Living on Love

Not having seen the original "Rafter Romance" of which this was a remake, I can only compare it with the many other light comedies of the period. Taken for what it is, a "B" movie (or maybe even "C"), it doesn't do badly.

One of the great virtues of the 1930's and early 40's comedies is their fast-paced dialog, seldom heard today. I can imagine the director snapping his fingers to keep the actors racing along. Good pace and timing can cover a multitude of weaknesses in the script, and this movie rattles right along.

I wasn't rolling in the aisle, but this movie was worth a chuckle or three. If you've got nothing better planned, or you want some amusement on the box while you work on something else, curl up and enjoy -- I got lots of knitting done.

James Dunn has quit his job and gone to work at lower pay on the graveyard shift. Whitney Bourne hasn't worked regularly, and is now selling electric shavers on commission. Neither can afford their rooms, so landlord Solly Ward lets them split a room: Dunn gets it in the day, Miss Bourne at night. They don't know each other and regularly send annoyed notes. When they meet in person, they fall in love, unawares of their living arrangements.

This remake of RAFTER ROMANCE takes the Cox-and-Box story and retreats int simplistic humor to keep it Code-compliant: lots of puns in the names (the apartment building is "The Venus De Milo Arms", two characters are "Ghonoff Brothers"), and 1930s-safe wolves like Franklin Pangborn as Miss Courtney's boss. But despite the plethora of comic talent, including om Kennedy, Chester Clute, and Jimmy Conlin, there's too much grouchiness in the script and performances to keep any but the most sadistic audience smiling. Consistently. The result is another decent timewaster from RKO during a rote era.

Last week, the long-lost RAFTER ROMANCE was shown for the first time on TV. This week, the long-lost remake by the same studio which was made just four years later was shown as well (LIVING ON LOVE). As a result, I had a rare opportunity to see the original and its remake just days apart. By the way, the remaking of films was very common in this era (especially by RKO and Warner Brothers) and often the films were remade as few as two or three years later! While the basic plot of RAFTER ROMANCE was intact, the remake was a pretty sorry film--offering no advantages over the original--NONE. The performances by all the leads were simply better in the 1933 film. Norman Foster and Ginger Rogers were the leads in 1933 and James Dunn and Whitney Bourne (who the heck was THIS?) were the leads in 1937--definite steps down in the acting and charm departments--especially since Ms. Bourne seemed really cruel at times in the film (like when she sold the artist's paintings). Plus, the original charming and cute landlord, George Sidney, was replaced by a comparatively dull guy in the remake. Because of these changes, the magic and sweet nature of the film was mostly gone. Still, it was watchable, but I strongly advise you to seek out RAFTER ROMANCE instead--I just can't imagine anyone preferring this remake.

Whitney Bourne is behind on her rent. Her landlord doesn't want to kick her out, though...he likes her. The landlord's solution is to have Bourne move into the basement apartment with James Dunn, who is also behind on his rent. Bourne has a daytime job, Dunn works at night - they will never even have to meet.

While that far-fetched setup never quite convinces, this attempt at madcap comedy does have some fun moments.

Dunn is a would-be artist who has somehow captured the fancy of sausage heiress Joan Woodbury. Preferring to make it on his own, Dunn rejects her advances as well the cushy job in her father's sausage factory.

Bourne, meanwhile, has just gotten a job selling electric razors. New roommates Dunn and Bourne have never seen each other but quickly decide they are bitter enemies...and then of course they meet in a restaurant and become friends. Unaware of their ironic situation, Dunn and Bourne romance each other in fits and starts, while continuing to play wicked practical jokes on each other back in the apartment. (She replaces his toothpaste with a tube of paint; he puts a lobster in her bed.)

The stars do their best but weak dialog really limits their ability to come across as charming or intelligent. Otherwise, Tom Kennedy is fine as a big-hearted fellow lodger who drives a cab. Solly Ward plays the landlord and is quite enthusiastic about solving his boarders' problems as well as peeking through their keyholes. Franklin Pangborn is humorous if a bit creepy as the sales manager who coaches his staff of young women on how to sell razors. Joan Woodbury is fun as the pushy society girl who is used to getting her way.

Overall, it's really not too good but it's a cute story that has a few laughs.

Maybe I just like Whitney Bourne better than Ginger Rogers but I liked this one better than "Rafter Romance". It is 12 minutes shorter so it has no filler. It is short and sweet. It "feels" more like a silent film than the earlier version because it really hops along.

I like Ginger Rogers in "Major & The Minor", otherwise, I cant think of a movie I really like her in. Maybe "Vivacous Lady". She's OK in the Fred Astaire movies but he is so smug I find them barely watchable. Whitney Bourne on the other hand is a super gorgeous woman that I would like to see a lot more of.

IMDb wants a few more lines out of me to print this: I find it interesting that Whitney Bourne was born in 1914 and died in 1988 and her female rival in this movie, Joan Woodbury, was born a year later and died a year later. What are the chances of THAT!