“Life begins when you’re in Mexico”

Released November 27, 1963, Fun in Acapulco is a musical comedy and another Hal Wallis Production. The film stars Elvis Presley and former bond girl, Ursula Andress. Elvis stars are Mike Windgren, who worked on a boat until the daughter of the boat captain got him fired. Stranded in Mexico, Mike tries to find work and ends up meeting Raoul, a young local boy.

Raoul knows many people in Mexico and winds up helping Mike find a job in a hotel as a lifeguard and singer. The main lifeguard is angry with Mike is hired and becomes jealous when his girlfriend starts to pay more attention to him.

Bossa Nova Baby

Mike ends up in a love triangle with a lady bullfighter, Dolores, and Margarita (portrayed by Ursula Andress). Trying to find his way out of it, he asks Raoul for assistance in the matter. We later find out that Mike was part of a flying trapeze act and his partner fell to his death when Mike’s grip slipped. Mike was hiding from his family and trying to move past the tragedy. In the end, Mike ends up making a dangerous dive off of a cliff and lives happily ever after with Margarita.

Margarita

https://youtu.be/Efvdl2_zVtk

I absolutely loved this movie growing up, partially because this was one of the Elvis movies I watched most frequently. My mom is a huge reader and I would find myself at the library with her every week. In the movies section, they had Fun in Acapulco on VHS and I begged to rent it every time we went. My favorite scene is when Elvis is performing Bossa Nova as he goes back to his hip moving roots. This movie will always hold such a special place in my heart.

TCB,