One of my favorite Martin&Lewis Pictures has quite the pedigree. Originally Ben Hecht wrote this as the story behind the film Nothing Sacred, it then was recreated as a musical Hazel Flagg on Broadway with songs by Jule Styne and Bob Hilliard. Then Paramount bought it as a vehicle for Martin and Lewis and scrapped most of the score retaining only How Do You Speak To An Angel and Every Street's A Boulevard.It's one of those gender reversal parts that Jerry Lewis got playing Homer Flagg, stationmaster at Desert Hole, New Mexico who gets a mistaken diagnosis of radium poisoning by Dr. Dean Martin. That sends Janet Leigh ace reporter on Fred Clark's newspaper for the human interest story of a man dying whose only wish is to see The Big Apple before he dies.Of course it's all a mistake, but Dean and Jerry keep the deception going to wangle a free trip to New York at Fred Clark's expense. And both of them fight over Janet Leigh.This was one film where Dean Martin did very well in the song department. Two songs written for the film by the same Broadway composers became favorites of Dino's fans world wide. That's What I Like and Money Burns A Whole In My Pocket sold a few records for him, the latter is a particular favorite of mine.As for Jerry he has some great comedy routines, one with Sig Ruman as a doctor specialist sent to examine him, another on the train that drops him in the middle of the Los Alamos Proving Grounds where they think he gets the radium poisoning, another swinging from a chandelier doing a demented act and pelting Dean Martin and Fred Clark with light-bulbs.Highlight of the film is both of them doing one of the great New York tribute ballads Every Street's A Boulevard In Old New York. Dean&Jerry also recorded this and it's a real gem on record and on film.If you're not a Martin&Lewis fan you'll become one after seeing Living It Up.

This has always been one of my favorite Martin & Lewis pictures.Dean has some very good songs here -- "Kiss Me, Kiss Me", "How Do You Speak To An Angel", and "Money Burns A Hole In My Pocket".In terms of Jerry's performance, the dance number with Sheree North is hilarious. I noted that a couple of our IMDb reviewers noted Jerry's mugging; that was Jerry Lewis' primary contribution (sarcasm) to comedy; it's what he did more than any one thing in all the Martin & Lewis films...well, that along with talking in a screeching voice. And why did Jerry Lewis insist on singing??? It is interesting, however, to see how Jerry had evolved by 1954 into a man who could be at least somewhat of a love interest. Since it has come up in a number of Lewis films, apparently Jerry thought all Asians had bucked teeth. I won't say it was racist, but I will say it was not a well-thought out depiction and was born of ignorance.In terms of the boys together, the slapping scene is funny. But I do want to commend them for the "Every Streets A Boulevard" production number. One of the best musical productions of their entire career (and a song that they did a few times on the Colgate Comedy Hour on television).In terms of the supporting cast, Janet Leigh is great as the newspaper reporter who is just a little slippery with the truth. Fred Clark is great as the editor (with toupee). I did feel a little sorry for Edward Arnold here; Arnold was once a major star, and received billing above Cary Grant in "The Toast Of New York"; here he has little more than a bit part as mayor, and it was one of his last films.This is one of the more sophisticated Martin & Lewis films, and I highly recommend it.

Just rewatched this Martin & Lewis movie on YouTube. In this one, Jerry thinks he's dying because he drove in a car labeled "radioactive" in the desert town he's lived in all his life though local doctor Dean knows better after examining him. But because the news reached all the way to New York, an ambitious female reporter (Janet Leigh) there wants to grant Homer Flagg (Lewis' character) his last wish: to visit the Big Apple which Dean agrees to since he's attracted to Leigh. Actually, this marks the first time that Dean & Jerry find themselves competing for the same girl. There's plenty of hilarious scenes and some good Martin numbers though it's a nice surprise to see Lewis himself have a good performance of a love song as well. He's also excellent in a Jitterbug dance number with Sheree North. If there's one sequence that's cringe-worthy, it's when Jerry tries to pass himself off as various specialists especially the one from Hong Kong. Among the supporting cast, Fred Clark is especially good as the cynical publisher Oliver Stone (yeah, you read that right) in his second appearance in an M & L flick. Also nice to see familiar faces like Edward Arnold as the mayer and Grady Sutton as a gift store clerk trying to keep Dean from fooling with his items. And the duet of the boys singing the praises of New York is among the best of their numbers. So on that note, I recommend Living It Up.

Jerry Lewis plays a railroad worker Homer Flagg, who think he's dying on radioactive poisoning in three weeks.Dean Martin is his doctor Steve Harris, who tells him that's not the case.A beautiful New York reporter Wally Cook (Janet Leigh) comes to New Mexico wanting to write a series of articles about this "dying" young man.She takes both Homer and the doc to New York.Homer hasn't bothered the lady with the truth, that he's not actually going to die, because he's always wanted to go to NY.And of course the love sick doctor falls for the pretty reporter and so does Homer.The whole city of New York feels pity for the poor Homer. Norman Taurog's Living It Up (1954) is an extremely funny Jerry Lewis movie from the time he still made a team with Dean Martin.It's not only Jerry who makes you laugh hard, also Dean does that trick.Janet Leigh makes a perfect leading lady in the middle of the clown and the playboy.You can find awfully many funny scenes from the movie, like where Jerry pretends he's a doctor from Paris, Wienna and Hong Kong.He also pretends he's Dean's character while Dean is Jerry.Also the scene on the dance floor with Sheree North is pretty amazing.I saw this movie for the first time in seven years yesterday.It sure brought me back.