In return, Elvis’ friends felt at ease around Ann-Margret. Elvis’ cousin, Billy Smith, shared, “She made his life a little easier because she understood him and didn’t make any demands on him. She even understood his need for us. Priscilla never understood that.”

Why didn’t Elvis marry Ann-Margret?

Ultimately, the vivacious and affable Swede bore too much like to Elvis. They were “mirror images,” which wasn’t ideal given Elvis Presley’s principles.

His perspective on marriage was conventional and conservative. Ann-Margret did not meet the profile, but Priscilla Presley did.

After Viva Las Vegas, they kept exchanging love letters, but Elvis quickly realized he had to quit his relationship with Ann-Margret.

”We knew that our relationship had to end, that Elvis needed to fulfill his commitment,” Ann-Margret wrote in My story.

Despite their breakup, the couple continued to communicate following Elvis Presley’s marriage to Priscilla. Every time she played in Las Vegas, “The King” would give her bouquets of flowers shaped like guitars.

Ann-Margret and Elvis were lifelong friends, and she knew that The King had passed away in 1977 when she didn’t get any flowers following a performance. The only female co-star of Elvis to attend his funeral was Ann-Margret.

The camera angle controversy

According to some, Viva Las Vegas is the only Elvis film in which he genuinely appeared to be enjoying himself and giving the film his whole attention. Is that the whole truth, though?

Because of the way Ann-Margret’s camera angles seemed to favor her — at his expense — and because Elvis seemed to have a grudge against director George Sidney. One of Elvis’ closest friends and bodyguards, Red West, claims that the King wasn’t afraid to voice his disapproval: “He would complain bitterly to us that the sonofabitch was trying to cut him out of the picture.”

Colonel Parker quickly became aware of Elvis’ grievances and was determined to keep his cash cow in the spotlight. Ever the guardian, the Colonel apparently told Sidney what was on his mind, emphatically reminding the producers that this was a “Elvis Presley picture.”

The hottest dance scene in Viva Las Vegas

Elvis undoubtedly received the most of the musical attention when it came down to it. Ann-Margret only had two solo numbers, but he had six.

When Elvis and Ann-Margret hit the floor to the song “Viva Las Vegas,” it’s one of the movie’s most memorable and exciting dance sequences. Now, sixty years later, Ann-Margret epitomizes the expression “dance like no one’s watching.”

Her talent and personality are so captivating that it’s nearly impossible to look away. According to some admirers, it was the only occasion in which Elvis actually shared the limelight with someone whose dancing prowess might rival his.

Let’s face it, Ann-Margret’s choreography is far superior, even though Elvis contributed his trademark intensity to the moment. We are grateful to the talented choreographer, David Winters, for creating a dance sequence that is so vibrant and so astounding.

Poor lip-syncing

It’s difficult to overlook how poorly Elvis Presley lip-syncs the words during the Viva Las Vegas dance/music scene, as several have noted. However, given that Ann-Margret’s energetic performance takes center stage, who is actually listening to Elvis anyway?

Future Oscar nominee in the background

You can see a woman dancing to Ann-Margret’s right during the well-known “What’d I Say” dance. She is dressed in a black skirt, black heels, and a white shirt with black trim.

She also sports a shirt with horizontal stripes of blue, green, and red in another number.

You can see her in the background behind Ann-Margret if you look closely, which is evidence that Teri Garr was already establishing herself on the big screen prior to her Oscar nominations.

Familiar faces in the movie

While we’re talking about well-known characters from Viva Las Vegas, here’s another interesting fact: singer/actor Glen Campbell played guitar on the soundtrack. Both the title tune and the song “What’d I Say” featured his guitar playing.

Red West, a close friend of Elvis Presley, appears in Viva Las Vegas on many occasions as a number of uncredited roles. If you pay close attention, you may see him in a number of roles throughout the movie.

In the “What’d I Say” dance scene, a quirky foof

One amusing thing to see during the “What’d I Say” dance number is when Lucky’s right hand fingers appear and disappear using white tape or something similar.

Do you see it?

The improbable survival of Elvis’ competitors

Here’s even another amusing piece of movie trivia: the race scene is one of the more perplexing parts.

Elvis scarcely bats an eye when his adversary, Count Mancini (Cesare Danova), is involved in a horrifying collision toward the finish of the race.

With a breezy “that’s a shame,” he dismisses it and speeds off to triumph. The finest aspect? The Count manages to escape unharmed and even makes an appearance at the final wedding scene—perfectly fine! A crash course in film wizardry, huh?

Ann-Margret’s honest confession about Elvis

Even at the age of 83, Ann-Margret’s timeless beauty and energy continue to enchant her devotees. The actress was just admitted into the Hall of Fame at UNLV College of Fine Arts.

Additionally, she continues to provide intriguing behind-the-scenes tales about Viva Las Vegas, preserving the film’s enchantment for future generations even after all these years have passed.

An interesting and novel viewpoint on the marriage was provided by Ann-Margret’s further information on her relationship with Elvis in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“This sounds weird, but I had never seen him perform before I did the movie. I know that’s hard to believe. We just found out we were very much alike. We were both very shy, but then you become this other person when you are performing. I loved my parents so much, and he loved his mother so much.”

Therefore, Viva Las Vegas will always have a special position in movie history, whether you’re watching it again for the music, the captivating performances, or simply to experience some of the charm of the past.

Take a moment to honor the film that helped us all fall in love with Vegas’ neon lights, as well as the remarkable team who made it happen. Keep the legend alive by sharing the joy and memories with your friends!