Elvis Presley made thirty-one scripted movies. Most of them are, frankly, carbon copies of the same tired formula: Elvis plays a race car driver or a singer, he meets a girl, they have a misunderstanding, he sings to a dog or a child, and they live happily ever after. But then there is Stay Away, Joe. Released in 1968, right before his legendary "Comeback Special" changed the trajectory of his career, this film feels like a fever dream. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s surprisingly progressive in some ways and deeply problematic in others. Honestly, if you want to understand the transitional period of Elvis’s life, you have to look at this bizarre Western comedy.
What Actually Happens in Stay Away, Joe?
Forget the polished, "Preppy Elvis" of Blue Hawaii. In Stay Away, Joe, Elvis plays Joe Lightcloud, a Navajo rodeo rider who returns to his family's reservation in a cloud of dust and chaos. He’s got a plan. Or at least, he has a cow. He convinces the government to give him a prize bull and a herd of heifers to start a local cattle ranch. The goal is to prove that the community can be self-sufficient.
It sounds like a serious drama about indigenous self-determination. It isn't. Within minutes of getting the bull, Joe’s friend accidentally cooks it for a massive party.
The movie then descends into a series of episodic brawls, romantic conquests, and a very 1960s brand of slapstick. Elvis looks different here too. He’s tanned, he’s wearing denim and Stetson hats, and he’s sporting a thick, jet-black mane of hair that looks more "70s Vegas" than "60s Hollywood." He isn't the clean-cut hero anymore. He’s a troublemaker. He’s basically playing a version of himself if he had never left the South and just spent his days looking for a good time.
The Cast: Not Just an Elvis Vehicle
Usually, the supporting cast in an Elvis flick is just background noise. That's not the case here. You have Burgess Meredith playing Joe’s father, Charlie Lightcloud. Yes, the same Burgess Meredith who played Mickey in Rocky and the Penguin in Batman. Seeing him in "Redface" is incredibly jarring to a modern audience—it’s one of those "holy crap, they really did that" moments in cinema history.
🔗 Read more: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
Then there’s Katy Jurado, a legend of Mexican cinema and an Academy Award nominee. She plays Joe’s stepmother, Annie. She brings a level of gravitas to the film that it probably doesn't deserve, but her presence makes the family dynamic feel weirdly grounded amidst the cartoonish plot.
Joan Blondell is also in the mix as the local tavern owner, Glenda. It’s a powerhouse cast of veterans who seem to be having a blast, even if the script is thin. They aren't just there to let Elvis shine; they often steal the scene from him. This was rare for a Presley movie. Usually, the "Colonel" (Elvis’s manager, Tom Parker) made sure the camera stayed glued to the money-maker. Here, the film feels more like an ensemble piece, which might be why it flopped so hard at the box office.
Why the Soundtrack Was a Total Disaster
If you're looking for a "Can't Help Falling in Love" moment, you won't find it. The soundtrack to Stay Away, Joe is legendary among fans for being one of the weakest in his entire discography. There was no tie-in LP. Only a few songs were even recorded.
- "Stay Away, Joe" – The title track. It's fine. Catchy enough.
- "Dominic" – This is the low point. Elvis sings to a bull. A bull that refuses to mate. Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, is literally crooning to a cow about its lack of libido.
- "All I Needed Was the Rain" – This is the hidden gem. It’s a moody, bluesy track that hints at the "soulful" Elvis that would emerge a year later in Memphis.
Elvis hated the music. He was tired of the songs. He told his friends that he was embarrassed to be singing to animals. You can see it in his eyes during some of the musical numbers—he’s physically present, but his soul has left the building.
💡 You might also like: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
The Cultural Controversy: Then and Now
We have to talk about the representation. Stay Away, Joe is based on a 1957 novel by Dan Cushman, which was actually a bestseller and a satirical look at life on a reservation. When the movie came out, it was criticized by some for its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans as hard-drinking party-goers.
However, there’s a flip side. At the time, some members of the Native American community actually liked Joe Lightcloud. Why? Because for the first time, an indigenous character on screen wasn't a "noble savage" or a villain in a cavalry movie. He was a modern guy. He drove a car. He was the smartest person in the room. He was the hero.
It’s a complicated legacy. It’s a film that uses offensive tropes (like non-Native actors in lead roles) while simultaneously trying to present a contemporary, non-Westernized view of indigenous life. It’s a mess of contradictions.
The Turning Point for the "King"
Stay Away, Joe filmed in Sedona, Arizona. The scenery is breathtaking. The red rocks provide a stunning backdrop that makes the movie look much more expensive than it actually was. But while they were filming, something shifted in Elvis.
📖 Related: Cuba Gooding Jr OJ: Why the Performance Everyone Hated Was Actually Genius
He was reading books on philosophy and religion. He was getting frustrated with the Colonel’s control. He was watching the world change—the summer of love had just happened, and he was stuck in the desert making a movie about a bull.
Shortly after this, he went into rehearsals for the '68 Special. If you watch Stay Away, Joe and then watch the '68 Special, the difference is staggering. It’s like watching a man wake up from a ten-year nap. The movie represents the absolute end of the "Formula Era." It was the last gasp of a version of Elvis that didn't really exist anymore.
How to Watch It Today
You can't just find this on every streaming service. It’s often tucked away in "Elvis Collection" bundles on platforms like Amazon or Apple TV. If you’re going to watch it, don't expect a masterpiece. Expect a weird, psychedelic, 60s western comedy that feels like it was edited by someone on a three-day bender.
The fight scenes are choreographed like a cartoon. People fly through windows and fall off roofs and just get back up and keep punching. It’s lighthearted, almost to a fault.
What You Should Look For:
- The Hair: Seriously, the sideburns are starting to creep down. It’s the birth of the 70s look.
- The Chemistry: Elvis and Burgess Meredith have a weirdly believable father-son energy.
- The Dog: There’s a dog named "Joe" too. It’s confusing.
Actionable Steps for Elvis Collectors and Cinema Fans
If you're diving into the "Late 60s" Elvis era, don't just stop at the movies.
- Listen to the "Stay Away" Single: Track down the original 45rpm if you can. The B-side, "U.S. Male," is actually a much better song and shows Elvis leaning into a gritty, country-funk sound that he would perfect later.
- Compare the Book: Read Dan Cushman’s original novel. It’s much more of a biting satire on government bureaucracy and the "Bureau of Indian Affairs" than the movie ever dared to be.
- Watch the '68 Special Immediately After: To get the full effect of Elvis’s transformation, you need to see what he did next. The contrast will give you a profound respect for how he managed to save his own career.
- Visit Sedona: If you’re ever in Arizona, many of the filming locations around the red rocks are still accessible. It’s a great way to see the "wild" side of Elvis’s film career.
Stay Away, Joe isn't the best Elvis movie. It might not even be in the top ten. But it is arguably the most honest look at a man who was ready to break out of his cage. It’s raw, it’s flawed, and it’s uniquely Elvis. Even when he was singing to a bull, he was still the most charismatic person on the planet.