Occasionally Eagle-Lion produced comedies, and some of them had top stars. LET'S LIVE A LITTLE was intended for United Artists, but the deal fell through so Robert Cummings and producer Eugene Frenke brought the project to E-L. The studio agreed to finance it with a substantial budget. Frenke's wife Anna Sten was cast in one of the main roles; though the lead would be given to Hedy Lamarr.
It's interesting to see Cummings do comedy with two very different European actresses. Lamarr plays her role sympathetically, while Sten injects more screwball elements as a self-absorbed vamp. Sten had a gift for comedy, and she nearly walks away with the picture.
Cummings portrays a harried ad exec who is about to have a nervous breakdown. His boss is putting pressure on him to sign Miss Sten to a contract. She runs a perfume business, and the agency wants to handle the ads for her wildly successful fragrance. The backstory is that they were previously engaged. Sten will only sign the deal if Cummings agrees to propose again and make her his wife.
At the same time, Lamarr turns up as a well-known psychiatrist who has just written a new book. The agency is also trying to get her account, to advertise her book.
Cummings is so befuddled when he goes to visit Lamarr, that she assumes he must be a new patient. Later that evening, when he wines and dines Sten, he bumps into Lamarr who is also out having dinner. Things go wrong when Sten decides she's not getting enough attention. She causes a ruckus, and this sets off a domino effect that involves several people at the restaurant. Cummings really starts to crack up, and his comic breakdown is quite funny.
As a result of his mental collapse, he is taken to a resort in the country by Lamarr and another doctor. He's not supposed to use the phone. He's supposed to forget all about business and concentrate on getting well. Of course, he doesn't exactly follow orders.
This is when things really get interesting. Cummings realizes he has feelings for Lamarr, not Sten. When he leans in for a kiss, his impulsive behavior catches her off guard. She tells him he's cured and that he needs to go back to the city.
When Cummings returns to the city, he goes to see Sten but doesn't tell her he's in love with someone else. She signs the contract but keeps it in her possession and says he will have it the minute they are married. He calls her all sorts of names in frustration, and she throws facial cream at him. He retaliates by throwing cream at her. The slapstick in this scene is great, especially Sten's wailing when she realizes he's ruined her makeup and clothes.
Meanwhile, Lamarr has also returned to the city, and she is doing a radio show. She describes a recent patient while she's on the air. We know who she's talking about. At this point, it's clear that Lamarr has developed feelings for Cummings.
She sees a newspaper headline that he agreed to marry Sten after all. Say what?! Now it's Lamarr's turn to crack up. She needs Cummings in her life, and she can't let him marry Sten. But what is she going to do about it? Will she tell him how she feels before it's too late? Or will she remain uptight. Her life would be so much happier, if she could only relax and live a little.
It's interesting to see Cummings do comedy with two very different European actresses. Lamarr plays her role sympathetically, while Sten injects more screwball elements as a self-absorbed vamp. Sten had a gift for comedy, and she nearly walks away with the picture.
Cummings portrays a harried ad exec who is about to have a nervous breakdown. His boss is putting pressure on him to sign Miss Sten to a contract. She runs a perfume business, and the agency wants to handle the ads for her wildly successful fragrance. The backstory is that they were previously engaged. Sten will only sign the deal if Cummings agrees to propose again and make her his wife.
At the same time, Lamarr turns up as a well-known psychiatrist who has just written a new book. The agency is also trying to get her account, to advertise her book.
Cummings is so befuddled when he goes to visit Lamarr, that she assumes he must be a new patient. Later that evening, when he wines and dines Sten, he bumps into Lamarr who is also out having dinner. Things go wrong when Sten decides she's not getting enough attention. She causes a ruckus, and this sets off a domino effect that involves several people at the restaurant. Cummings really starts to crack up, and his comic breakdown is quite funny.
As a result of his mental collapse, he is taken to a resort in the country by Lamarr and another doctor. He's not supposed to use the phone. He's supposed to forget all about business and concentrate on getting well. Of course, he doesn't exactly follow orders.
This is when things really get interesting. Cummings realizes he has feelings for Lamarr, not Sten. When he leans in for a kiss, his impulsive behavior catches her off guard. She tells him he's cured and that he needs to go back to the city.
When Cummings returns to the city, he goes to see Sten but doesn't tell her he's in love with someone else. She signs the contract but keeps it in her possession and says he will have it the minute they are married. He calls her all sorts of names in frustration, and she throws facial cream at him. He retaliates by throwing cream at her. The slapstick in this scene is great, especially Sten's wailing when she realizes he's ruined her makeup and clothes.
Meanwhile, Lamarr has also returned to the city, and she is doing a radio show. She describes a recent patient while she's on the air. We know who she's talking about. At this point, it's clear that Lamarr has developed feelings for Cummings.
She sees a newspaper headline that he agreed to marry Sten after all. Say what?! Now it's Lamarr's turn to crack up. She needs Cummings in her life, and she can't let him marry Sten. But what is she going to do about it? Will she tell him how she feels before it's too late? Or will she remain uptight. Her life would be so much happier, if she could only relax and live a little.