Easy Living

Easy Living

Year: 1949

Runtime: 77 mins

Language: English

Director: Jacques Tourneur

Drama

A football halfback has a heart condition, a nagging wife and a team secretary who loves him.

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Timeline & Setting – Easy Living (1949)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Easy Living (1949). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Football stadium, Lenahan's office, Liza's interior design studio, Howard Vollmer's mansion, Pete's home, Party venue

The story unfolds mainly around a professional football environment, with crucial action taking place in the stadium where games—and potential playoff bonuses—are decided. Key scenes occur in Lenahan's office, the hub of team decisions and power plays, and at social venues like a lavish party where ambitions and relationships collide. Liza's interior design studio and Howard Vollmer's mansion also serve as backdrops for social maneuvering and power dynamics.

🏟 Stadium 🏢 Office 🖼 Design Studio 🏰 Mansion 🏠 Home 🎉 Party

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

Main Characters – Easy Living (1949)

Meet the key characters of Easy Living (1949), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Pete Wilson (Victor Mature)

A star quarterback whose career is threatened by a heart condition learned after a routine check-up. He grapples with the lure of glory, the reality of his health, and complicated relationships at home, showing both pride and vulnerability as he negotiates his future.

🏈 Pro Athlete ❤️ Heart Condition 🎭 Public Image

Liza Wilson (Lizabeth Scott)

Pete's wife and an aspiring interior designer who is willing to bend her talents and connections to climb socially. She navigates flirtations and power plays, using opportunities—including the Vollmer family—to further her ambitions, while testing the loyalty of those around her.

🎨 Designer 💼 Ambitious 💔 Complex Relationship

Bill 'Holly' Holloran (Gordon Jones)

A longtime teammate described as a former leader who ends up on the wrong side of timing and fortune. His status shifts when Pete rises, highlighting themes of rivalry, memory, and the fickleness of sports hierarchy.

🏈 Teammate 🕰 Veteran 🏟 Rivalry

Anne Lenahan (Lucille Ball)

Secretary to Lenahan who manages financial interactions and warm allegiance with Pete. She shows personal warmth by supporting him financially, and her own feelings become entangled as the plot develops.

💰 Supporter 🕊 Loyal 💼 Secretary

Lenahan (Lloyd Nolan)

Team owner and coach who must balance business pressures with on-field decisions. His choices shape Pete's career trajectory and the team's fortunes, reflecting the cold logic of professional sports.

💼 Owner 🧭 Pragmatic 💰 Power

Gilbert Vollmer (Art Baker)

A wealthy client whose interest in Liza tethers social climbing to business opportunity. His presence embodies the intersection of money, influence, and personal desire within the social circle.

💎 Wealthy 🕴 Client 🗝 Manipulative

Howard Vollmer (Paul Stewart)

Gilbert's father, an older suitor pushing for a social and romantic arrangement. His involvement adds a layer of social negotiation and the shifting power dynamics of wealth and affection.

👴 Father 🎩 Socialite 🗝 Old Money

Billy Duane (June Bright)

Howard's younger girlfriend who embodies glamour and social ambition. Her presence underscores the party-world of wealth and influence that the characters navigate.

🎀 Socialite 🎭 Glamour 💃 Charmer

Tim 'Pappy' McCarr ( Sonny Tufts)

Pete’s teammate and friend who steps into the head coach role, illustrating the shift from player to leadership. His injury creates the opening for Pete’s comeback, while his friendship with Pete tests loyalty.

🏆 Captain 🧗 Rival 🗺 Replacement

Virgil Ryan (Everett Glass)

Retired college head coach who provides a pivotal decision-making perspective. He informs Pete about the limitations of a coaching opportunity, shaping the arc of Pete’s choices.

📚 Mentor 🧓 Retired 🧭 Influence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

Major Themes – Easy Living (1949)

Explore the central themes of Easy Living (1949), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏈 Sports Career

The film centers on the pressures of professional football, where fame and financial rewards are juxtaposed with personal risk. Pete's heart condition forces a reckoning about whether glory is worth risking his life. The team’s emphasis on winning and playoff bonuses elevates tension between athletic ambition and health. The sport acts as a lens for how public success can complicate private life.

💔 Love and Ambition

Liza uses social ascent and professional opportunities to advance her status, often at the expense of stable relationships. The entanglement between Pete, Liza, and Gilbert showcases how desire for prestige can override loyalty. Pete’s trust is tested by shifting affections and social games, revealing how romance can intersect with business and reputation. The dynamic asks whether love can survive when ambition pulls people in different directions.

⚖️ Choices and Consequences

Pete faces a pivotal choice between pursuing glory on the field and preserving his health and integrity off it. He ultimately reveals his condition and steps away from the game, choosing personal well-being over public adulation. The decision also redefines his relationship with Liza, showing that real balance comes from setting terms one is willing to live by. The narrative suggests character and self-respect matter more than instantaneous fame.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

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Easy Living Summary

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Easy Living Summary

Easy Living Timeline

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Easy Living Timeline

More About Easy Living

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