Year: 1968
Director: Norman Taurog
Country: US
Language: English
Live a Little, Love a Little continued Stay Away, Joe's trend away from the long-established Elvis movie format. Director Norman Taurog was back for his ninth project with Presley, but this one would be quite different from the earlier, song-filled, romantic romps on which the two had collaborated before. This would be far more dramatic.
Photographer Greg Nolan (Elvis Presley) moonlights in two full-time jobs to pay the rent, but has trouble finding time to do them both without his bosses finding out.
Usually audiences understood early on what motivated each character in an Elvis picture, whether it be babes, money or fame. This picture is a little different as the character's motives are fairly unpredictable. We're not entirely sold on who is a protagonist and who is an antagonist. The beginning of the film seems like a comedy, but then the dramatic seeds start rising.
Unlike most Presley pictures, this one has no title song or end number. The passable “Wonderful World” is played over the opening credits. It represents a time when Hollywood tried more avant-garde elements and pulled back on the music. Did it work? Well...no. The plot often drags, the acting is forgettable and ultimately it did very poorly at the box office.
I see what this picture was trying to go for; an unpredictable Elvis vehicle that would have audiences guessing, but too little is resolved and too many questions remain. Also the tone of the film is a little unbalanced and, if not for the mindless action scenes, the pacing would make a snail jealous. Entertaining at moments, but not satisfying enough for me to recommend.
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