It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Held for release for several years by MGM, this mediocre comedy has nothing to recommend really other than Elizabeth Taylor as a New Haven dance teacher who, determined to keep scandal from exploding after being spotted kissing talent agent Larry Parks, falsely announces their engagement. This leads to continuous misunderstandings, yet really creates no interesting plot. Other than character actors like Kathleen Freeman, Josephine Hutchinson and Ann Doran, there's little else, as Taylor and Parks (then in the middle of being involved unfortunately in the Hollywood blacklist) share no chemistry, she being a teen when this was made, albeit a very womanly one.Such a plot couldn't be done with the sex reversed, so the plot is in really poor taste. The moppets who are part of Taylor's dance class try too hard to be cute, so the result is mainly cloying in supposedly farcial dance recital sequences. A surprise cameo by Gene Kelly as himself in one scene comes out of left field, more a publicity stunt for MGM rather than necessary. Having been on the shelf for several years already, MGM might have done better to have kept it there in the wake of Taylor's superstardom.

In "The Big Hangover," Liz is the boss' beautiful daughter; in "Conspirator," she's an immature young wife in love; in "The Girl Who Had Everything," she's the daughter of a wealthy criminal lawyer, but in "Love Is Better Than Ever," she is a young dance school teacher from New Haven who comes to the big city for a convention and falls for a smart talent agent… In these four films, Taylor is cast as the innocent who selects the wrong guy and the unlucky beauty in a classic mismatch…In both "Love Is Better Than Ever" and "The Girl Who Had Everything," she's a spirited young lady with a mind of her own… In the former, she defies her small-town upbringing as she romances a city swindler… In the latter, she challenges her father in order to run off with a bon vivant with underworld connections… In "Conspirator," the misfortune girl marries a Communist… In "The Big Hangover," she's engaged to a man with a drinking problem… And in "Elephant Walk," her husband is a wealthy and potent planter with a really bad temper… These five ladies are variations on the young innocent star who thinks she knows more than she does… In each movie, she has to be educated… The wildly careless spirit has to be limited and corrected… In "Love Is Better Than Ever," Liz is even more provincial, an innocent tempted but never corrupted by big city frivolous amusement, a teasing beauty who falls for a cheerful bachelor... Liz is once again the determined pursuer, setting her sights on a man who does not want to marry… Shameless and stubborn, she decides to announce her engagement, hoping that fiction may stimulate fact

I went into this with the full expectation of turning it off once I got the gist of it, and got a good look at Elizabeth Taylor just at the point her career and her beauty were reaching their heights. Surprisingly, I watched it all the way through and enjoyed several mildly humorous moments--no great belly laughs, but solidly amusing moments nonetheless.The plot is paper thin, and it's a compliment that director Stanley Donen was able to get a full length feature out of what could easily been a short pilot for a sitcom. Also escalating the material are Old Pro character actors at the top of their game, such as Kathleen Freeman as a loyal seamstress and Ann Doran as the meddling mother of Elizabeth Taylor's dance rival, played by a very young (and blond) Elinor Donihue. It is no wonder these ladies enjoyed very lengthy careers in literally hundreds of films.But the real heart of the film is Taylor's lovable, understanding father played by Tom Tully, as the type of Dad we wish we all had, but few actually did.The only part of this film that hasn't aged well is the lead character, played by Larry Parks. This film was made at a time when male characters got away with far more sexist behavior than any man would get away with today. In fact, if a man in New York--no matter how well dressed or handsome--behaved in such ways toward a woman he just met today...well, she'd probably summon the nearest police officer! If you're willing to overlook that major flaw, you might enjoy this romantic comedy, especially the madcap children's dance recital at the end. The kids are terrible throughout the film, which makes it all the more funny.

there is really very little to recommend. The young Taylor is beautiful, but Larry Parks in the lead it totally unbelievable. Perhaps the fact he looks like a clone of Regis Philbin doesn't help. How could Taylor's character fall for this guy?? And, what is Gene Kelly doing in this flick? It is just a cameo, but I don't see the point.Supporting performances are fine, and there is a limited amount of location filming.I'm not sure why Taylor agreed to this MGM B movie - perhaps due to contract obligations. Probably my least favorite Taylor film from the 50s/60s.