1964)

Next up, Viva Las Vegas exploded with an energy unlike any other Elvis film. Playing Lucky Jackson, a race-car driver stuck in Vegas while he waits for a new engine, Elvis finally met his match in Ann-Margret. Their chemistry was off the charts, something totally different from his usual onscreen romances.
From “C’mon Everybody” to “What’d I Say,” the movie never slowed down, bouncing from one musical number to the next. When Elvis and Ann-Margret danced together, they lit up the screen, and that title song became Vegas’s unofficial anthem. Even the car racing scenes were exciting. Overall, this wasn’t just another Elvis movie. It was a real Hollywood musical that just happened to star the King.
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King Creole (1958)

Finishing off our list, King Creole is arguably Elvis’s finest movie. In the shadowy streets of New Orleans, Elvis played Danny Fisher, a high-school dropout trying to make it as a singer in the French Quarter. But this was no light musical. It was a dark drama directed by Michael Curtiz, who had already made the iconic Casablanca.
Right off the bat, the story threw Danny into the dark side of New Orleans. He caught the eye of Maxie Fields (Walter Matthau), a vicious gangster who wanted to control Danny’s singing career. Things got worse when Danny fell for Maxie’s troubled girlfriend, Ronnie (Carolyn Jones). Getting mixed up with a gangster’s girl wasn’t just risky— it put Danny’s life in real danger. This wasn’t the usual Elvis movie where losing a race or a girl was the worst thing that could happen. Here, one wrong move could get him killed.
The black and white film caught Elvis at his acting best. His songs (like “Hard Headed Woman” and “Trouble“) felt deeper, his performance more authentic. No racing cars or beach parties in sight, just Elvis proving he could really act.
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