This lightweight rom-com is probably only noteworthy for being one of several vehicles that MGM used in the early '50's to transition their former child/teen star, Elizabeth Taylor, into more adult roles. Here she plays a young Connecticut woman, still living with her parents, who falls for a free-wheeling NYC bachelor and decides to reel him to be her husband despite his repeated attempts to avoid her snares.On the surface, this may have worked as very lighthearted romantic comedy similar to the 1948 film, "Every Girl Should Be Married" which featured a young woman (Betsy Drake) using all sorts of feminine wiles to ensnare a bachelor pediatrician (Cary Grant) into marriage. While "Every Girl Should Be Married" is certainly no great film, it was entertaining mainly because it had Cary Grant who could be believable as the object of a young woman's romantic obsession. Unfortunately, "Love is Better Than Ever" doesn't have Cary Grant. Instead, it has Larry Parks. Who? Good question. From the opening moments of the film, one's jaw drops when a homely, middle-aged man walks onto the screen as the film's main character and the soon to be supposed romantic ideal for Elizabeth Taylor's character. Mr. Parks looks like somebody's dad or the nebbish next door. He does NOT look like the lead of a romantic comedy. His introduction as the film's lead almost instantly kills the film.Mr. Parks was nearly 20 yrs older than Miss Taylor. Plus, in the looks department, Mr. Parks isn't in the same continent, let alone the same league as 19 yr old Liz. Yet, the audience was supposed to believe that her character would pursue him?!?! Movies often demand a suspension of disbelief, but this film demands way too much.Yes, it was unfair that Mr. Parks' career was derailed by his testimony before HUAC just as it was really gaining momentum. (He got top billing over Miss Taylor for this film.) However, he was woefully miscast for this part, and that mistake pretty much killed this film from its very inception.In sum: a tepid rom-com with a laughable male lead and an extremely pretty Liz Taylor who is often costumed in very skimpy dancing clothes. (As stated, her studio wanted to show her off as an adult actress.)

In my opinion, this was one of Elizabeth Taylor's best movies she ever starred in. In this film she was young, talented and even funny. I was fortunate enough to have caught this movie while it was playing on Turner Classic Movies, and fell in love with the movie. When I first saw it coming on Turner Classic Movies, I was hesitant to watch it, as I have not been a huge fan of Elizabeth Taylor's movies and don't normally follow her films or her career. This movie was better than my expectations and when it ended I wanted to watch it again. I have even tried to watch a few more films that Elizabeth Taylor starred in. I have been trying to catch another showing of the film ever since. The movie is not available on DVD and was only released on VHS back in 1993 so it is hard to find for home viewing. I hope that they release the movie onto DVD or Blu-Ray DVD in the near future and until then I hope that Turner Classic Movies continues to show it once in a while. I do think that the movie deserves more credit than it has received. If you get a chance to watch it, you will not be disappointed.

Elizabeth Taylor,(Anastacia Macaboy),"The Big Hangover", played the role of a dance school teacher who was young, beautiful and not very street wise, as she lived with her mom and dad and was very close to her mother. Anastacia has to go to a Dance School Conference in New York City and meets up with Larry Parks,(Jud Parker),"The Jolson Story" who is a much older man for Anastacia to get involved with. However, Jud sweeps her off her feet by taking her to Baseball games, Race tracks, Fight matches and wound up falling in love with Jud; these two stayed up all night long going to the 21 Club and many others and eventually going to bed with Jud, much to his satisfaction. Elizabeth Taylor during the filming was getting a divorce from Mickey Hilton and Elizabeth was having a torrid love affair with the director of this film. Taylor was truly very beautiful during this period in her life and had a long wonderful career ahead of her. Enjoy

Stanley Dornen directed this cute love story about a dancing teacher (wow Taylor really is gorgeous here) and she goes to New York for a convention but gets sidetracked into her first love affair with Larry Parks, who really doesn't want to give up his solo life. Things change at the dancing school where people talk about it like a big scandal as she is so much younger than he. But with all the waiting and shenanigans they finally end up in eachother's arms after a false wedding announcement. The story is cute, the dancing is terrific, and acting is superb, and even a Giant Baseball player, George Metkovich is in it. Larry Parks was the Giant fan.