After recklessly driving his clean dune buggy through Southern California streets and sand, singing photographer Elvis Presley (as Greg Nolan) meets pleasantly-proportioned Michele Carey (as Bernice) on the shore. The two seem ready to "make love," but Mr. Presley must contend with Ms. Carey's constant companion - a growling Great Dane named "Albert". The dog chases Presley, fully clothed, into the ocean for the remainder of the day and he is taken back to Carey's place with a fever. After several days of nursing from Carey, Presley awakens to discover he has lost his apartment and job...Using the line, "Nolan is here with the truth," Presley finds work taking photographs for Playboy-type Don Porter (as Mike Lansdown) and his straight-laced opposite Rudy Vallee (as Penlow). Since his new employers have offices in the same building, Presley tries to work both jobs at the same time. Hijinks ensue when he continues seeing the eccentric Carey and her friends, including pre-"Bewitched" Dick Sargent (as Harry). The film's highlight is a surreal video made for Presley's lost classic slice of 1960s paranoia "Edge of Reality", and "A Little Less Conversation" / "Almost in Love" is a strong single.**** Live a Little, Love a Little (10/23/68) Norman Taurog ~ Elvis Presley, Michele Carey, Dick Sargent, Rudy Vallee

By this point Elvis, along with most of his fans, had pretty much lost interest in his movie career, and this entry did nothing to revive it. Indeed, Elvis was looking further ahead to his 1968 TV Comeback Special, filmed three months after this item, and perhaps already hoping it would break him out of the stifling quagmire that was his MGM career. He seemed to be pretty much phoning in his role here. Elvis plays a swinging photographer - as always, some vaguely glamorous job, the better to woo ladies - who meets a beautiful young woman at the beach. Over the course of the film he meets her again three times, but in every case she claims to be a different person. Could she really be four different people, or is she, as Elvis asserts, simply "Nuts!"? The implications and complications arising from this very question drive the plot, but not particularly well. This movie, as it turns out is no more clever story-wise or comically than his other MGM output, making the main story device a bit of a waste, especially since it takes almost the first half hour of the movie to set it up.When I first saw the film (I was 12) I was unaware that this movie was supposed to be part of an effort to update Elvis' screen image by having him swear a bit and act a bit more of a Lothario. Honestly, it looked like every other Elvis movie I saw around that time, except the humor seemed a bit trashier and more desperate. When I saw it many years later, knowing more about the movie's context within his career, my initial assessment as an undiscriminating 12 year old Elvis fan was bang on. It really WAS like every other Elvis movie of the late MGM period, but a bit trashier and with fewer songs and the comedy worked no better.Elvis himself looks great - the ravages of his drug abuse and over- eating would not kick in for another five years - and his co-star Michele Carey is gorgeous, a dead ringer for Sharon Tate. Their chemistry is good, but the movie isn't.

One of my personal favorite Elvis films that I'm partial to. For beginners, Elvis physically looks to be in good form, and was probably in better spirits due to his recent highly acclaimed "1968 Comeback" TV show, which may have given him the shot in the arm he needed after making 30 or so of these pictures throughout the sixties. In some ways this film follows the screwball pattern of his other comedies, but at the same time it's more adult and not completely typical. Presley plays a fashion photographer whose life is turned into complete disarray by a woman with half her screws loose (Michele Carey). She succeeds in making Elvis lose his job and his apartment, yet arranges for him to get another house where she and her scene-stealing dog Albert can always crash in to keep an eye on him. To try and get back on his feet, Elvis takes on two new photography jobs at the same time in the same building (one of his bosses is former crooner Rudy Vallee, minus his megaphone).Carey is a very attractive lead lady, and her free-spirited but erratic character is well realized. Elvis gets into one of the best fist-fights of his screen career, but only manages to perform three songs within the movie itself (he also sings "Wonderful World" over the credits, which makes for a pleasant opener). Two of the others are very good: "A Little Less Conversation", which interestingly became a hit in recent years via a re-mixed version, and my favorite -- "Edge of Reality", a diversion of sorts for Presley in the latter part of the decade, which is nicely showcased during a bizarre and trippy dream sequence. **1/2 out of ****

There is something quite entertaining about this movie, but I can't totally figure out what it is. It is certainly better than other Elvis vehicles, and I like the music. The psycho babe is about one step away from a mad slasher movie. I really wouldn't be surprise if she cut Elvis's legs off after drugging him for several days. After all, she does sic her vicious Great Dane on him and drive him into the ocean. Real light hearted and zany, wouldn't you say? She then gets him evicted and takes all of his possessions.She is obviously as loose sexually as a shovel full of peas. She even carries on with the goofy old milkman, for God's sake. Elvis gets a little wacky from mere contact with her. He apparently wants nothing to do with her, but gleefully moves in with her and socks Dick Sargeant for kissing her.I think I am trying to apply some logic to this plot and that in itself is very silly. The dog, by the way, takes top acting honors.The funniest thing about this entire film is the bedroom scene. Here is the King Stud of his generation lying next to a beautiful nymphet, who wants him badly, and there is a board between them. The Puritan's in New England live! Who would actually believe this? In real life that mattress would be screaming for mercy.Having said all of this, I do find this movie enjoyable. I really liked the attempt to bring Elvis into the Woodstock generation, with some colored lights and a guy dressed as a GreatDane.Of course, Elvis winds up with this whack-job at the end. I am not sure we ever really find out what her real name is, or her real marital status. The delivery boy, the milkman and her semi-gay ex will all be disappointed.