Tonight, the popular Elvis Presley movie Jailhouse Rock airs from 8.50pm on Sky Arts. The Rock’n’roll drama follows Presley’s character Vince Everett, who is sentenced to prison for manslaughter and taught how to play guitar while inside by his cellmate. After his release, Everett founded a recording company, and soon the new rock ‘n’ roll sound was born.
The 1957 film is often considered one of Presley’s best works on screen, and while it was initially negatively received by critics, it was selected decades later for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
The dance sequence to the film’s title song is often considered Presley’s “Greatest Screen Moment”.
Presley, who died at the age of 42, is also known for his amazing voice, as he counts his exploits far from the glare of the media, including his relationships.
Perhaps his most famous partner is his wife Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he married in 1967, before divorcing some six years later.
While they appeared on a united front at times during their relationship, Priscilla herself discussed at length how difficult it was to unite, and how often she felt pressure to marry a rock star.
Prior to their marriage, Presley’s infamous manager Colonel Tom Parker indicated that he was concerned about any possible repercussions with fans and the press should she not marry his lover.
Thus, before Christmas 1966, Presley proposed marriage, and the couple married the following year in Las Vegas.
Speaking to Barbara Walters in 1985, Priscilla noted how Parker “put pressure to get married and marry soon” on the couple.
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Priscilla’s father, Captain Joseph Beaulieu, asked to meet Presley, and demanded to know “Why my daughter…when you have women throwing themselves at you.”
According to a 1978 article, Elvis replied, “I was very much in love with her. She is more mature than her age and I enjoy her company.”
“You don’t have to worry about her, Captain. I’ll take good care of her.”
Speaking to Walters, Priscilla continued: “He came home and was charming and wonderful.
“My family believed in him a lot.”
But while he was a friendly person around his family, concerns continued to grow inside Beaulieu’s home, as her parents became “confused and stunned” by the relationship.
Priscilla added in People: “We tried to get them to believe it was appropriate and platonic, and they wanted to believe me.
“Whenever they tried to stop us from seeing each other, I begged and cried and made them and myself miserable.
“Looking back, I don’t think anything could have stopped me from seeing Elvis.”
Presley and Priscilla when she was only 14 years old, and King was in Germany during his military career.
Priscilla was concerned that when he returned to the United States in 1960, Presley might no longer be interested in having a relationship, adding, “I was dreaded this day because I didn’t know, in fact, whether I’d ever see him again.
“One request that he asked me not to bring tears to my eyes, so you see me smiling here.
“There are other pictures where I’m frustrated, looking away, and knowing I may never see him again. So that was the beginning.”
Jailhouse Rock airs from 8:50 p.m. on Sky Arts.
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