Living It Up (1954)

A small town railroad worker (Jerry Lewis) is diagnosed with fatal radiation poisoning by his doctor (Dean Martin). When a New York journalist (Janet Leigh) hears about it, she talks her editor (Fred Clark) into sponsoring an all expenses paid vacation trip to New York City before he passes away. Alas, when it turns out the radiation poisoning was misdiagnosed, the doctor and patient keep quiet about it so they can get the free trip and be wined and dined in Manhattan. Directed by Norman Taurog, this is based on the Broadway musical HAZEL FLAGG but with the genders switched so that Hazel is now Homer. The musical was based on the 1937 screwball comedy NOTHING SACRED which in turn was based on LETTER TO THE EDITOR by James H. Street. The songs are not memorable so they could have easily cut all the musical numbers except for an energetic jitterbug number danced by Lewis and Sheree North (recreating her stage role). It's one of the better Martin & Lewis efforts thanks to the strong storyline and Lewis is both funny and poignant as the small town hick having the time of his life. With Edward Arnold, Kathryn Grant, Sig Ruman, Eduard Franz and Marla English.