Live a Little, Love a Little ** (1968, Elvis Presley, Michele Carey, Don Porter, Rudy Valee, Dick Sargent, Sterling Holloway, Celeste Yarnall) – Classic Movie Review 7655

Director Norman Taurog’s 1968 Live a Little, Love a Little is an easy-going, good-natured, very old-fashioned musical-comedy vehicle for Elvis Presley. It was way out of step with the times back in 1968 but seems vaguely pleasant enough now.

Elvis plays photographer Greg Nolan, who loses both his job and his apartment, but encounters sweet Bernice (Michele Carey), who helps him find a new home, but then he needs to find two new jobs to pay for it and the time to do them!

Elvis still looks like the young pre-Vegas Presley and is vibrant, and it is great to have veteran old-timers Don Porter, Rudy Valee, Dick Sargent and Sterling Holloway aboard. But feeble songs like Wonderful World, Edge of Reality and Almost in Love let Elvis down, though he sings his hit ‘A Little Less Conversation’.

Also in the cast are Celeste Yarnall as Ellen, Eddie Hodges, Joan Shawlee, Mary Grover, Emily Banks, Michael Keller, Merri Ashley, Phyllis Davis, Ursula Menzel, Ann Doran and Paul Sorenson.

Celeste Yarnall plays party-goer Ellen, wearing a glittery silver mini-dress and briefly a white fur coat, who captures Presley’s attention and he sings his hit ‘A Little Less Conversation’ (written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange). The role got her recognised by the National Association of Theatre Owners, who named her Most Promising New Star.

Dan Greenburg and Michael A Hoey’s screenplay is based on the novel Kiss My Firm but Pliant Lips by Dan Greenburg.

Live a Little, Love a Little is directed by Norman Taurog, runs 90 minutes, is produced and released by MGM, is written by Dan Greenburg and Michael A Hoey, based on the novel Kiss My Firm but Pliant Lips by Dan Greenburg, is shot in Metrocolor by Fred J Koenekamp, is produced by Douglas Laurence, is scored by Billy Strange, and is designed by George W Davis and E Preston Ames.

Celeste Yarnall (1944–2018).

The alluring Sixties actress Celeste Yarnall died on 7 October 2018, aged 74. RIP.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7655

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