Lucky Jackson arrives in town with his car literally in tow ready for the first Las Vegas Grand Prix - once he has the money to buy an engine. He gets the cash easily enough but mislays it when the pretty swimming pool manageress takes his mind off things. It seems he will lose both race and girl, problems made more difficult by rivalry from Elmo Mancini, fellow racer and womaniser.
Coming on a balmy day, with no pretensions of art, Viva Las Vegas, the new Elvia Presley vehicle, is about as pleasant and unimportant as a banana split. And as fetching to look at, it might be added.
– Howard Thompson,
New York Times,
9 May 2005
rotten:
Thin even by Presley standards.
– Tom Milne,
Time Out,
26 Jan 2006
fresh:
Vulgar, spirited, and neglected director George Sidney meets his match with this 1964 Elvis Presley vehicle.
– Jonathan Rosenbaum,
Chicago Reader,
24 Apr 2008
fresh:
The sizzling combination of Elvis Presley and Ann-Margaret is enough to carry Viva Las Vegas over the top.