Parents' Guide to Roustabout

Parents need to know that Roustabout is a musical starring Elvis Presley in the familiar role of a rebellious young man who ultimately learns the error of some of his ways toward the end. It features flirtation, kissing, sexual references, and innuendo. Physical fights break out and there are motorcycle accidents including a person being run off the road and crashing during a carnival attraction—resulting in small cuts to the face. Occasional language includes "damn" and "damned," and song lyrics use stand-ins for stronger language, such as "sons of the rich" instead of "bitch," and "shaking their grass" instead of "ass." Characters drink alcohol, and underaged teens are served beer in a bar. A character is referred to as an "alcoholic" and drinks from a hip flask. There's references to him being hungover and causing an accident while drunk. The main characters are all White and women are often shown in skimpy outfits at the carnival. However, Cathy (Joan Freeman) is strong in sticking to her guns in the face of Charlie's advances, and Maggie (Barbara Stanwyck) holds the main position of authority, running the carnival. There's an old-fashioned "freak show" that includes a woman with a larger body type, a "bearded" lady, and a tall man, and a person with dwarfism is referred to as "kid" and told not to pick fights with grown-ups. The song and dance numbers keep the tone pretty light and there are messages about love and loyalty among the innuendo and stereotype.

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