Flaming Star

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Flaming Star
Directed by Don Siegel
Michael D. Moore
Produced by David Weisbart
Written by Clair Huffaker (novel)
Clair Huffaker
Nunnally Johnson
Starring Elvis Presley
Barbara Eden
Music by Cyril J. Mockridge
Cinematography Charles G. Clarke
Editing by Hugh S. Fowler
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) December 20, 1960
Running time 101 min.
Country U.S.A.
Language English
Preceded by G.I. Blues
Followed by Wild in the Country
IMDb profile

Flaming Star is a 1960 Western film / Drama film starring Elvis Presley, based on the book Flaming Lance (1958) by Clair Huffaker. A dramatic role, it is said that Elvis Presley gave one of his best acting performances as the half-breed "Pacer Burton." The film's working title was Black Star. It was directed by Don Siegel.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Elvis Presley plays Pacer Burton, the son of a Kiowa mother and a Texas rancher father. Along with his half-brother, Clint, the four of them live a typical life on the Texas frontier. Life soon becomes anything but typical when a nearby tribe of Kiowa begin raiding neighboring homesteads. Pacer soon finds himself caught between the two worlds, part of both but belonging to neither.

[edit] Primary cast

[edit] Soundtrack

The soundtrack was not released as an album as the film contains only two songs; only "Flaming Star" was released on an EP entitled Elvis By Request - Flaming Star to coincide with the film's release. Two other songs, "Britches" and "Summer Kisses, Winter Tears", were originally scheduled to be part of the movie but in the end were not included. "Summer Kisses" was released on the Elvis by Request EP and would later appear on the compilation album Elvis for Everyone five years later. "Britches" and "Cane and a High Starched Collar" (the second song to actually be included in the film) would not be released until after Presley's death as part of RCA Records' A Legendary Performer series. An early version of "Flaming Star", using the film's working title, "Black Star", was also recorded and not released until the 1990s.

Flaming Star was the first Presley film not to have a full soundtrack release in either LP or EP form (although the Elvis by Request release come close). This would happen again in 1961 with Wild in the Country, and become standard procedure for Presley's later films, beginning with Stay Away, Joe.

[edit] Recording musicians

[edit] Tracks (songwriter)

[edit] Trivia

  • This was Elvis' first non-musical film role. It did not perform as well at the box office as his musicals, leading Colonel Tom Parker to decree that Presley would perform only in musicals from here on. Elvis wouldn't release another non-musical film until 1969's Charro! -- another western.
  • The role of Pacer was originally written for Marlon Brando, whilst Frank Sinatra was suggested for the role of the elder brother.
  • The original female lead was English actress Barbara Steele who was replaced with Barbara Eden during filming
  • This movie's publicity still of Elvis was used by Andy Warhol to create several silkscreens: "Double Elvis", "Triple Elvis", and "Elvis 11 Times".

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Movie reviews

[edit] DVD reviews


v • d • e
Films directed by Don Siegel

Star in the Night • The Verdict • Night Unto Night • The Big Steal • Duel at Silver Creek • Count the Hours • China Venture • Riot in Cell Block 11 • Private Hell 36 • The Blue and Gold • Invasion of the Body Snatchers • Crime in the Streets • Baby Face Nelson • Spanish Affair • The Gun Runners • The Lineup • Hound Dog Man • Edge of Eternity • Flaming Star • Hell Is for Heroes • The Killers • The Hanged Man • Stranger on the Run • Coogan's Bluff • Madigan • Two Mules for Sister Sara • The Beguiled • Dirty Harry • Charley Varrick • The Black Windmill • The Shootist • Telefon • Escape from Alcatraz • Rough Cut • Jinxed!