By 1968, Elvis Presley was at a crossroads, disillusioned with a film career that had boxed him into lighthearted, cash-grab musicals. His dreams of becoming a serious actor in the mold of James Dean or Marlon Brando seemed impossibly distant. Jason Hehir’s new Netflix documentary, Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley, explores how Presley transformed this creative low point into a defining moment that would reignite his career and legacy.
In the documentary, Presley’s dissatisfaction with Hollywood’s treatment of him is laid bare. “Hollywood’s image of me was wrong, and I knew it, and I couldn’t do anything about it,” Presley says in archival audio. Despite earning enormous paychecks, he felt trapped in a cycle of mediocrity. His discontent reached its nadir with the infamous scene in Double Trouble (1967), where he sang “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” a moment his ex-wife Priscilla Presley calls “a crime” in the film.
Hehir reveals that Presley’s frustration ran deep, leaving him physically ill at times. Locked into contracts, he was unable to pursue the roles he truly wanted, leading to a creative and spiritual void. But it was this dissatisfaction that sparked his desire to return to live performance—a space where he felt most alive.
Presley’s solution to his stagnation came in the form of a live televised performance: the now-iconic 1968 NBC special. For Presley, who hadn’t performed in front of a live audience in seven years, it was both a risk and a lifeline.
According to Hehir, Presley was wracked with stage fright, even refusing to leave his dressing room at one point. It was only after director Steve Binder persuaded him that Presley took the stage.
Dressed in a sleek black leather suit reminiscent of Marlon Brando’s role in The Wild One, Presley exuded a raw charisma that silenced any doubts about his relevance. The special was a turning point. It reminded the world—and Presley himself—why he had become the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
After the special’s success, Presley threw himself into live performances and found solace in gospel music, a genre that had always been close to his heart. Hehir notes that gospel provided Presley with both creative fulfillment and spiritual healing. Priscilla recalled hearing him play gospel tunes alone on the piano at Graceland, moments that underscored his deep connection to the music of his youth.
While the documentary celebrates Presley’s comeback, it also reflects on the missed opportunities of his acting career. Mismanagement and a string of subpar scripts robbed him of the chance to develop as an actor. “We still don’t know what kind of actor Elvis could have become,” Hehir laments, suggesting that Presley’s true artistic potential was never fully realized on the big screen.
Unlike other Presley documentaries, Return of the King avoids ending on a somber note, choosing instead to celebrate the apex of his career as a performer. Through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, the film captures the joy Presley found in his craft, especially in intimate jam sessions with close friends.
