Main Cast: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Janet Leigh, Edward Arnold, Fred Clark
Release Year: 1954
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
Plot
The 1954 Martin-and-Lewis romp Living It Up is an amusing remake of the 1937 comedy classic Nothing Sacred. More specifically, it is the film version of the Broadway musical Hazel Flagg, which was based on Nothing Sacred. The heroine of the original undergoes a sex change to become feckless Homer Flagg (Jerry Lewis), who is led to believe that he's dying of radiation poisoning. Manhattan newspaperwoman Wally Cook (Janet Leigh), hoping to improve circulation of her paper, convinces her boss, Oliver Stone (Fred Clark), to fete Homer as a hero with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Big Apple. Meanwhile, Homer learns from local doctor Steve (Dean Martin) that he isn't dying at all. But Steve talks Homer into taking advantage of the celebrity treatment bestowed on him by Wally, and a good time is had by all -- until medical specialist Dr. Egelhofer (Sig Rumann) insists upon examining Homer. Highlights include a hilarious bit at Yankee Stadium, and an energetic jitterbug number featuring Jerry Lewis and Sheree North. The handful of songs retained from Hazel Flagg include "Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Definitely inferior to its original source (the classic Nothing Sacred), Living It Up is nevertheless a tuneful and diverting little film. Fans of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis will find a great deal to enjoy, while their detractors will at least admit that Living has the benefit of being based upon a fine source and featuring some pleasant Jule Styne tunes. True, Living is very much watered down from Nothing Sacred (as well as from the Broadway musical that is its immediate source); it is totally missing in the cynical irony that permeated Ben Hecht's original, as well as the genuine emotion that Hecht somehow managed to inject into the story. But the setup does provide Martin and Lewis with plenty of opportunities to do their things, while at the same time providing a strong enough framework to keep them from straying too far away from the narrative. Highlights includes a truly hilarious scene at Yankee stadium and an amazing jitterbug between Lewis and the stunning Sheree North, as well as Martin's smooth handling of the lovely "How Do you Speak to an Angel?" Lewis also scores with his trio of foreign doctors routine. Janet Leigh does well as the reporter/love interest, and there are nice bits from a solid supporting cast. Norman Taurog's direction is lively, and the result is a pleasant little bit of fluff. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Albert Nozaki - Art Director, Hal Pereira - Art Director, Nick Castle - Choreography, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Michael D. Moore - First Assistant Director, Norman Taurog - Director, Archie Marshek - Editor, Walter Scharf - Composer (Music Score), Daniel L. Fapp - Cinematographer, Paul Jones - Producer, Sam Comer - Set Designer, Emile Kuri - Set Designer, John P. Fulton - Special Effects, Gene Merritt - Sound/Sound Designer, Gene Garvin - Sound/Sound Designer, Melville Shavelson - Screenwriter, Jack Rose - Screenwriter, Ben Hecht - Book Author, Jule Styne - From Musical by, James Street - Short Story Author
Homer Flagg is a railroad worker in the small town of Desert Hole, New Mexico. His big dream in life is to visit New York City while he is young.
One day he finds an abandoned automobile at an old atomic proving ground. His doctor and best friend, Steve Harris, diagnoses him with radiation poisoning and gives Homer three weeks to live.
A reporter for a New York newspaper, Wally Cook, hears of Homer's plight and convinces her editor, Oliver Stone, to provide an all-expenses paid trip to fulfil Homer's life-long fantasy of seeing New York.
Steve, however, realizes that he made an error and Homer is only suffering from a sinus condition. Steve agrees to keep this new diagnosis a secret after Homer begs him ... particularly after meeting the attractive reporter. Steve announces that only he can provide medical treatment to Homer and must accompany him on the trip.
New York embraces Homer and he becomes a celebrity, with everyone following his every move in the paper. Homer even makes plans to marry Wally, despite the fact that she has fallen for Steve.
Meanwhile, editor Stone is anxious for Homer to die. Every day it is costing the newspaper money to support the dying man's extravagant requests, which includes ordering 3,000 shrimp cocktails for his hotel suite. Stone hires three specialists to examine Homer, who is given a clean bill of health.
To escape the fix that they have gotten themselves into, Homer fakes suicide. The newspaper gets the exclusive story. Wally gets married to Steve, and the two guys get new jobs in New York as street sweepers.
Production
Living It Up was filmed from October 19 to December 18, 1953. It is a remake of the 1937 film Nothing Sacred. Sig Ruman, who plays Dr. Emil Eggelhoffer, played the same role in the 1937 version.
