ELVIS MONTH Day 6. Flaming Star (1960)

Year: 1960

Age: 25

Movie: 6th

I have been looking forward to seeing this one again. It has been a few years. I’ve always loved this one, mainly because it’s a western, it has E in it, and he is shirtless for quite a bit of the movie. In my opinion, this is Top 2 of best acting efforts by Elvis. The other being Charro! another western. More westerns should be in his library of work but we get what we have been given (by the Colonel). Elvis looks very comfortable in this role.

The original title of this movie was Black Star, and originally set to star Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brandon. Elvis recorded Black Star and Flaming Star, however Black Star was not released until the 1990’s.

Elvis doesn’t actually sing the song Flaming Star in the movie, it’s just played during the opening credits and it also finishes the movie. The only video I could find of Flaming Star is an edit, with bits from the movie.

Opening scene…A surprise party for Pacer (Elvis), not advisable to surprise a fully armed cowboy, however they all survived. Straight into a song, there is no mucking around with this movie, Elvis movie, here sing a song. That song Cane And A High Starched Collar. This video is also an edit with clips of the movie. Just can’t find these clips…

But…that’s the first and the second last song of the movie. Having broke that news to you, I know of three others that related to this movie; Britches, which was cut from the movie, as was Summer Kisses Winter Tears and the original title song “Black Star”.

Elvis plays Pacer, the son of a Kiowa mother (Elvis’ Great Great Great Grandmother was full Cherokee) and a Texas rancher father. His family, including a half-brother, Clint, live on the Texas frontier. A nearby tribe of Kiowa begin raiding neighboring homesteads, and Pacer is, apparently, also to blame as he is half Kiowa.

Publicity shots of Elvis in this movie was famously used by Andy Warhol. I saw the originals a few years ago at the Andy Warhol exhibition.

The Kiowa chief wants Pacer to join him against the whites. Pacer and his Kiowa mother travel to the Kiowa’s camp to try to come to a peaceful resolution. This, of course, doesn’t happen. And his Mum gets shot. Stand off with the cranky towns people. Kidnaps towns Doctor followed closely by Roslyn (Barbara Eden). Mother sees the flaming star and we say bye to Pacer’s Mum.

In his grief, Pacer joins the Kiowa tribe, feeling as though he may be accepted by his mother’s people and blaming the white man for her death. The Chief promises that Pacer’s remaining family will be safe, however his Father is killed by a Kiowa warrior.

Then, pretty much your standard cowboy versus indian fight and Pacer rescues his brother. The blood on Clint (Pacer’s brother) looks extremely fake, and off comes the shirt.

Clint returns to the town, badly wounded and the next day Pacer shows up to tell Clint he has seen the flaming star of death and then rides off into the hills to die, while tears well up in my eyes…damn you Elvis!