Oh, this movie was funny, funny, funny! My family was asleep as I watched it late at night and I tried so hard not to laugh out loud so as not to wake them but all my efforts were in vain.
I Lived With You is utterly hilarious. In fact it is the best Ivor Novello film I've seen, silent or sound, or at least the one I enjoyed the most. Like a Noel Coward play, but if anything even more daring; zingers and risqué moments galore! Novello plays the illegitimate son of a Russian woman who had an affair with Czar Nicholas before he and his family were executed (or at least that's his story). His mother is no longer living either and he has to fend for himself in exile in England, penniless and starving, hanging out in parks like Hampton Court Park in London.
Here he meets working girl Ursula Jeans who is lost in the maze of the park and can't find her way out. She takes pity on the handsome "prince" and invites the homeless fellow to stay overnight in her parents' home. He immediately warms to the family and they to him. He gives the father of the house, a jewel merchant, a locket studded with diamonds, with an engraving by the Czar to his mother. It is examined by the incredulous father and the diamonds are determined to be real. To show how much he loves his new family the prince gives them diamonds one by one out of the locket so they can sell them and live a more plush life and put on airs to the neighbors. The family members all start to get swell heads. Herein lies the comedy, as the family seeks to impress outsiders although the fabric of their lives begins to rip apart. The father of the house starts to have an affair with a prostitute, the son disappears, another sister (an early role for Ida Lupino) displeases her mother and runs away, the older sister loses her job because she oversleeps and goes in too late. The Prince at first doesn't realize how his poor influence is hurting the family. All he wants to do all day is lay on the settee eating chocolates, not taking a bath, and flirting with the ladies in the household.
Then the Prince begins to reform when he realizes he has fallen in love with the older daughter. He does what he can to heal the family in his own unique way, such as handily getting rid of the blackmailing prostitute so the father can be reunited with the mother, and then he is persuaded by the cook to leave so the family can be happy again. But the oldest daughter runs after him and says she will happily starve if they can only be together.
My review doesn't remotely cover all the funny bits and pieces, the laugh out loud dialog such as "I smell fish. If I don't have fish now I will start to throw up in many inconvenient places!" and "I'm not angry! I'm just gay!" (coming from Novello that has a not so hidden meaning). ;)
So, see if you can track down this delightful film. If you love witty British humor this is your romantic comedy. Ivor Novello was a great entertainer.
I Lived With You is utterly hilarious. In fact it is the best Ivor Novello film I've seen, silent or sound, or at least the one I enjoyed the most. Like a Noel Coward play, but if anything even more daring; zingers and risqué moments galore! Novello plays the illegitimate son of a Russian woman who had an affair with Czar Nicholas before he and his family were executed (or at least that's his story). His mother is no longer living either and he has to fend for himself in exile in England, penniless and starving, hanging out in parks like Hampton Court Park in London.
Here he meets working girl Ursula Jeans who is lost in the maze of the park and can't find her way out. She takes pity on the handsome "prince" and invites the homeless fellow to stay overnight in her parents' home. He immediately warms to the family and they to him. He gives the father of the house, a jewel merchant, a locket studded with diamonds, with an engraving by the Czar to his mother. It is examined by the incredulous father and the diamonds are determined to be real. To show how much he loves his new family the prince gives them diamonds one by one out of the locket so they can sell them and live a more plush life and put on airs to the neighbors. The family members all start to get swell heads. Herein lies the comedy, as the family seeks to impress outsiders although the fabric of their lives begins to rip apart. The father of the house starts to have an affair with a prostitute, the son disappears, another sister (an early role for Ida Lupino) displeases her mother and runs away, the older sister loses her job because she oversleeps and goes in too late. The Prince at first doesn't realize how his poor influence is hurting the family. All he wants to do all day is lay on the settee eating chocolates, not taking a bath, and flirting with the ladies in the household.
Then the Prince begins to reform when he realizes he has fallen in love with the older daughter. He does what he can to heal the family in his own unique way, such as handily getting rid of the blackmailing prostitute so the father can be reunited with the mother, and then he is persuaded by the cook to leave so the family can be happy again. But the oldest daughter runs after him and says she will happily starve if they can only be together.
My review doesn't remotely cover all the funny bits and pieces, the laugh out loud dialog such as "I smell fish. If I don't have fish now I will start to throw up in many inconvenient places!" and "I'm not angry! I'm just gay!" (coming from Novello that has a not so hidden meaning). ;)
So, see if you can track down this delightful film. If you love witty British humor this is your romantic comedy. Ivor Novello was a great entertainer.