Speedway (1968 film)

"Speedway (film)" redirects here. For the 1929 film of the same name, see Speedway (1929 film).

Speedway
File:SpeedwayElvis.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Norman Taurog
Produced by	Douglas Laurence
Written by	Phillip Shuke
Starring	Elvis Presley Nancy Sinatra Bill Bixby
Music by	Jeff Alexander
Cinematography	Joseph Ruttenberg
Edited by	Richard W. Farrell
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates	June 12, 1968 (1968-06-12) (USA)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$3,000,000
Box office	$2,000,000 (US/ Canada)

Speedway is a 1968 American musical action film starring Elvis Presley as a racecar driver and Nancy Sinatra as his romantic interest.

Plot

Steve Grayson (Elvis) is a generous NASCAR race car driver who feels compelled to bail friends and acquaintances out of financial hardship. However, Steve's manager Kenny Donford (Bill Bixby), a compulsive gambler, had been mismanaging Steve's winnings to support his gambling habits, landing Steve in deep trouble with the IRS for nonpayment of back taxes. This proves to be a problem for Steve in his efforts to continue racing competitively and support those who depend on his generosity.

Susan Jacks (Sinatra) is the IRS agent assigned to keep tabs on Steve and apply his future prize money toward his $150,000 debt, but she ends up taking a romantic interest in him.

Production

Elvis was paid $850,000 plus 50% of the profits.

Filming began on 26 June 1967.

Scenes were shot at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The film features guest appearances by several of the top stock-car—better known now as NASCAR—drivers of the day including Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, Tiny Lund and more.

This would be the final "formula" musical film of Presley's career. His remaining films would be less musical and more adult in tone.

Release

Although the film was completed in the early summer of 1967, it was not released in theaters until the spring of 1968. It was a box-office flop, placing at #40 on the Variety weekly national box office list.

The only guitar to be featured in the film is during one of the film's closing scenes, during the performance of "There Ain't Nothing Like A Song", where a sunburst Fender Coronado is used.

Cast

• Elvis Presley as Steve Grayson
• Nancy Sinatra as Susan Jacks
• Bill Bixby as Kenny Donford
• Gale Gordon as R. W. Hepworth
• William Schallert as Abel Esterlake
• Victoria Paige Meyerink as Ellie Esterlake
• Carl Ballantine as Birdie Kebner
• Ross Hagen as Paul Dado
• Charlotte Considine as Lori
• Sandy Reed as Speedway Announcer

Soundtrack

Main article: Speedway (album)

DVD

Speedway was released to DVD by Warner Home Video on August 7, 2007 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD.

See also

• List of American films of 1968

External links

• Speedway at IMDb
• Speedway at the TCM Movie Database
• Review of Speedway by Bill Treadway at DVD Verdict, 3 August 2004.
• Review of Speedway by Jeff Rosado at digitallyOBSESSED!, 1 August 2004.