Stay Away, Joe

Plot synopsis:
Elvis Presley stars as Native American rodeo rider Joe Lightcloud, a Navajo whose family still lives on the reservation. He returns to the reservation in a white Cadillac convertible with which he proceeds to drive cattle.
Joe persuades his Congressman (Douglas Henderson) to give him 20 heifers and a prize bull so he and his father (Burgess Meredith) can prove that the Navajos can successfully raise cattle on the reservation. If their experiment is successful, then the government will help all the Navajo people. But Joe's friend, Bronc Hoverty (L.Q. Jones) accidentally barbecues the prize bull, while Joe sells the heifers to buy plumbing and other home improvements for his stepmother, Annie Lightcloud (Katy Jurado).
Joe is able to borrow a bull, Dominick, but the bull is lackadaisical and shows no interest in the heifers. Mamie Callahan (Quentin Dean), the daughter of shot gun-toting tavern owner Glenda Callahan (Joan Blondell) can't seem to stay away from the girl-chasing Joe. Joe also trades in his horse at a used car dealership for a red convertible automobile from which he sells the parts off to obtain cash from a salvage yard. After almost all of the usable car parts are sold, he rides around in a beat-up motorcycle.
In order to raise money, Joe organizes a contest in which riders have to stay on Dominick, the unresponsive bull he procured from his friend as a replacement. In addition, Joe himself has to ride Dominick and stay on in order to win the prize money. Joe wins the contest and receives the prize money. In a fight at his father's house, Joe and his friends are involved in a large fight that destroys the house they have been building.

Tags: cult, violence, comic

Review:
As An Elvis Fan, I Loved It. Pretty much everybody who ever talks about this film says it's horrible and stupid.
Three of his friends (Charlie Hodge, Joe Esposito, and Sonny West) join him on this movie, and it only adds to the fun.Say what you want about this movie, but as an Elvis fan...I was just happy to get to spend over an hour laughing with the King.How can you stay away?.
Not Elvis' worst movie..
I have to disagree with a previous comment that this is Elvis' worst film.
Besides a very good-looking Elvis, the supporting cast Burgess Meredith, Katy Jurado & the wise-cracking Thomas Gomez (as grandpa) are a joy to watch.
And the opening title sequence with the camera flying over the Grand Canyon while the lovely "Stay Away" (a re-working of "Greensleeves") plays on the soundtrack must rank as one of the most beautiful openings in all of Elvis' movies..
This is better than Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid where she's on-screen for two minutes and even makes that film worth seeing.This is a silly comedy, with a few effective gags and lots of slapstick.
I think the movie is hated because 1)many of the Native American characters are played in brown make-up by Euro-American actors and they seem to childishly enjoy getting drunk and getting into fights.
Her age isn't mentioned, but she appears to be about 16 years old, at most.If you can get over these two offensive points, the movie is fun in a three stooges type of way.
This was one of his last films and he seems totally comfortable playing rodeo rider Joe Lightcloud.It is always nice to see Joan Blondell.
She had become a big star again in 1968 with her role on the hit television show,"Here Comes the Brides." Still, her role is pretty pedestrian as the bootlegger mother of Quentin Dean, who first tries to keep Elvis away from her, but then decides to use a gun to make him marry her.Still, its Katy Jurado's delightful small performance that made the film worth watching for me.
Elvis plays a half breed named Joe Lightclould who is always getting himself in trouble.
is an American Treasure, that should not be overlooked if you truly love Elvis Presley movies.
It accurately represents the living conditions of most First-Nations people at that time in American history...to this day reservations are plagued with poverty, broken down cars, and stray dogs...Elvis was not ashamed to portray a halfbreed native American, no matter how much this may have offended the straight, upper class, white America!
If you want honest camp, wild and crazy young people, great Elvis songs you must see this movie with a open mind, remember, you, watching this movie in the comfort of your home on a Sunday afternoon was not the intended audience!.
"Stay away, Joe" is one hilarious comedy movie.
One has to admit, that once or twice one gets the impression, the script wasn't quite finished when they started shooting (like in the overlong party sequence near the beginning) and the director wasn't as talented as Burt Kennedy, but we still get some 100 min.
As a fan of western movies I have seen all the Peckinpahs, Hawks' and Fords and I find it interesting that "Stay away, Joe" tells a similar story like "Junior Bonner" which was made several years later; rodeo champion returns home, wants to support his folks, encounters all sorts of problems.
Anyone who liked "Support your local gunfighter" will most likely enjoy "Stay away, Joe", too.
Elvis Presley plays a "half-breed" Native American ("Indian") who has to defend his reservation from nasty business tycoons.
Fighting, wrestling, and "punching out" each other replace the stereotypical hand-raised expression "How"?Although he does have make-up on, it's obvious Elvis is healthier than he appeared in prior films; possibly, he was getting ready for his famous "comeback".
Joan Blondell trying to seduce Elvis, and Burgess Meredith in "war paint", should be ashamed.The best song is "Stay Away" (actually, "Green Sleeves" with different lyrics).
** Stay Away, Joe (3/8/68) Peter Tewksbury ~ Elvis Presley, Burgess Meredith, Joan Blondell.
It's very sad when you see a big star like Elvis Presley get reduced to this.
Every Elvis movie that I've seen I've liked.
People say that Clambake is Elvis Presley's worst movie and Elvis himself almost refused to do it, but what was he thinking when he agreed to this.
This movie is just about Indians on a reservation that like to drink, party and roughhouse.
The only good parts in this movie are when Elvis is singing, running for his life, and fighting.
When you watch this movie it's not even like an Elvis movie.
Maybe Elvis wanted to get away from the same formula they used in his movies where he gets the girl.
Elvis Presley made very good movies.
See his other movies if you want to see a good Presley flick.
Elvis Presley plays an Indian bull-riding champ who leaves the rodeo for a stay at home on his folks' desert-spread in Arizona, where government suits have just invested in the family's herd of cattle (which is in dire need of a stud).
Despite colorful supporting turns by Katy Jurado and Joan Blondell, the general wackiness gets way out of hand, and there's too much hoopin' and hollerin' to sustain much interest.
As for Elvis, he's loose and frisky throughout--and while it's nice to see him having fun on-screen, one has to wonder if he had just given up on movies at this point.
This movie is not very good.In fact, it is the worst Elvis movie I have seen.It has very little plot,mostly partying,beer drinking and fighting.
As a true Elvis fan, this movie is a total embarrasment and the script is a disaster.
The movie opens with the beautiful son "Stay Away" and the scenery of the Grand Canyon gives the viewer hope of something special.
Elvis gets in the picture and his talent is wasted big time, especially on the rest of the featured songs.
Stay Away, Joe (1968) * (out of 4) Incredibly bad film has Elvis playing an Indian who also just happens to be a rodeo champion.
He decides to return to the reservation so that he can help his father (Burgess Meredith) raise cows but soon he gets into trouble with various women and some government men.
For starters, all of the white cast members are wearing tan paint to make them look like Indians and the first time we see Meredith he's an ignorant drunk.
The songs were equally as bad including one scene where Elvis sings to a bull.
The supporting cast are all pretty bad but Meredith comes off the worse with the most embarrassing performance and part I've ever seen him do.
Stay Away ELVIS Fans.
Watch ELVIS's skin change color throughout the film..
I'd place this easily in the lower two or three of Elvis Presley's very worst movies.
Presley plays Joe Whitecloud, a half-breed Indian bull rider who returns home to Arizona and the broken-down shack where his family lives, and where his friends love to party all night long.
His parents are played by Burgess Meredith and Katy Jurado, and his old Indian grandpa is Thomas Gomez.
The one thing that puzzles me, however, is that Elvis actually seems to be having a good time in the film.
Elvis plays Joe Lightcloud a modern Indian who returns to his reservation in order to assist his people with a goverment rehabilitation scheme.
Joe Lightcloud (Elvis Presley) returns home after a successful run on the rodeo circuit.
This fun romp of a movie also stars Joan Blondell, Thomas Gomez, Katy Jurado and L.Q. Jones.
To be honest, I haven't seen the movie, but just found the book in an old dusty bookstore (I liked the title because my hubby's name is "Joe" and the cover art was intriguing).
Funny to see that it was an Elvis movie -- but I bet he'd make a pretty good "Joe" now that I think of it.
Some here have commented that this is the WORST Elvis movie ever made.
There is no campy trashy fun to be had here like in some of Elvis' other bad movies like Clambake.
Not even the normally astute management of Colonel Tom Parker who as usual got a cast of top flight players to support Elvis Presley could save a stinker like Stay Away Joe. I had heard for years at how the American Indians were upset at this film and I've finally seen why.As usual a bunch of white actors with a little olive oil makeup including the King are playing Navajo Indians.
Elvis is a rodeo performer and a bull rider to be precise who has come home to the reservation bringing a herd of cattle that the government has given his parents Burgess Meredith and Katy Jurado to tend and raise.
About two dozen cows and a bull which the Navajos slaughter and barbecue at a wild party to welcome Elvis home.
A running joke is Joan Blondell trying to affect a shotgun wedding between Elvis and her daughter Quentin Dean, a girl whom the facts of life haven't been sufficiently explained, but who has some real lively hormones.The Navajos here were portrayed as a bunch of partying drunken louts whom the white man isn't sure can deal with such responsibility as government cattle.
It's the Amos and Andy syndrome working here.A young man named Ryan Dirteater who is one of the rising stars of the Professional Bull Riders came to mind when I watched Elvis riding home, making a grandstanding gesture on the original bull.
I single out Dirteater because he is from Oklahoma of Cherokee Indian background.Worst of all there are no good songs for Elvis coming out of the score.
Isn't that what we really see a Presley movie for?Just Stay Away Joe, and you viewers stay too..
I tend to take away the positives from the likes of "Double Trouble" and "Speedway" (admittedly two of his lesser films) and the bad kinda' gets forgotten...or willed away.I mention those other two flicks 'cause I just recently downed 3 Presley flicks in a row.
There's hardly anything to recommend it...even to hardcore Elvis fans.Elvis doesn't even attempt to act here and yet he fares better than old pro Burgess Meredith who gives a shamefully bad performance as Elvis's father.
This film came at about the time of his Comeback Special and Elvis worked real hard at getting in physical shape...and it shows.
The third and final star goes to the gorgeous opening song "Stay Away" that plays out over beautiful images.
Stay Awake, Joe. They wanted to make a good Elvis film.
They just didn't have the commitment to do what it took, as evidenced by a gun-slinging Joan Blondell (I love her anyway) and the almost unbelievable decision to let Elvis act near a comic bull, to or about which he will inevitably sing, with tragic results.The film they wanted to make here, more or less, in my opinion, is "The Rounders" (1965): a bawdy, modern western with a smallish feeling, driven by life-sized characters and the fringe world they inhabit.
And there are a lot of things going for "Stay Away": the location shooting, an excellent cast; and even the meandering plot serves the film well, to a point.
"Stay Away, Joe" is defeated by a number of things, ranging from the decision to let Elvis sing "diagetically" (i.e., in the film rather than over it), a make-up job on Burgess Meredith (who is completely wasted) that would make Bozo blush, and most especially, the overly broad comedy.Broad comedy is a nice fit for this film.
After a few lean years, 1968 was a pretty swell time for Elvis: not only did he make that celebrated "Comeback" TV Special but he also became a father and starred in two pretty decent movies as well  SPEEDWAY and LIVE A LITTLE, LOVE A LITTLE.
Therefore, personally I can forgive him for the misstep that was STAY AWAY, JOE which, at best, emerges as an interesting misfire and is not all that bad considering.
Sure, Burgess Meredith and Joan Blondell are indeed embarrassing  as, respectively, a dopey Indian father to Elvis' character and a bawdy bartender who has her eye on Mr. Presley too - but one is glad to see Elvis surrounded by top veteran Hollywood talent like Katy Jurado (as Meredith's Mexican wife), the two Jones  Henry and L.Q.
The only Elvis movie I'd like to see again..
But he looks like any other Hereford bull and is sleepy all the time until someone gets on his back.
I guess in the end Elvis rides the bull and wins a bunch of money..
This is one of my all time favorite Elvis movies!
Stay Away Joe. I found this movie entertaining and funny.
There are some bad Elvis films and then there is Stay Away, Joe- a bomb at a much lower level.
Burgess Meredith wears the worst Native American makeup I have seen in many a decade.
Having watched all of Elvis's movies, towards the end you tend to know the quality of what you're getting into.
However, I didn't feel that way about 'Double Trouble', and then got an even worse dose of bad with Stay Away Joe.This film is, frankly, god awful.
This is a film that should only be shared on movie night with your worst enemy.
If you appreciate your hearing, turn to movie down for the first half of the movie, you won't be missing much, but your ears will thank you.I'm not even going to get into Burgress Meredith in dark makeup grinning creepily as one of the supposed American Indians.
If you happen to be Native American, don't watch this, it's offensive on at least 546 levels.By all means watch most of Elvis's films.
Stay Away Joe is sadly, quite possibly one of the worst films made...ever..
He embarked on a film career consisting of 33 films from 1956 to 1969, films that did well at the box-office but mostly panned critically (especially his later films) and while he was a highly charismatic performer he was never considered a great actor.His twenty-sixth film 'Stay Away Joe' has often been cited as one of his worst, something that is agreed with by me.
The production values generally are improved over many of Elvis' later films, the scenery is colourful and not artificial-looking and it's nicely shot mostly though in need of a more sweeping style.
Most of the rather spare soundtrack does not fare well, but "Stay Away" is lovely.Regarding Elvis himself, he is the best he's looked in any of his films since the mid-1960s, and gives an enthusiastic performance that actually saw him trying after seeing many post 'Viva Las Vegas' films where his performances were at best perfunctory and like he had lost interest.
Faring best in support are an amusingly deadpan Thomas Gomez and charming Katy Jurado.Unfortunately, for all Elvis' valiant efforts, his role is pretty wasted, one that is underwritten and severely underutilised in favour of the veteran actors.
As much as it pains me to say it, Burgess Meredith is made to look, sound and act foolish and odd and it's in a way that's pretty embarrassing for a character actor of considerable calibre like Meredith.
Quentin Dean's character is basically a typecast stereotype and her scenes with Elvis have an unintentional creepiness, but Dean does her best."Stay Away" aside, the songs are too few and none of them are any good or do anything for Elvis' talents.
Even hard-core fans and completests may find 'Stay Away, Joe' hard to watch.
But Flaming Star, Wild In The Country, King Creole, Love Me Tender & Charro were better movies showcasing his dramatic acting ability.This film has no plot, no storyline, no purpose & no script, no character development & has no direction & has no point & says nothing at all.
There's too much hooping & hollering & nonsense which gets tiresome & meaningless with Elvis as a seemingly endless "Good Time Charlie", as if life is just one big party.The film is like a car spinning it's wheels but goes nowhere, if you haven't seen this you're not missing anything.
This is a sorry excuse for a film & I think it's Elvis's worst movie.
In fact it's the worst movie I've ever seen in my life.
positive things: Elvis seems to enjoy his part, just enough songs, two are great...the Director keeps things rolling.negative things: a very curious collection of native American stereotyping, esp.
sad since Elvis won an award back in 1960 for his "Positive Portrayal of an American Indian", for FLAMING STAR.
The Indian given the cattle is played by Burgess Meredith.
Sure makes the Indians look good.
I do agree that Elvis looks rather good here, but yeah, his skin color does seem to change during the movie.
It's as bad as the 'indians' on 'F-Troop' and the old Hollywood westerns who were played by Jewish and Italian American actors and not real Native Americans!This movie is o.k., but typically lame story and mediocre songs, like in all of Elvis' later films.
It is cool to see character actors Joan Blondell, Katy Jurado, L.Q. Jones, Henry Jones and Burgess Meredith in this movie, though.Burgess Meredith's 'indian' makeup is absolutely AWFUL.
I do love certain Elvis movies, though.
I can even stand to watch his movie with future TV co-stars Mary Tyler Moore and Ed Asner,'Change Of Habit' in which Elvis plays an inner-city doctor.Oh well, at least Elvis made a FEW good films, but the mediocre and bad ones overwhelm the decent and good ones.I'll always love ELVIS!
If you can swallow that, then try the bull of Elvis Presley as a Native American.