Elvis Presley

VIVA LAS VEGAS

Viva Las Vegas

MGM, 1964.  Directed by George Sidney.  Camera:  Joseph Biroc.  With Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret, Cesare Danova, William Demarest, Nicky Blair.

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Sports car enthusiast Lucky Jackson defeats Italian champion Count Elmo Mancini, who then asks Lucky to drive for him.  Lucky refuses and plans to get a new engine and race his own car in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.  When Lucky and Mancini arrive in Las Vegas, they are both attracted to Rusty Martin, a hotel swimming instructor.  Lucky loses his money when he is pushed into a pool, and he takes a job as a waiter in order to pay his bills.  Rusty, falling in love with Lucky, tries to persuade him to give up racing, and she flirts with Mancini to make Lucky jealous.

Lucky enters the hotel talent contest but only ties with Rusty.  Instead of the necessary cash, Rusty receives a pool table and Lucky, a honeymoon.

Hours before the Grand Prix, Rusty's father, who has always been interested in racing, secretly borrows the money for Lucky.  Mancini's car crashes, and Lucky goes on to win the race and marry Rusty.

American Film Institute Catalog