R.I.P. Michele Carey

In the past month alone, this lovely actress has been discussed so much – in my world anyway – because of the talk I gave on Elvis in Memphis – and the affection I have for the 1968 forgotten screwball, Live a Little, Love a Little. After my talk, I had a really fun discussion with Brad Jenkins, who ran lights for my talk, about our shared love for this unfairly ignored comedy. I went over to him to thank him for his job in the light booth and all his help, and suddenly he murmured, almost like it was a shared secret, “Thank you for bringing up Live a Little Love a Little.” And we were off to the races. Instant bond! Carey, a perfect foil for Elvis, as well as hilarious in her own right, plays a beach-bunny kook – with multiple names – who runs around in a babydoll nightie and gogo boots, determined to HAVE HIM (and who can blame her). She WILL have him, even if she has to roofie him (which she does!)

I’ve written a couple of things on the film – mostly about his performance – but their pairing is delightfully screwball.

In 2012, I wrote about the film for Jeremy Richey’s gorgeous site, Moon in the Gutter, in Richey’s “Performances Ripe for Rediscovery” series. As you can see from Jeremy’s intro, he shares my feelings about Elvis as an actor, and was an early supporter of what I was trying to do.

I also chose to highlight Live a Little, Love a Little in my Film Comment essay on Elvis.

Michele Carey was stunningly beautiful, with a strong distinct fact, and eyes that blazed blue. She is probably most well-known for her performance in El Dorado, opposite John Wayne, where she gives a wonderful performance.

I cherish her for her performance in Live a Little, Love a Little, a totally forgotten film, one that is – as Jeremy Richey says – ripe for rediscovery.