1. Blue Hawaii

Name of a 1961 movie staring Elvis Presley.

Blue Hawaii, released on November 22, 1961, was one of a long series of movies starring Elvis Presley. Like so many of these films, the movie consisted of a healthy serving of flimsy plot, a dash of Elvis charisma, and plenty of singing by the King.

Blue Hawaii centers around Chad Gates (Presley), who returns to his home in Hawaii after spending the last two years as an Army sergeant stationed in Europe. Chad's parents (Roland Winters as Fred Gates and Angela Landsbury as Sara Lee Gates) are successful managers of a fruit company on Hawaii, and they expect him to work in the business.

Chad wants his independence, and defies his parents to work as a tour guide. Gates is in love with Maile Duval (Joan Blackman), but his relationship is complicated when he must guide a group of difficult high school-aged females.

Blue Hawaii was filmed on location in Honolulu and Kauai, and directed by Elvis movie veteran Norman Taurog. Blue Hawaii featured fourteen songs performed by Presley, including the classic title song 'Blue Hawaii' and 'Can't Help Falling in Love'.

This movie is notable in Polynesian Pop culture. The movie prominently displays Pacific-influenced architecture in many of the homes (including using A-framed roofs and lava rock construction). Two notable sets are the house of Chad Gates' parents, and the restaurant where the fight breaks out. The restaurant is classic Tiki, with dark wood and lava rock, giant clamshell light fixtures, fishing floats, and more.

Also notable in this movie is the prominence given to Mai Tais. When Chad visits his parents for the first time since returning to Hawaii, his father says that he should try 'the new rum drink'. Mai Tais are mentioned no less than four times during the course of the film and are frequently visible. Jack Kelman (John Archer), an associate of Chad's father, refers to Mai Tais as 'tummy warmers'.

Blue Hawaii is an excellent record of Hawaii in the early 1960s, and a peek at how Tiki was presented at its height of popularity.