This is actually a very good Elvis movie. The plot concerns a bunch of hillbillies, the Kwimpers - a dad, his son, and three orphans, who take over some beach property under the Homestead act after they run out of gas there. Elvis portrays a dummy of sorts - he plays it very naturally and he's quite funny! It's not so much that he's dumb, but he's so guileless, literal, and helpful, he seems that way. With these attributes, he continually gets the best of the bad guys, including a mobster, Simon Oakland, Joanna Moore, from child welfare, and assorted others. The conceit makes for some hilarious scenes. In one, the mobster, after Elvis beats up his thugs, decides to blow up Elvis' family home. They prepare a bomb and put it in a box. When Elvis sees it, he thinks the mobsters have forgotten their package and dutifully returns it. BAM.

One poster mentioned that Elvis doesn't try to look as if he's singing. Apparently, he was notorious for not bothering much with lipsynching, though I'm not sure why. For my money, the only really good song in this film is the title one. And lipsynching or not, Presley looks great.

I guess we can spend time lamenting the fact that Elvis didn't make better films or get the acting opportunities he deserved, or we can enjoy what we have. And Follow That Dream is better than most.

Perhaps the most G-rated of Elvis's films, this Florida Keys set comedy with songs is almost sitcom like in nature in its plot regarding a free- spirited family who takes residence along the coastline and become involved in government issues, a social worker determined to take away his adopted siblings, and a criminal element who want him eliminated as the newly chosen sheriff. A plethora of familiar faces pop up in character parts, most notably Arthur O'Connell as the family patriarch.

Beyond the absurd premise, there's some beautiful scenery and a few catchy tunes. The title song was included in the Broadway Jukebox musical All Shook Up and is seemingly sung by Elvis dueted with a radio playback of himself. If you can get past the idiotic dialog and a plot line reminiscent of the Kurt Russell Disney movies, then you might find a few things in it to enjoy.

This movie is in my top ten of all time. It is a pure romp! Even though you have the "bad guys" from the government to add some drama, and the fact that Elvis character "Toby" and his family are all government freeloaders, this is essentially just a feel good movie.

You can read the plot from the other reviews, but it is essentially about homesteaders coming to Florida with a composite "family" and trying to make their way.

This is Elvis at his best--as he was meant to be in movies--singing and romancing his way through, with a back woods innocence that Max Baer would later use as Jethro Bodine on "The Beverly Hillbillies".

Enjoy this film. It is a delight!