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Bye-Bye Bali Baby

Thursday, May 24, 2007 Update by Zack "Geist Editor" Parsons

Bye-Bye Bali Baby (1963)

Directed by
Gene Nelson

Writing credits
Jules Verne (novella)
Gene Nelson (screenplay)

Genre: Comedy / Inoffensive Romance / Cursory Political Intrigue / Gonzo (more)

Tagline: Lasso a heart in an island paradise far away.

Plot Summary: A charismatic cowboy bound for army training depot is stranded by a storm on the island paradise of Bali. While he awaits the next ship, he meets interesting and attractive people and croons soulfully about nothing of significance. (view trailer)

User Comments: NOT ONE OF EVLISES BNEST MOVIES NOT ONE OF HIS WORST IT IS JUST AN OKAY MOVIE AND BARBAR EATEN SHOULD BE HIS WIFE AT THE NED NOT (more)

User Rating: 5.2 / 10 (844 votes)

Cast overview, first billed only:

Elvis Presley ... Rett Studebaker
Shirley Eaton ... Vanessa Goodling
Angela Lansbury ... Connie Goodling
Jim Backus ... Dr. Goodling/Chief Kahuna
Barbara Eden ... Annie Arrow/Chief's Daughter

Also Known As:

Elvis Presley Movie Number Twelve (USA) (working title)
Interesting Honshu: Evil Presrey (Jpn)
Grease Bloke Singer (UK)
Der Krooner Geheim (Ger)

Runtime: 82 mins
Country: USA
Language: Swaggerlish
Color: Sort of a reddish orange with golden flecks in it
Sound Mix: Twice fried dolby
Certification: Australia: N / Belgium: 4 / Canada: Dartmouth / Germany:1 / Spain: Cervantes / UK: A Bollock / USA: H+ / Norway: CHECK ENGINE OIL

Goofs:

• Crew or equipment visible: During the dance competition on the beach, Elvis can be seen in the background being released from his cage by Colonel Tom Parker just before entering the scene and biting Shirley Eaton on the arm.
  
• Revealing mistakes: When Elvis begins strumming the opening chords for "Roast Beef Baby" his guitar has no strings and is made out of sand.
  
• Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Elvis places his order for hamburgers at the Tiki Hop, white doves emerge from his mouth instead of words. This happens again for several seconds when he sings the chorus for "Bing Bong Bali Baby."
• Factual errors: A troop ship steaming from North Carolina to England could not conceivably end up over 4,000 kilometers off course in Bali.
  
• Crew or equipment visible: During the powder room scene at the hotel, Angela Lansbury can be seen reflected in Vanessa's makeup mirror kissing a goat wearing a dress and raincoat.
  
• Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Rett's "lucky dime" is actually a nickel. It is possible that Rett is dumb enough to believe it is a dime and it is possible that he is very sarcastic for no apparent reason.
  

Trivia:

• The studio lot in Burbank, CA where "Bye-Bye Bali Baby" was filmed was surrounded by a cordon of National Guardsmen and tanks whenever Elvis Presley was on the set. Near the end of filming several teenage girls broke onto the set and had to be run down by cavalry.
• Elvis Presley was incapable of visually distinguishing Barbara Eden from Shirley Eaton. Colonel Tom Parker would blow an ultrasonic whistle audible only to Elvis to signal which actress was in a particular scene.
• The soundtrack for "Bye-Bye Bali Baby" produced two number one hits for Elvis: "I'm as Lonesome as a Cat" and "Goodnight Coconut". A third song, "Bali Rodeo", charted briefly, but was pulled by the label when it was realized Elvis sings the word "shitpole" three times.
  
• Director trademark: Sonic waves generated by gyrating hips are used to ring a gong.
  
• Director trademark: Indigenous people portrayed as married to livestock and willing to cook and eat teenage white girls.
  

AMDB Memorable Quotes:

Sailor: The storm might capsize us. We have to pull into port.
Rett: Fuck this (starts singing "Girl Treble".)

Rett: I promise to take very good care of your daughter.
Dr. Goodling: I don't trust you to keep your hands to yourself.
Rett: These hands? They don't get into anything worse than massaging the neck of my guitar.
Dr. Goodling: I'll massage your neck with a noose!
Rett: Sorry, pops, no time to hang around.

Dr. Goodling: That boy is no good. Just a cowboy with no talent for anything but some stupid songs.
Connie Goodling: I disagree because it would run counter to my thin archetype to agree.

Rett: I like your grass skirt, what's your name?
Annie Arrow: Me name Annie Arrow.
Rett: Hey, you look hungry. You want one of my hamburgers?
Annie Arrow: I'll tuna eat.
Rett: Heyyy, Altuna? Me too. I'm from Altuna. Small world.

Annie Arrow: You no dance with Rett!
Vanessa: You'll be dancing with a knuckle sandwich if you don't knock it off.
Rett: Girls, girls, girls, there's enough of me to go around.
Vanessa: Shut up and play, Rett. We'll settle this the traditional way.
Rett: Fists?
Annie Arrow: Dance!
Rett:Alright! I know just the song for this one!

Big Kahuna: Me give blessing. You marry daughter.
Rett: I can't, chief. I'm going to marry Vanessa.
Big Kahuna: Ah, good. I always knew you make a great roast.
Rett: Hey, wait a second (starts singing "The Stew Pot is Boiling Over").

- Zack "Geist Editor" Parsons