[In 1968, the Colonel is pitching Elvis a Christmas special on TV sponsored by the Singer sewing machine company]
Christmas special. Is this the best we can do, Admiral?
Well, we took the Hollywood phonies for every nickel they had and now it is time to pack up our tents and move on to even greener pastures. We've seen "Elvis the Rebel". We've seen "Elvis the Movie Star". Now we will see "Elvis the Family Entertainer".
[sarcastically]
And appliance salesman.
[turning to Jerry]
What did you say? [walks over angrily] Listen, Jerry, I don't need you to question me about how I support my family and every goddamn person here! You understand me? If you don't like it, you can go back to Memphis. [entering his trailer] Laugh it up, assholes.
[seeing Col. Parker waiting on him after learning he owes him $8 million dollars]
Oh, you blood-sucking old vampire. You bled me dry and you still want more?
I'm not an uncaring man, Mr. Presley.
Don't you "Mr. Presley" me, you toad!
If you are so determined to get out of our contract...
You're goddamn right I want out!
Well, I will personally loan you the money that you owe to Jamboree Attractions.
Yeah, you'll still have your claws in me. You'll still have me working here like a goddamn slave in a salt mine, you phony, no-good piece of trash! I oughta shoot you in your fat, goddamn face. Who are you?
I am you. And you are me.
Cut the horseshit! Everything I've ever known about you has been a lie.
[chuckles; stands up in front of Elvis]
My past is the least of your problems, my boy. Everyone else you associate with lives from you, Mr. Presley. Even Vernon. That's right, even your own daddy has looked after himself before he's looked after you. Yes. I have lived from you too, but the difference is you have also lived from me. We have supported each other. Because we shared a dream. We are the same, you and I. We are two odd, lonely children reaching for eternity. Maybe you should fly away, my boy. Away from all of this. But if you do choose to leave... I, for one, would be very lonely. So would your father. [Colonel leaves towards an elevator] But I think you may be lonely, too. [He calls the elevator down] Oh, you see, my boy, the... truth about the Rock of Eternity... [the elevator opens and Colonel enters] ... It is forever just beyond our reach.
I was thinking about our conversation yesterday and if you want to tour. Well, I'll set it up. We'll tour.
Well, that's gonna be a harder nut to crack. We're obligated to three more films, and the next one is already set up. Something called The Trouble with Girls and How to Get Out of It.
Sounds like a winner. What about this? [holds out the Refute of Contract form]
Oh, that. [takes the form] Trifle.
Las Vegas. I got us a hell of a deal.
Why are you doing this to yourself? This religious kick, the drugs? What is it that you want?
You said that to me the first time we met.
I remember. Rich and famous. You wanted to be a movie star. Well, I got it for you, so I'm asking you again: What is it you want now?
Are you just bored is that it?
Well, there's that. I get so lonely.
What about that little girl you got cooped up in there? Does she make you happy?
Why, son. That's more than most folk's ever get. Why don't you latch onto her before she wizes up. The whole scene, it's starting to get unseemly. You hear me? She's legal now, so what are you waiting for?
If that's the case, I'd check my watch, because if ever there was a time to set things straight, it's now.
Dixie Locke I need to spend some more time with you.
I just can't right now, Dixie. We gotta drive south. These cats from the hayride have us booked back to back.
Dixie Locke "Cats?" [tearfully turning away] I've lost you.
You haven't lost me. It's just, I could be back driving a truck by next year. I gotta grab what I can. For us.
Dixie Locke Not for us, Elvis. You got what you always wanted. Good luck with it. [kisses him on the cheek]
Dixie. I love you. It's not gonna be like this forever.
Dixie Locke Then call me when it's over. It's just too hard this way.
[Dixie walks away] [miserably]
Dixie.
[after a song]
So what did you think of the song?
I liked it, it was really sweet. I prefer the fast ones, though, like Jailhouse Rock. Why don't you do more songs like that?
[shouting]
Dammit! I didn't ask you to tell me how to sing! I just asked you if you liked it that's all! I get enough amateur opinions, I don't need one from you!
[softly, after a pause]
I'm sorry, Satnin. Come here. [Priscilla shakes her head] Come on.
[Elvis puts his arm around Priscilla]
I'm sorry, its just...I just finished that recording session and I'm real proud of it. Better than the hogwash they give me to sing in them movies. [angrily] Stupid movies, stupid songs! And each one makes more money than the last, so I don't get to tour anymore. But I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise. And when we get to Vegas, I'm gonna get you the best dress money can buy.
[Priscilla smiles]
[after reading a false article about him and Ann-Margret getting engaged]
That is an outrageous lie! I can't believe she'd say that!
But your seeing her! Those gossip rags were true! Why doesn't she take her ass back to Sweden where she belongs!
[Priscilla angrily throws a melon on the ground] [grabs Priscilla]
Look, dammit! I didn't know things were gonna get out of hand. I wanna woman to understand that things like this might happen. Are you going to be that woman or not? Its over, Cilla. I swear to you, its over. Forgive me. Please?
[Priscilla hugs Elvis]
I'll go to LA. I'll get this thing straighten out.
Colonel, I want to talk to you about West Side Story.
It's a big classic film, and they want me for the lead. I can act the hell out of it, Colonel.
Have you seen the shooting schedule? Six months, we can make five films at that time.
But it's a chance to do something special, something really good.
Elvis, let me give you a lesson on economics. G.I. Blues, your first movie back, one of them "blame musicals" you always grap about. A blockbuster, made us millions. Your second movie, Flaming Star, an ambitious drama, well reviewed, made zilch. What does that tell you?
Why don't you tell me, your chomping at the bit.
Folk's live sad lives. Your job is to give them ninety minutes to forget their pitiful circumstances, not rub their faces in some phony writer's misery. What they want to see is some paradise that you can ever afford to visit, lots of pretty girls and Elvis Presley fighting and singing a half dozen songs that we can stick on a soundtrack album. That's our bread and butter, son. We stick with what sells. You don't see the snow cone man switch from cherry juice to prune juice just because he's got some blockage in the poop chute.
Listen to this. This is how God works. [reading] I may be expressing myself through these beautiful symphonies of light, color, and language that manifests itself as music, but they will hail you as one of the great ones of the day, and think of you as a wonderful preacher, and teacher.
Don't you get it? Ever since momma died, I've been trying to figure these things out. Why God took her away from me? Why he gave me all this success and fame? Why, out of all of the millions, he pick me to be Elvis Presley? Oh, these books are explaining things to me. Why is there so much suffering in the world, Joe? Why am I not happy when he gave me all of this?
LF Lamar Fike
Don't we make you happy?
No, Lamar, you don't. None of this does, that's the whole point. Oh, you guys have to read these books.
Gene Smith Hey, if it ain't got Batman in it, it ain't in my library.
JE Joe Esposito
Or naked women.
The hell with the lot of you.
We can't go back there. It'll be a circus.
Before what, momma? Before we had money? Squabbling over a pork chop?
But I always knew you'd be home for dinner. And Dixie was there, and we'd all go to church together. And I didn't have to worry whether or not you were safe. Or if I look good enough for all them reporters.
Oh, momma. You look just fine.
[pause]
I just want you to be proud of me, Elvis.
Proud of you? [kisses her on the cheek] Satnin, you are so beautiful. Now, come on now. Look at all this? Isn't this what we always dreamed of? Oh, momma, this should be the happiest time of our lives.
Sometimes I think our kind weren't meant for happiness. Life's pleasures were meant for other folk. Our kind was born for misery and pain. That's God's plan.
Then I wanna make you happy. Now what'll it take, momma?
[short pause]
I'm happy when your happy, son. Are you really happy, Elvis?
Momma... I'm on top of the world.
Oh, that's a demo for the finale. Where'd you get it?
It's not a Christmas song, is it. It's one of them long-haired hippie, Communist American hatin' protest songs.
Actually, it's more like a gospel style. It's a new direction, Colonel. I like it, and uh, I'm doing it.
What's going on here, Elvis?
Oh, just a few other new directions, Colonel. I'm gonna tour again. Europe this time. And I don't care that you got some birth certificate problem or uh... your an illegal alien, some folks say. And after Europe, I don't know. Japan. Who knows.
Why are you being like this?
Cuz I don't wanna be bored anymore, Colonel! I don't wanna sing another song that I don't believe in! I don't wanna make another movie that I don't care about! This TV thing has me excited for the first time in years. I'm having fun with my music and I don't wanna lose that feeling.
A feeling? I'm not sending you out on some cockamamie tour just because of some feeling.
Then I'll find somebody who will.
Son, let me explain some things to you. We have a contract...
You always told me your contract can be re-negotiated, broken if need be. Well, maybe its about time we tour up this contract.
That's what you want? After all my years of dedication to you and your career? All my work?! You ungrateful hillbilly! I knew you'd betray me!
Watch your mouth, you old phony!
You get out of my office! I payed for this office! You're fired!
You can't fire me. I quit!
I'm holding a press conference this afternoon to tell 'em your fired, you old carny!
Go ahead! But if you wanna end our business relationship, your going have to pay up what you owe me.
I was expecting something like this, so I uh, I prepared some documents. [takes out a file case from under his desk] There's money I've advanced you. Then there's uh, bookings that I haven't taken my full commission from! Then there's expenses, future monies to deal with, movie profits... I get a percentage of the residuals on them too, and the records! Then there's uh, there's other items of mutual interest! So you wanna be free of me, [hands out a contract form] you're going to have to pay for the privilege.
[short pause, Elvis takes the form and walks out]
