What can I say about this woman? To me, Lucy is what I want to grow up to be. An amazing comedienne, a smart & savvy business-woman, a gorgeous red-head, full of spunk, a mama, and all around kick-ass woman! She worked her butt off for her career & home life. She pioneered sitcoms' 3 camera technique and heck just female driven sitcoms in general. She was also ballsy enough to write her pregnancy into her show and make it not taboo to celebrate & talk about it in public. Some of my very favorite Lucy films/moments are the following:
-Stage Door: a supplemental role in the film to Ginger Rogers & Katharine Hepburn, she still shines as Judith one of the actresses in the boarding house. One of her first larger roles (she was dubbed Queen of the B Movies in the 40s). The film is a look into the lives of young & struggling actresses. Those who've got it, those who don't, those with money, those without, and those who LIVE for their next role & are crushed when it doesn't come. I find this film fantastic!
-Room Service: co-starring with The Marx Brothers, Lucy plays Christine an actress caught up in the world of The Marx Brothers putting on a play to raise the money to pay off the landlord putting them up. Mayhem & silliness abound. It takes a real comedienne to keep up with those 3 and Lucy does it! So much fun & silliness, a great Marx Brothers style film.
-Du Barry Was a Lady: While not the greatest written picture it stars Lucy, Gene Kelly, and Red Skelton (beat that line up!). The hat check boy Louis (Red) is in love with nightclub star May (Lucy) but she is in love with broke dancer Alec (Gene). She wants to marry for money & when Louis wins the Irish Sweepstakes he proposes, she accepts, he hits his head & has a wild dream he's Luis XVI & she is Madame Du Barry. Pretty magical an I find it very fun. Plus Gene & Lucy-sigh!
-Meet the People: Lucy stars as Julie Hampton a big time Hollywood star opposite Dick Powell's William 'Swanee' Swanson a shipyard worker during war time who wrote a script about the very shipyard he works in. Julie agrees to do the show but she & Swanee squabble about the details. Love of course triumphs & so does the working class! I love this movie, just reminds me of my blue collar roots (my Pops was & my brothers are Ironworkers). And I love the love story that blossoms here, full of debate and spirit.
-Forever, Darling: A Lucy & Desi picture this one has Lucy's character Susan seeing an angel (played by James Mason). He guides her through saving her marriage off the rocks and back onto firmer ground. There are of course loads of silly/fun Lucy & Desi moments but the moments between Susan & her angel are quite well done too. I think it's a gem.
-Yours, Mine, Ours: stars Lucy & Henry Fonda as two widows with 18 children between them both. This classic showcases the difficulty of melding two such large families into one. It's full of some great & hilarious scenes between the children (ah sibling warfare never made you laugh so hard) and some really heartfelt and poignant moments (oldest brother leaving for war, new baby on the way, troubles in paradise for Lucy & Peter). Such a great film. And it made me feel a little better about having a million brothers & sisters! :)
-I Love Lucy: OF COURSE! This show is a treasure! So many amazing memories and silly adventures paired with heartfelt moments and a marriage that withstood oh so many trials and tribulations. They went for it every episode comedy & tugging at the old heartstrings wise. So many laughs and "awww"s from this gal & I am sure from many of you too!
All I can say is I really do love me some Lucy & hope that I grow up to have half the success she had in her life. One class act (plus she has a Barbie made in her image-LOVE that!) ;)
P.S. it's my 3 year anniversary with LA, we're still pretty smitten with this city that has become our home and I am excited for another magical year out here in SoCal! :)
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