Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii isn’t just a feast for the eyes with its stunning Hawaiian backdrop and swoon-worthy soundtrack — it’s also a treasure trove of delightful mistakes that make us love the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll even more.
While Elvis charmed his way through the 1961 musical with his undeniable charisma, a few slip-ups managed to sneak past the editors.
The debate about his best movie will probably rage on forever, but when experts rank Elvis’s films, Blue Hawaii rarely cracks the top three. Still, there’s something undeniably special about this fan-favorite.
A few little-known bloopers
Packed with hilarious moments and showcasing Elvis’s excellent comedic timing, the movie allowed him to play off other talented actors, many of whom were comedy greats of their time. Despite mixed reviews from critics, Blue Hawaii became the 10th top-grossing film of 1961, earning $4.2 million at the box office. Elvis’s turn as Chad Gates — a charming ex-G.I. ditching his father’s fruit business to become a beach-loving tour guide — was both endearing and entertaining.
And let’s not forget the soundtrack! It gave us classics like Can’t Help Falling in Love, which climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains a timeless favorite.
But while Blue Hawaii captured hearts with its stunning scenery and Elvis’s natural charisma, it also delivered a few little-known bloopers and behind-the-scenes mishaps that make it even more fun to watch today. Ready to spot some of these hidden gems? Let’s dive in!
Blue Hawaii marked a big change
I’m not sure how many people have noticed this, but for me, it was a real eye-opener. Blue Hawaii was the first time when a Elvis’ character wasn’t a performer with a built-in reason to sing.
Instead, Chad Gates would suddenly break into song at the most unexpected moments — whether he was lounging on the beach or paddling a canoe. Sure, it might be a little cheesy, but that spontaneous musical magic is what makes Blue Hawaii such a fun, feel-good movie.
A blueprint for all future Presley movies
When Blue Hawaii became a massive hit, both the movie and its soundtrack, Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker saw a winning formula.
He decided to use it as the blueprint for all future Presley films — set Elvis in an exotic location, add a few beautiful co-stars, and make sure he sang enough songs to fill an entire album. And guess what? It worked! Elvis landed in the Top Ten Box-Office Stars list a whopping seven times throughout the 1960s.
Hundreds of screaming fans
Here’s a little gem I just have to keep in mind the next time I watch Blue Hawaii. According to IMDb, when Chad (Elvis Presley) first steps off the plane, if you turn the sound up loud enough, you’ll actually hear hundreds of screaming fans who were there watching the shoot. How cool is that?
Juliet Prowse’s special demands
It’s hard to imagine Blue Hawaii without Elvis and Joan Blackman, who played Maile Duval. But here’s a fun tidbit: Juliet Prowse, who starred alongside Elvis in G.I. Blues (1960), was originally signed to play Maile.
However, she had some unusual requests – she wanted to bring in a makeup artist from another studio and have the film’s studio cover the cost of flying her secretary to Hawaii. When those demands were turned down, she decided to walk away from the role.
Elvis looked ‘disgusted’ and ‘ashamed’
In my opinion, Elvis was often underrated as an actor. When he was provided with solid material, he consistently delivered strong performances.
The King has often been described in glowing terms when it comes to Blue Hawaii, but was it all sunshine and palm trees for him? According to Anne Fulchino, a publicity director who worked with Elvis, the King himself found the experience a bit humiliating.
Fulchino recalled visiting Elvis during the film’s production and sensing his unease.
“It was a while before he came over and talked to us, and when he did — you see at the beginning I used to call him Chief and I said, ‘Hi, Chief,’ and he just looked at me like he wished I hadn’t come,” Fulchino shared in Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick.
Fulchino understood why Elvis felt the way he did.
“I said to myself, ‘If I was making these crappy pictures, I wouldn’t want to see anybody from my past either,’” she said. “That’s the reason I didn’t hang around.”
She left the set early, noting just how obvious it was that Elvis was uncomfortable.
“He was obviously uncomfortable with what he was doing, he was frustrated and disgusted — it was all in his face,” Fulchino continued. “The emotion I respected most was that he was ashamed of it, which meant that he knew better — but you could see that he was trapped.”
When Elvis yelled ”CUT!”
Filming Blue Hawaii wasn’t exactly a walk in the park for Elvis Presley. With crowds of fans constantly trying to get a glimpse of The King, security had to be on high alert. Elvis could hardly move around without extra protection, so he missed out on many of the island’s tourist spots. But there was one thing he made sure to do—take golf lessons from none other than pro Gary Player.
Gary recalled: “After I won my first Masters in 1961, I received an invitation telegram from Elvis – The King. A telegram, not as easy as a text is today. We were playing in Los Angeles and I went to the set of ‘Hawaii’ where Elvis was filming. He saw me walk in the room and yelled ‘CUT!’ The gentleman he was, Elvis went and put a jacket before he came to shake my hand. Elvis was just starting to play golf and asked for a few swing tips. He gave me a practice swing, and I swear, it was like a cow giving birth to a roll of barbwire. So, I adjusted his grip and told him he really had to use his hips during the downswing. He said, ‘Baby, you’re talking to the right man.’ And gave us all a little shake.”
Elvis played a frightening prank
Whether it was frustration or just a bit of mischief, Elvis certainly knew how to have fun on set. During filming of Blue Hawaii, his girlfriend at the time, Anita Wood, joined him in pulling off a hilarious prank. The plan? Elvis would pretend to be dead.
Out of nowhere, Wood began screaming that Elvis wasn’t breathing, sending his entourage into a panic. Everyone rushed to his house, frantically trying to call an ambulance — only to find Elvis sitting up and casually explaining:
“I just wanted to see what you guys would do,” according to Cheatsheet.
The red MG roadster
If you’re an Elvis fan, you probably already know about his lifelong love affair with cars – and not just any cars, but the top-of-the-line luxury ones.
One car that really caught his eye during the filming of Blue Hawaii was the 1960 MGA 1600 MkI roadster. He loved it so much that he ended up buying it. Now, that very red MG is part of the impressive collection at Graceland, sharing space with his motorcycles, Cadillacs, Stutzes, and a whole lot of other shiny toys.
A popular wedding location
Hawaii quickly became one of Elvis Presley’s favorite filming spots, and for good reason! He filmed three movies there, and one of the most iconic scenes was the picnic scene with Chad and Maile.
This picturesque moment was filmed at an overlook off Tantalus Drive, and guess what? You can still enjoy that stunning view today. In fact, it’s such a breathtaking spot that it’s become a popular wedding location.
And here’s a cool tidbit about Blue Hawaii’s filming locations: While shooting the movie, Elvis Presley stayed at the iconic Coco Palms Resort, which actually appeared in the film itself. The Coco Palms Resort is probably most famous in as the setting for Elvis Presley and Joan Blackman’s on-screen wedding. It also featured in the iconic scene where Elvis sings “Hawaiian Wedding Song.”
In its prime, the resort attracted Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Bing Crosby.
Sadly, the resort was destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and has never been rebuilt or developed. So, if you’re ever in Hawaii, you can still find the remains of the Coco Palms, a little piece of Elvis history.
Elvis wanted to marry Joan Blackman
While filming Blue Hawaii in 1961, Elvis Presley developed quite the connection with his co-star, Joan Blackman. In fact, their chemistry was so strong that Joan admitted to feeling a special spark between them when they first met in 1957.
”When we first set eyes on each other, there was a spark, a magic in the air… There was just that special something between us, sometimes so warm and wonderful you could almost reach out and touch it,” Joan shared in a 1977 interview with Midnight Globe.
Despite their undeniable connection, Elvis wasn’t shy about wanting Joan as his wife, even begging her to appear in more of his films.
However, Joan had other plans: “I wanted parts because of my ability, not because I was dating Elvis,” she stated.
A bad cut
Now, let’s dive into some bloopers that only the true Blue Hawaii fans might have caught.
In the “Almost Always True” car scene, there’s a noticeable edit mistake: Maile’s hands suddenly change position on the steering wheel, and Chad’s left arm magically shifts from resting on his seatback to stretched out behind Maile.
Pineapple field scene
In the pineapple field scene, Ellie stays in the car (clearly in the back seat on the driver’s side) while the others head to the stand.
But when Chad returns with some pineapple, Ellie has mysteriously switched to the passenger side, all to accommodate the camera angle and dialogue — a classic continuity slip!
The magic ukulele in Blue Hawaii
Blue Hawaii contained 14 songs, more than any other Elvis movie.
But do you remember when Chad was strumming the ukulele? Well, if you paid close attention, you’ll notice he’s not changing chords, even though the music is
Later, Elvis actually gave that famous ukulele to his buddy Hank Garland, aka “Sugarfoot.” Hank was a top-notch guitar player in Nashville and even toured with Elvis from 1958 to 1961. Elvis liked Hank so much that he even etched his initials into the ukulele. At a 1961 Hawaiian benefit concert, Elvis called Garland ”one of the finest guitar players in all of the country.”
The patch Chad wears on his uniform
The patch that Chad wears on his uniform in Blue Hawaii isn’t just a random decoration. It’s actually the insignia of the 3rd Armored Division of the U.S. Army, also known as ‘Spearhead.’
This was the very division Elvis Presley served with during his time stationed in Germany, where he earned the rank of buck sergeant.
Final holiday
In a beautiful full-circle moment, Elvis Presley’s final vacation in March 1977 took him back to Hawaii, a place that held such special memories for him.
Elvis Presley and his Memphis Mafia stayed at the Hilton Rainbow Tower. But that’s not all — he later moved to a beach house with his girlfriend Ginger Alden and her two sisters.
From golf lessons with Gary Player to the magic of Hawaii’s stunning landscapes, Blue Hawaii wasn’t just another movie for Elvis—it was an unforgettable chapter in his life. Behind the scenes, Elvis proved that even when surrounded by chaos, he could still find time for fun, humor, and, of course, a bit of musical magic. Whether it was the epic scenes, quirky bloopers, or his personal connection to the Aloha spirit, this film remains a classic.
So, next time you watch Blue Hawaii, keep an eye out for the little details and fun facts. After all, Elvis wasn’t just The King on screen—he was a true legend, on and off the set. Don’t forget to share your favorite Elvis moments and let’s keep the Aloha spirit alive!
