1960 Box Office Smash That Attracted Royalty Ranked Among Best Rock Movies
In the spring of 1958, Elvis Presley traded his blue-suede shoes for a pair of government-issued combat boots. Elvis was in the Army now.
So, when he returned from Germany exactly two years later, fans couldn't wait to get a peek at the King of Rock and Roll. Their wishes were granted when G.I. Blues hit theaters in the fall of 1960.
"The plot of G.I. Blues … capitalized on [Elvis'] two years of service," Ultimate Classic Rock wrote. "So for fans who waited to get a glimpse of Presley, it didn't really matter that it wasn't particularly good."
Still, the authority on all things classic rock must have seen something they liked about the film, because they just ranked it the best rock movie of 1960.
A musical comedy with a simmering romance plot, Presley plays Tulsa McLean, a tank gunner in the 3rd Armored Division stationed in Frankfurt. He and his buddies have dreams of opening a nightclub when they get back Stateside. To get the capital they need to do so, Tulsa bets his platoon that he can make Lily the "Ice Queen" fall in love with him. It's She's All That, military style.
Hollywood beauty Juliet Prowse stars opposite Presley, with frequent Presley collaborator Norman Taurog directing. While filming, IMDb shared, Paramount Studios invited actual royalty to meet The King. The Scandinavian princesses - Margrethe of Denmark, Astrid of Norway, and Margaretha of Sweden - as well as the royals of Thailand - His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit - all visited the studio to meet Presley and Prowse.
The film proved to be a massive commercial success, generating more than $4 million on a $2 million budget, per IMDb. It also marked a shift in Presley's public image. Changing from rock ‘n' roll rebel to clean-cut all-American, the movie star performed lullabies, ballads, and softer tunes in his fifth feature.
The soundtrack features 12 tracks, ranging from "Tonight Is So Right for Love" and "Pocketful of Rainbows" to "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Doin' the Best I Can." The fourth track, "Wooden Heart," became a smash hit in August 1961, when singer Joe Dowell recorded his own version.
Of course, audiences first fell in love with the folksy tune that features Presley singing in German by watching G.I. Blues.
G.I. blues is available to buy on YouTube.
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This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 6:38 PM.