Tom Hanks with “Elvis”: a villain with many faces – dpa

Priscilla Presley, the wife of the legendary singer, also came to the Cote d’Azur for the world premiere. “It’s her life,” director Baz Luhrmann said Thursday. After the premiere on Wednesday night, she visibly embraced the director.

“No criticism, no review will mean to us more than that of the woman who was married to Elvis Presley.” Luhrmann said he was therefore eagerly awaiting her verdict. When the Presley family finally explained to him that the film adaptation of Elvis’ life “shows the truth about him as a person,” for the director it was “the best criticism I’ve ever received.” Priscilla and Elvis were married from 1967 to 1973.

From the director’s point of view

Elvis tells the story of the musician from the perspective of his manager, Tom Parker. Tom Hanks portrays him in the film as a greedy man who over-riches himself on Presley’s financial earnings. He describes Elvis as a “tourist attraction” and forbids the singer from holding concerts abroad – because Parker himself was not allowed to leave the US due to a false identity he was assuming.

Hanks said Thursday that Parker wasn’t just a villain. “He was a man who saw an opportunity to turn a unique talent into a cultural force.” The variety of ways in which Parker deceived people in order to obtain extraordinary money. “By the way, I’ve incorporated some of these methods into my daily routine,” Hanks joked. “You learn a little from each role.”