Living It Up (1954)

An unsophisticated stationmaster from provincial New Mexico fraudulently claims that he is dying in order to get an expense-paid dream tour of New York.

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Ben Hecht (play), Jack Rose,

Stars:

Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Janet Leigh

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Dean Martin	...	Dr. Steve Harris
Jerry Lewis	...	Homer Flagg
Janet Leigh	...	Wally Cook
Edward Arnold	...	The Mayor
Fred Clark	...	Oliver Stone
Sheree North	...	Jitterbug Dancer
Sammy White	...	Waiter
Sid Tomack	...	Master of Ceremonies
Sig Ruman	...	Dr. Emile Egelhofer
Richard Loo	...	Dr. Lee
Raymond Greenleaf	...	Conductor
Walter Baldwin	...	Isaiah Jackson
Fay Roope	...	Man
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brick Sullivan	...	Cop

Storyline

Pretty Wally Cooper, a reporter for the New York Chronicle convinces her editor to let her do a series of articles on Homer Flagg, a young man from New Mexico who is believed to be dying as a result of radioactive poisoning. Before she arrives out west, Homer learns from his doctor that the diagnosis was a mistake and he's perfectly healthy. That doesn't stop them from accepting Wally's offer of an all- expenses paid trip to New York. Everyone in New York takes pity on Homer, while Homer and his doctor try to keep up their pretense.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | suicide by jumping | media hype | super chief | basset hound | 

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Taglines:

THEY'RE LAFFIN' IT UP! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1954 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der sympathische Hochstapler

Filming Locations:

East 111th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

York Pictures Corporation, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Homer Flagg: Oh, I'm feelin' much better this morning. I heard a bird sing.
Dr. Steve Harris: Yeah, I heard the same bird sing, Homer, - SING SING!
Homer Flagg: Wha - ho - unh! The fever's coming back!

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Connections

Remake of Nothing Sacred (1937)

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Soundtracks

"How Do You Speak to an Angel?"
Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Bob Hilliard
Sung by Dean Martin

User Reviews

My Favorite Martin and Lewis Movie

LIVING IT UP is a reworking of the Carole Lombard classic NOTHING SACRED now tailored to the talents of the 50's greatest movie team, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Lewis takes on the Lombard role as Homer Flagg, a small town schnook, who after exposure to radiation, believes he is dying and when word spreads all the way to Manhattan of his misfortune, a reporter for a big New York paper decides to treat Homer to a vacation in the Big Apple, sort of a final fling before Homer meets his maker. Martin plays Steve, Homer's doctor, who discovers before the arrival of the reporter, that Homer isn't really dying, but agrees to play along so that Homer can go to New York and is even more willing to play along when he meets the reporter, played by the lovely Janet Leigh. Growing up in the 60's, I had seen Jerry Lewis movies and I had seen Dean Martin movies, but I was almost an adult by the time I learned that they had made movies as a team. This laugh-a-minute comedy was my first exposure to them as a team and it is my favorite outing of theirs and is a part of my permanent video collection. Martin and Lewis are a well-oiled machine and Janet Leigh makes a lovely leading lady There's also a great comic turn by comic veteran Fred Clark as Leigh's boss, whose character name is Oliver Stone! Sheree North also makes a memorable cameo at a jitterbug contest. But this is a Martin and Lewis show all the way, highlights including Dino's crooning of a love song to a photo of Audrey Hepburn and the duo's now classic "Every Street's a Boulevard in Old New York." This is Martin and Lewis in their prime and a comedy classic that's still funny fifty years later.