A Love in Every Corner: Follow That Dream

FOLLOW THAT DREAM (US, 1962)

Original title: Follow That Dream

Filming date:

July 6 - August 10, 1961

Release date:

April 11, 1962

Running time:

110min

Production company:

United Artists

Budget:

US$ 1,5 million

Box office:

US$ 1 million

Main cast:

Elvis Presley

Anne Helm

Arthur O'Connell

Joanna Moore

Soundtrack:

"Good Luck Charm" (single)
[b/w "Anything That's Part of You"]
(February 27, 1962)
"Follow That Dream" (EP)
(April 8, 1962)
"Follow That Dream" (CD)
(FTD - April 10, 2004)

"Summer of '61" (Book + CD)

(FTD - May 2013)

Follow That Dream, Elvis' ninth film, was based on the book "Pioneer, Go Home!", a 1959 novel written by Richard P. Powell. The writer was not happy to learn that his book had been adapted into a production starring Elvis Presley, as that meant big budgets and small stories filled with mediocre musical numbers. However, Powell agreed, after being forced to see the film, that Elvis had done a good job acting.

Elvis and Anne Helm in Follow That Dream

Filming began on July 6, 1961, during the sweltering Florida Summer. The heat prevented many scenes from being shot each day, as most of them took place on the beach in the sun. To prevent the actors from getting sunstroke, some scenes were filmed in a studio and can be clearly identified during the film.

The plot deals with social problems, prejudices and crimes in a very current way. Elvis' character, Toby, represents the simplicity of the working man who doesn't realize his real value in society or his sex appeal, very well represented in his relationship with the women in the story.

Promotional still with the main cast

Various locations in towns across the region were used, most notably Inverness, where the production refurbished a courtroom in the town especially for filming on location. The room remains today as left and is on the US National Register of Historic Places. The road seen throughout the entire film also became a national landmark and was officially renamed Follow That Dream Parkway in 1996 thanks to four Elvis fans.

The bank where the hilarious "robbery" scene takes place belongs to the city of Ocala and is still open today, with a sign inside that indicates the use of the property in the film.

Elvis and Joanna Moore

Released on April 11, 1962, the film was #5 at the box office for three weeks and was the #33 highest-grossing film of the year.


SOUNDTRACK

Recorded in a single session on July 2, 1961, the EP has four of the six songs featured in the film; Elvis insisted that "Sound Advice" be left out the album and it was not released until 1965.

Released on April 8, 1962 to coincide with the film's theatrical release on the 11th of the same month and year, the album sold very well for an EP - especially in the 1960s.

The complete soundtrack was released in a single work for the first time on "Elvis Double Features: Flaming Star, Wild in the Country, and Follow That Dream", in March 1995. FTD re-released the album with extras in 2004, under the original title, and in 2013 on the book + CD combo "Summer of '61".

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SUPPORTING CAST

ANNE HELM

Anne was born on September 12, 1938 in Toronto, Canada, and began pursuing an acting career in the 1950s. She worked as a showgirl at the Copacabana in New York until she was discovered by a talent scout at age 16. Anne appeared on TV for the first time in the series "Father Knows Best" (1954 - 1960) and her first film work was in 1960.

The actress gained national recognition after appearing in "Follow That Dream". Despite this, Anne only worked in five film productions and was much better known for her participation in series until she retired in 1986. In 1992 and 1993 she published two children's books as Annie Helm.

Currently, the actress lives in Pasadena, California, and is 84 years old.

ARTHUR O'CONNELL

Arthur Joseph O'Connell was born on March 29, 1908 in New York and has been a stage, television and film actor since 1931. He has had small film roles in 34 films, including "Follow That Dream" and "Kissin' Cousins" with Elvis. He definitely returned to the theater in 1975 and only made appearances as a guest star in series. His health prevented him from working actively from 1977 onwards.

The actor had Alzheimer's and passed away on May 18, 1981, aged 73.

JOANNA MOORE

Dorothy Joanne Cook was born in Parrott, Georgia, on November 10, 1934 and had to mature quickly when her parents and younger sister were killed in a car accident. Dorothy was adopted by a wealthy family and permanently changed her name to Joanna. The actress appeared in various series, always in sensual roles, which she reprized in "Follow That Dream".

In 1968 the actress became addicted to alcohol and illicit drugs, voluntarily hospitalizing herself to detox, but to no avail. In 1972 she was arrested for drunk driving and lost custody of her children, starting to depend on the support given by her daughter, actress Tatum O'Neal, and sank even further into addictions.

In 1996, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and fell into a depression until her death on November 22, 1997, 12 days after her 63rd birthday.