Peter Tewksbury’s 1968 film Stay Away Joe is a comedy film that was based on a Native American protagonist. This role was played by none other than music legend Elvis Presley, although Stay Away Joe cannot be considered one of his greatest films.
The storyline of Stay Away Joe centers on Joe Lightcloud, a Navajo who’s also a skilled rodeo rider. After returning to his family home, which is still on the reservation, Joe decides to raise cattle to convince the government to help Native People. As pure as his intention is, Joe ends up selling the cattle he gets to make his mom happy, while the prize bull he gets is turned into a barbecue by one of his friends.
Stay Away Joe follows his journey as he tries to get back enough cattle and still complete the challenge he had set on himself with the government. Meanwhile, Mamie Callahan is a pretty woman who just can’t stay away from Joe and follows him around all the time.
The cast and crew of Stay Away Joe consists of Elvis Presley in the role of Joe Lightcloud, Burgess Meredith portrays Charlie Lightcloud, Joan Blondell plays Glenda, and Quentin Dean stars in the role of Mamie Callahan. This Presley movie is based on a novel by Dan Cushman, and although the movie is funny at times, it is considered insensitive as it portrays Native Americans negatively.
Stay Away Joe: Filming Locations
With the cinematographer of Stay Away Joe as Fred J. Koenekamp, filming for the movie began sometime in October of 1967 and lasted till November of the same year. It was during these times that Elvis was accompanied by his wife Priscilla and other friends while shooting.
It’s said that right after the filming for Stay Away Joe ended, Presley presented the crew with a lunch party at the filming spot. The major filming location for Stay Away Joe was Arizona, USA.
Arizona, USA:
Arizona seems to host quite a lot of Western-themed films, but this time it was Northern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert that was used for the film. The exact filming spot was Sedona, Arizona, a place that seems surreal due to its massive rock formations.
These rocks are what make Sedona a wonderful place to visit, as they shine bright red when the sunset hits them just right.
These gigantic mountains seem to be native to Sedona and Northern Arizona, as they aren’t seen anywhere else. Hikers and adventurers should visit Sedona at least once, as it’s filled with picturesque spots at every corner.
These sceneries make perfect backdrops for any music video or film that has Western themes.
The place where Joe sings Dominic is located at the Merry-Go-Round Rock that’s near Schnebly Hill Road, Sedona. The Lightcloud Ranch that Joe returns to is also based in Sedona. Movies like The Karate Kid, Dead Man, and National Lampoon’s Vacation were filmed in Northern Arizona too. Sedona was surprisingly also featured in one of the seasons of The Bachelorette.
The town that we see Joe and his friends in was located at Cottonwood, Arizona. While Cottonwood wasn’t as populated while Stay Away Joe was filmed there, it’s now a developed place that’s home to more than 10,000 people. There are many cool restaurants and scenic spots in Cottonwood, making it a good place to visit if you’re in Arizona.
Places in Sedona, such as the Courthouse Butte, Red Rock Crossing, Boynton Canyon, and Verde River, can also be spotted in scenes from Stay Away Joe. You may also recognize the infamous Oak Creek Canyon in a few shots.
MGM Studios, California, USA:
While filming for most of Stay Away Joe took place in Arizona; the production shifted to the MGM Studios located at 10202 W. Washington Blvd, Culver City, Cali, where final touches and edits were added to the shots. The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio of Culver City has been involved in productions of films like Rawhide, Logan’s Run, Westworld, and Singin’ in The Rain.
At present, Stay Away Joe is available to stream on Prime Video.
Also Read: No Strings Attached Filming Locations: A Cinematic Journey Through Los Angeles
