By: Jason R. Edwards
In 2023, on the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s historic "Aloha from Hawaii" concert—arguably one of the most watched shows in television history—I proclaimed Elvis the “King of Civil War Historiography” for his stirring performance of “An American Trilogy,” which celebrated the common humanity and sacrifice of both North and South in the Civil War. Due to the positive reception, I will once again explore the unusual pairing of Elvis and the Civil War by asking: what was Elvis’s first film?
Elvis aficionados might quickly answer “Love Me Tender”—and they’d be right. But how many know that the film’s namesake song and setting are centered on the Civil War?
In 1956, Elvis made his film debut in 20th Century–Fox’s Love Me Tender, which starred Richard Egan and Debra Paget, while introducing Elvis to movie audiences. This was the only one of Presley’s thirty-plus films in which he did not receive top billing. Set during the Civil War, Love Me Tender was originally titled The Reno Brothers. In it, Elvis plays the youngest of four brothers and the only one (due to his age) not to fight in the war. The film opens with a dramatic federal payroll train robbery carried out by Confederate cavalry led by Elvis’s kin. After their success, but before they can deliver the stolen loot to their commander, the men discover that the war has ended. They now face a moral dilemma: what should they do with the treasure?
Further drama unfolds when the brothers return home after four years of fighting, only to find their father has been killed and discover that they had been reported dead. Though their family is overjoyed to discover the brothers are alive, conflict arises when it is revealed that Clint Reno (Elvis) has married his eldest brother Vance’s sweetheart (Debra Paget), unaware that Vance (Richard Egan) had survived.
Theatrical release poster by Tom Chantrell
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From the vantage point of 2024, it is fascinating to reflect on the culture of a different time. Although the film provides limited insight into the 1860s, it is notable that in 1956, neither the North nor the South was required to be portrayed as the embodiment of evil. It was assumed that soldiers and families wrestled seriously with questions of honor, fidelity, and moral dilemmas in both relationships and war. While Elvis’s famous gyrations may seem anachronistic to the film’s 1860s setting, the values assumed by 1950s America now appear even more out of step with the 21st century. Modern artists rarely share or understand the values of the 1950s—or 1860s, for that matter.
Though Love Me Tender will never be regarded as “great” cinema, it was financially successful and established the four-song formula that would shape Elvis’s highly successful film career throughout the 1960s. The song “Love Me Tender” is one of Elvis’s most beloved, but few realize that its melody originated in 1861 with the publication of “Aura Lee or the Maid with Golden Hair.” W. W. Fosdick (lyrics) and George R. Poulton’s (music) song “Aura Lee” became a popular tune for both sides during the Civil War, with soldiers often modifying its lyrics. As such, Elvis’s film and musical performance nearly a century later serve as yet another fitting tribute to our shared humanity and American heritage.
