Speedway finds Elvis Presley cast as a stock car driver and some of the big names of that sport in 1968 make an appearance in the film. He also gets to co-star with Nancy Sinatra, daughter of another singing icon of the previous generation. They make some nice music together although none of the songs from this score really became hits.

Who could blame Elvis and his friend and manager Bill Bixby for thinking Nancy was just another NASCAR groupie hanging around the track as she does. But Nancy's on a mission, she works for the IRS and Bill Bixby as Elvis's manager has filed a most creative return.

Gale Gordon has never seen one like it and of course Presley and Bixby get called in for an audit. To satisfy Uncle Sam, Gordon appoints Nancy as his new financial manager. But Elvis has other creditors thanks to Bixby. Bill's got that old addiction to slow horses and fast women. If I had been the King I'd have kicked Bixby's arse around the Daytona track three times for good measure. Personally I think Elvis showed great restraint in not strangling him.

Racing fans will certainly love this film and in that group, I'm sure the King has a loyal following. But for me, I have to say I've never seen done in any film a song tribute to the Internal Revenue Service. While waiting to be audited, Elvis, Bixby and the rest of the people in the waiting room sing He's Your Uncle And Not Your Dad about the great privilege it is to pay taxes here in the USA. Of course once Elvis and Bixby are through with Gordon, they're singing a different tune. The number was like something out How To Succeed In Business

Speedway is a pleasant enough film and Elvis's still loyal legion of fans should like it.

Elvis Presley was a hugely influential performer with one of the most distinctive singing voices of anybody. 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.

'Speedway' is certainly not one of Elvis' worst films, it's much better than the likes of 'Double Trouble', 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style', 'Clambake' and particularly 'Harum Scarum' and 'Stay Away, Joe'. It's also not one of his best either, being nowhere near as good as 'King Creole', 'Flaming Star', 'Jailhouse Rock', 'Viva Las Vegas' and 'Loving You', all very good and nearly great films. 'Speedway' has enough to make it watchable, but from the film's tagline you'd expect it to kick high gear from the get go but it never really does.

There are no qualms to be had with Elvis himself here, something that was a good deal of the time not the case in his later films. Here he looks great, actually looking in good shape and energetic without than looking under the influence, and acts with much more engagement and involvement than in some of his late 60s films where he looked like he couldn't be bothered.

Bill Bixby is very entertaining, if at times a bit too manic, and his friendly and charming rapport with Elvis has genuine spark and is one of 'Speedway's' high points. Gale Gordon, William Schallert and Carl Ballantine also give good support. In comparison to the soundtracks of other later Elvis films, 'Speedway' doesn't fare too awfully while also not exceptionally. The title song is catchy, and there are two particularly good songs, "Let Yourself Go" and Nancy Sinatra makes a hit out of the sexy and groovy "Your Groovy Self". There are a few amusing moments too.

Nancy Sinatra however goes through the motions and judging from her indifferent and annoyed-looking presence throughout it looked like she wanted to be elsewhere, only in "Your Groovy Self" does she lighten up. Her chemistry with Elvis is at best icy. Luckily none of the songs here are disposable and there are none also that reach rock bottom status, but two or three songs aside they are rather forgettable and "He's Your Uncle Not Your Dad" epitomises take it or leave it. The children are cute, but their scenes are rather cloying and over-enthusiastic, threatening to slow the momentum down.

Director Norman Taurog has moments where confidence comes through but too often it's unsteady and at best perfunctory. Which does affect the comedy, which mostly falls flat as a pancake due to being at times over-engineered and much of the time undercooked, and the racing, which is mostly unexciting due to the cheap-looking stock look and the crippling predictability. One doesn't see an Elvis film for the story, that was obvious right from the beginning with a few well done exceptions ('King Creole', 'Flaming Star'),but here the story is paper thin and contrived.

Overall, watchable but not much more than that. 5/10 Bethany Cox

SPEEDWAY is just another in the long line of '60s Elvis vehicles, and kind of lightweight at that. It takes awhile to go anywhere, but not that you go into these flicks expecting high art or anything. Presley is a kind-hearted race car driver who gets an unwelcome visit from tax investigator Nancy Sinatra, looking to nail him for unpaid dollars he's earned while racing around the track. Gale Gordon (Lucy's Mr. Mooney himself) is on hand as her no-nonsense boss. Elvis was actually pretty good at comedy, and he shares some funny moments with Bill Bixby, who plays his conniving manager/buddy. Two good songs this go-round are "Let Yourself Go" (sung by The King) and Nancy Sinatra's sexy rendition of "Your Groovy Self". ** out of ****