Love Is Better Than Ever

Love Is Better Than Ever is a 1952 American romantic comedy film directed by Stanley Donen from a screenplay by Ruth Brooks Flippen, starring Larry Parks and Elizabeth Taylor. The plot concerns a small-town girl who falls in love with a big-city talent agent.^[2]

Love Is Better Than Ever
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Stanley Donen
Written by	Ruth Brooks Flippen
Produced by	William H. Wright
Starring	Larry Parks Elizabeth Taylor
Cinematography	Harold Rosson
Edited by	George Boemler
Music by	Lennie Hayton
Production company	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Loew's Inc.
Release date	February 23, 1952 (1952-02-23)
Running time	81 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$941,000[1]
Box office	$974,000[1]

Plot

Confirmed bachelor Jud Parker (Larry Parks) likes his life the way it is. A talent agent, he goes to New Haven, Connecticut on a client's behalf and meets Anastacia "Stacie" Macaboy (Elizabeth Taylor), who owns a dance school.

Stacie then runs into him in New York when she goes to a convention. Jud takes her to a New York Giants baseball game and to dinner and dancing. Stacie falls in love, but Jud is furious when a story in the New Haven paper claims they are engaged.

Mrs. Levoy and her daughter, who run a rival dance school, sully Stacie's reputation and cause students to drop out. Stacie and Jud disagree on how to explain their relationship until Stacie ultimately bets everything on the outcome of the Giants' next game.

Cast

• Larry Parks as Jud Parker
• Elizabeth Taylor as Anastacia (Stacie) Macaboy
• Josephine Hutchinson as Mrs. Macaboy
• Tom Tully as Mr. Charles E. Macaboy
• Ann Doran as Mrs. Levoy
• Elinor Donahue as Pattie Marie Levoy
• Kathleen Freeman as Mrs. Kahrney
• Doreen McCann as Albertina Kahrney
• Alex Gerry as Hamlet (Smittie's regular)
• Dick Wessel as Smitty - cafe owner
• John Handley as Johnny - Little boy dancer who plays the "grape" (uncredited)
• Florence Ravenel as Mother (uncredited)^[3]
• Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen make uncredited cameo appearances as themselves seated at a table at 21 Restaurant.

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $634,000 in the US and $340,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $362,000.^[1]