page_title: Jailhouse Rock (film)
section_title: Plot
hierarchical_section_title: Jailhouse Rock (film) / Plot
caption_attribution_description: Screenshot of Elvis Presley and Judy Tyler from the trailer for the film Jailhouse Rock
context_page_description: Jailhouse Rock is a 1957 American musical drama film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, and Mickey Shaughnessy. Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and dramatized by Guy Trosper from a story written by Nedrick Young, the film is about a young man sentenced to prison for manslaughter who is mentored in music by his prison cellmate who realizes his musical abilities. After his release from jail, while looking for a job as a club singer, the young man meets a musical promoter who helps him launch his career. As he develops his musical abilities and becomes a star, his self-centered personality begins to affect his relationships.
  The wife of producer Pandro S. Berman convinced him to create a film with Presley in the role. Berman delegated the casting to Benny Thau, head of the studio and Abraham Lastfogel, the then president of William Morris Agency. Berman hired Richard Thorpe, who was known for shooting productions quickly. The production of Jailhouse Rock began on May 13, 1957, and concluded on June 17 of that year. The dance sequence to the film's title song "Jailhouse Rock" is often cited as "Presley's greatest moment on screen".
context_section_description: Construction worker Vince Everett (Elvis) accidentally kills a drunken and belligerent man in a barroom brawl. He is sentenced to two years in the state penitentiary for manslaughter. His cellmate, washed-up country singer Hunk Houghton (Shaughnessy) who was jailed for bank robbery, starts teaching Vince to play the guitar after hearing Vince sing and strum Hunk's guitar. Hunk then convinces Vince to participate in an upcoming inmate show, which is broadcast on nationwide television. Vince receives numerous fan letters as a result; but out of apparent jealousy, Hunk ensures they are not delivered to Vince. Hunk then convinces Vince to sign a "contract" to become equal partners in his act. Meanwhile, during an inmate riot in the mess hall, a guard shoves Vince, who retaliates by striking the guard. As a result, the warden orders Vince to be lashed with a whip. Afterwards, it was discovered that Hunk attempted to bribe the guards to drop the punishment, but to no avail.
  Upon Vince's release 20 months later, the warden gives Vince his fan mail. Hunk then promises Vince a singing job at a nightclub owned by a friend, where Vince meets Peggy Van Alden (Tyler), a promoter for pop singer Mickey Alba. Vince is surprised when the club owner denies him a job as a singer but offers him a job as a bar boy. Undeterred, Vince takes the stage when the house band takes a break and starts singing "Young and Beautiful." But one of the customers laughs obnoxiously throughout the performance, enraging Vince, who smashes his guitar on the customer's table and leaves the club. Peggy follows Vince and persuades him to record a demo so that he can listen to himself sing. Vince records "Treat Me Nice" which Peggy takes to Geneva Records. The manager seems unimpressed, but he reluctantly agrees to play the tape for his boss in New York. The next day, Peggy informs Vince that the song has been sold. She then takes him to a party at her parents' home, but Vince leaves after he offends a guest he mistakenly believes is belittling him. (The guests were talking about progressive jazz.) Angry and offended, Peggy confronts Vince, who kisses her brutally. Peggy resentfully calls the gesture "cheap tactics," to which Vince replies, "Them ain't tactics, honey; it's just the beast in me."
  Later, Vince and Peggy visit a local record store to check out Vince's new single, but they are shocked to discover that the Geneva Records manager gave the song to Mickey Alba, who recorded and released the song himself, thereby stealing Vince's song. Outraged, Vince storms into the label's office and confronts the manager, violently slapping him around. To avoid making the same mistake twice, Vince suggests that he and Peggy should form their own label. They do, naming the new label Laurel Records and hiring an attorney, Mr. Shores (Vaughn Taylor), to oversee their business. Vince then records "Treat Me Nice" and begins pitching it, but it is universally rejected. Peggy convinces her friend, disc jockey Teddy Talbot (Dean Jones), to air the song. He does, and it becomes an immediate hit. Later that evening, Vince asks Peggy out to celebrate the success of his new single, but is disappointed when he learns that she has accepted a dinner date for that evening with Teddy.
  Meanwhile, Vince makes arrangements for another television show. During a party, Hunk visits him after being paroled and persuades Vince to give him a spot on the upcoming show. Prior to taping, Vince rehearses "Jailhouse Rock" in a stylized cell block (a performance Elvis himself choreographed). Hunk's number is cut because of his outdated music style. Afterwards, Vince informs Hunk that according to his lawyer, the above-mentioned "contract" they signed in prison was worthless. However, as a consolation, and never forgetting that Hunk tried to intercede on his behalf when he was punished for striking the prison guard, Vince offers Hunk a job with his entourage for a fee equal to ten percent of Vince's annual gross, which Hunk accepts.
  Within a few months, Vince officially becomes a star. However, Peggy i
caption: Presley as Vince Everett hugs Judy Tyler as Peggy Van Alden as he sings "Young and Beautiful".
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