Did you know the entire Love Me Tender movie is available on YouTube? Watching it for the first time is a real treat and a reminder of just how talented Elvis Presley truly was. He wasn’t just the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll — he had it all!
From his incredible singing voice and captivating dance moves to his natural acting ability and timeless good looks, Elvis proved he was a true star in every sense of the word.
Love Me Tender marked Elvis Presley’s big-screen debut, showcasing his undeniable charm and talent beyond music. Released in 1956, the film is a mix of romance, drama, and Western flair, set against the backdrop of the Civil War.
When the movie premiered at New York City’s Paramount Theater, 1,500 devoted fans camped out overnight beneath a towering 40-foot cutout of Elvis, eagerly awaiting the chance to see their idol on the big screen.
Once inside the theater, Elvis’ fans were so ecstatic that their nonstop screams often overpowered his lines — a true testament to the unparalleled star power he held at the time.
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In Love Me Tender, Elvis was so young and full of innocence, with his charming Southern drawl and natural light brown hair. He radiated beauty and purity.
While beloved by fans, the movie holds some hidden gems, fascinating behind-the-scenes facts – and a few surprising mistakes that stunned me.
They changed the title
The first thing that struck me was that Love Me Tender wasn’t even supposed to be called that. Originally titled The Reno Brothers, the name was changed to capitalize on the popularity of the film’s title song, sung by Elvis Presley.
Love Me Tender takes loose inspiration from the infamous Reno Gang, making it the only film where Elvis played a historical character. Active in the 1860s, the Reno Gang operated out of Indiana and earned a notorious reputation as the pioneers of train robbery in the United States.
Led by brothers Frank, John, Simeon, and William Reno, their daring heists and ruthless methods made them legendary outlaws, though their criminal exploits were ultimately brought to an end by vigilante justice.
Behind the scenes of Elvis’ debut
In his younger days, Elvis Presley worked as a cinema usher, soaking up Hollywood magic while watching his idols James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Tony Curtis light up the big screen.
He dreamed of becoming an actor — not a singing sensation, but a serious movie star. However, Colonel Tom Parker had other plans. Parker’s vision was to cross-promote Elvis’s films with his music, making soundtracks as crucial as the scripts themselves.
Still, when Elvis got the chance after three days of screen tests, he didn’t land a leading role. Instead, he was cast as Clint Reno, the youngest of the four Reno brothers. The part wasn’t originally intended for Elvis — it had been turned down by Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Wagner because it was too small.
Elvis was very serious about acting
And speaking of small, this is the only Elvis movie where he didn’t get top billing. He was third on the list, behind Richard Egan and Debra Paget.
But Elvis wasn’t one to half-step. He arrived on set with all of his lines memorized —and even knew everyone else’s. Dedicated to the craft, he dove into the role, though he found some moments challenging. At one point, he joked to a friend about spending an entire day “behind a team of mules.”
Producer David Weisbart had nothing but praise for the King, saying Elvis was “humble, polite, and very serious about acting.” Elvis wrapped up his scenes and recorded all the songs for the movie in just over a month, proving he was as hardworking as he was talented.
Extra scenes added
Elvis may not have been James Dean, but for his acting debut with no formal training, he delivered an impressive performance.
In fact, additional scenes and lines were specifically added for Elvis Presley’s character, which was initially intended to be a minor role.
Wait, isn’t this the Wild West?
Elvis wasn’t supposed to play a singer in Love Me Tender, which is why he was initially thrilled to sign on. But much to his dismay, that changed quickly.
Not only does he break into song just five minutes into his first onscreen appearance, but later, during a benefit scene, Clint Reno (Elvis) performs like he’s at one of his 1950s concerts. Cue screaming girls in the audience — definitely not typical of the 1860s.
Elvis the accidental songwriter
While Elvis Presley is credited as co-writer of the film’s four songs, the truth is his contributions were more about royalty rights than actual writing. During a 1968 press conference, Elvis cheekily admitted that his only lyrical input to the title song Love Me Tender was a single line. Talk about royalties for minimal effort.
The truth behind the Love Me Tender song
The iconic title song Love Me Tender wasn’t originally an Elvis original! The melody is based on the Civil War-era ballad “Aura Lee,” a romantic tune popular in the 1860s. While the lyrics are credited to Vera Matson (though the actual lyricist was her husband, Ken Darby), the reworked version became an instant hit.
Elvis debuted Love Me Tender on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956, weeks before the movie’s release. The performance caused such a frenzy that RCA received over a million advance orders for the single, making it a gold record even before it officially hit shelves.
The song was #1 on the charts for five weeks. Elvis was still singing it 20 years later in concert, proving that Love Me Tender was more than just a hit — it was a timeless classic that stayed with him throughout his career.
Elvis became obsessed with Debra Paget
Debra Paget was extremely beautiful in her prime and charmed millions of Americans when she starred in Elvis Presley’s film debut. The talented actress was ”touched by the hand of God,” according to legendary director Cecil B DeMille.
Apparently, even the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ became obsessed with her.
Debra Paget was a 22-year-old established Hollywood star when she stepped onto the set of Love Me Tender. Back then, she was probably the most beautiful actress of the Hollywood Golden age. And that is saying something.
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She and Elvis Presley first met months earlier when both appeared on the Milton Berle Show on June 5, 1956. It was the moment when Elvis shocked conservative America by gyrating his famous, or infamous, pelvis during his now-iconic rendition of Hound Dog.
“Although I usually don’t form an opinion of a person until I have met him,” she explained. “Frankly I looked forward to my first meeting with Elvis Presley with mixed emotions. I’d heard and read a lot about this new young singing sensation from Tennessee—and most of it was not complimentary.”
Inside their first meeting
Elvis surprised Debra in many ways during their first, memorable meeting. As a born-again Christian, you might think that Debra disliked The King, but it was quite the opposite.
When Mr. Berle introduced the 21-year-old rising star to Debra on his show, he firmly grabbed her hand and said: “I’m glad to meet you, Miss Paget.”
Elvis then shook Debra’s mother’s hand with equal vigor, excused himself, and returned a few minutes later with a chair for her.
“We were together for only a couple of hours but sometimes you can learn more about a person in a short span of time than in weeks of seeing one another constantly. I felt I did. From the very beginning, Elvis impressed me as a pleasant, sincere, obliging young man,” Debra recalled.
Elvis proposal to Debra Paget
According to Daily Express, Elvis Presley believed that Debra was ”the most beautiful girl he had ever seen” and even visited her parent’s house.
“From the time he first came to the house, my folks have considered Elvis a member of the Paget clan—a feeling which, I believe, he reciprocated,” Debra explained.
But Debra and Elvis’s relationship was more family-oriented than a whirlwind romance – at least in the eyes of the young actress.
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“I was very shy, very quiet and very immature for my age. I was in my very early 20’s but I was emotionally more like a 16-year-old. Elvis and I just sort of came together like a couple of children really.”
Elvis, however, seems to have thought otherwise.
“Following the film, he did ask me to marry him but my parents objected to my getting married. I cared about Elvis, but being one not to disobey my parents, that did not take place,” Debra shared.
In the end, Debra turned Elvis down – she had already fallen in love with Howard Hughes, a famous film producer and billionaire.
Priscilla copied Debra Paget
It’s clear that Debra Paget made a lasting impression on Elvis, given everything that has come to light over the years. Looking at the photos from on and off the set, it’s clear that they had a special bond – those pictures speak for themselves!
But Debra’s charisma and style didn’t only influence Elvis. It’s said that in 1959, Priscilla Presley copied Debra Paget’s distinctive hairstyle from Love Me Tender to capture Elvis’s attention.
Elvis mother didn’t like the ending
Spoiler alert! For those who have seen and remember Love Me Tender, you’ll likely recall that Elvis Presley’s character, Clint Reno, meets a tragic end when he is shot and dies in Cathy’s arms (Debra Paget).
It’s said that Elvis’s mother and thousands of fans were so upset by the original ending that the producers decided to alter it. They added a silhouette of Elvis singing the title song over the end credits to give the film a more uplifting conclusion.
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This uplifting scene, however, led to a continuity error. By the time of the additional shooting, Elvis had dyed his hair black, while in the movie, his hair color was closer to blonde.
Zippers weren’t invented yet
Here are a few of the most famous bloopers from Love Me Tender that will surely make you smile:
First, there’s the moment when the Reno brothers try to convince some former soldiers to hand over the money. They disarm the three men, but if you watch carefully, the camera angles flip-flop between a guy hiding his gun under his jacket, then suddenly it’s exposed, then — whoops! — it’s back under his jacket again.
Then, in a scene where a Confederate soldier zips up a pair of pants that were clearly taken off Northern soldiers… except, fun fact, zippers weren’t invented yet. Guess we’ve got a little time-travel magic happening on set!
And don’t miss the part where Cathy Reno is crying at the window. In the background, there’s a car parked — an anachronistic surprise in a film set in the 1860s.
Lastly, during the song ”We’re Gonna Move,” Elvis is supposed to be strumming his guitar, but when he takes his hands off it, guess what? The guitar sound still plays. Maybe he was really channeling his inner ghost guitarist?
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