MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Lucy Gets a Paris Gown

Lucy Gets a Paris Gown

posted a year ago by Corryveckan45 (176)
17 replies | jump to latest

Okay, this episode really annoys me.

Lucy promises Ricky that she's only going to the fashion show to "look," then breaks her promise.
Ricky provides evidence that Lucy promised she would never request another expensive dress if Ricky bought her "a Don Loper original," then denies it. (Granted, this issue is a little fuzzy, since Lucy managed to get her dress for free by participating in the fashion show. Of course, there's still the unresolved issue of the $500 check Ricky left for Lucy so she could buy the dress? From all we see in the episode, Lucy keeps the check.)

When Ricky refuses to by Lucy a Jacques Marcel dress, she "punishes" him by going on a hunger strike. Of course, she doesn't, but she lets Ricky get stressed out over her health even as she's secretly stuffing her face. When Ricky takes the dress back, Lucy promises to ruin the entire trip to Europe by moping throughout the remainder of the trip.

Yet somehow, after Ricky and Fred's retribution "gag," Lucy and Ethel are able to get the husbands to agree to buy them real Jacques Marcel dresses (how they get Fred to agree is beyond comnsion). As they're leaving the hotel room to buy the dresses Lucy even delivers a "Serves Your Right!" retort.

If I were Ricky, to quote Fred Flintstone, I would have told Lucy, "This is the camel that breaks the straw back!", moved out of their hotel suite, gotten a small room for myself at the hotel (or another hotel) and told her she can have her hunger strike, but she's going to do it without my knowledge/participation.

In other words, Lucy (and Ethel by association) should not be able to profit from her outrageous, selfish behavior.

Thoughts?

[–] Garyandfilm (548) a year ago

My first thought is...are you capable of EVER composing a positive thread??? You've stated that you're not a huge fan of the series, which is cool (why should only diehards post observations and opinions?). But damn, Corry, really!

Anyway, this ep is a favorite of mine from the Eropean arc. Yes, Lucy is selfish and childish, but that is part of the nature of the character. The joke here is to show that severe high fashion is (and remains) so utterly absurd that it's easily believable that Lucy and Ethel would believe those outfits are legit. A very funny episode.

[–] Corryveckan45 (176) a year ago

Hi Gary,

I'm sorry you're put out by my calling out "Lucy Ricardo" (and the other cast members) on her many blatant faults. As I said in an earlier post, this is what I like about the show:

"I'm not as big a fan of ILL as some of the people who post regularly on this board though, when I catch an episode, I usually enjoy the imaginative plots and writing, Lucille Ball's comedic genius and fearlessness and the talented cast who backs her up."

I might ask in response are you ever capable of acknowledging Lucy's serious failings and often aberrant treatment of Ricky, Ethel, ext. in anything but the most superficial and ""forgiving" manner? I realize the show is supposed to be a comedy, but Lucy constantly gets away with murder, and her treatment of Ricky is often reprehensible, but die hard fans of ILL, including yourself, seem to feel her behavior is appropriate and she's impossibly endearing, so long as she gets a laugh.

As for posting positive comments about Lucy, I can cite two episodes off the top of my head where I do genuinely like/have sympathy for her:

Lucy is Enceinte: I know you don't care for the "pregnancy arc," but I think this is one of the nicest and most genuine episodes of the entire series. I have genuine sympathy for poor Lucy's inability to get Ricky alone long enough to share her exciting news, and I think the final revelation scene is beautifully and imaginatively done. I'm not surprised that Ball and Arnaz were unable to hold back real tears while filming it.

Lucy Goes to Monte Carlo: I have nothing but sympathy for Lucy in this episode. First of all, who is Ricky to order her not to go to the casino? Second, Lucy constantly tries to do the right thing in refusing her winnings ("I wash my hands!") and the money just keeps piling up. Of course, I wonder why the managers of the Casino are so eager to force her to accept her winnings even after she explains why she shouldn't, but this is a rare example of Lucy in a mess not of her own making.

[–] [email protected] (6082) a month ago

Overall it is amusing and a typical “Lucy throw a tantrum” episode. But to go to such childish lengths to get a designer dress? This really is Lucy at her most childish.

However, the fellas do get even with the girls when they have them parading around the streets of Paris in fake designer dresses and feed bags on their heads! Too funny.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) a month ago

Yes, that was hysterical!! What was also hysterical - although not for Ricky and Fred - was Lucy and Ethel burning their originals which, of course, they never thought would become originals!

Such a great show!

[–] Corryveckan45 (176) a month ago

Lucy and Ethel saying, "I hope we're doing justice to his gowns," and wanting to thank him for letting them "scoop the fashion world" lol And then Jacques Marcel steals the dress designs and makes them part of his own collection. Jeez!

Almost without exception, Lucy's problems arise because she acts so impulsively without thinking.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) a month ago

If you think about it, in almost every episode, they're in trouble because of Lucy's actions. That's just her persona in the show and I never get tired of watching it. Love her!

[–] [email protected] (6082) a month ago

That is what makes the show so funny. Lucy is the instigator, she always starts something or gets one of her wild ideas.

Actually the one time an episode wasn’t very funny was the second act in “Lucy Goes to Palm Springs”.

The first half is funny when they all get on each other’s nerves with their habits. But for me, the second half falls flat. Lucy just mopes around the hotel room, grumbling at Ethel and missing Ricky. Rock Hudson is staying at the same hotel but Lucy does not make any effort to meet him or to even catch a glimpse of him.

When Lucy is mopey, she’s not funny.

[–] Corryveckan45 (176) 25 days ago

I like a lot of the episodes where Lucy gets a wild idea and drags everyone into what (usually) turns out to be a disastrous result...especially for Lucy.

But there are some episodes where I'm put off by Lucy's selfishness. One is the "Bullfight Dance" episode. Lucy's efforts to get onto the nationally broadcast Heart Fund show that Ricky is hosting, show her at her most unlikable and selfish. First, she thinks nothing of blackmailing Ricky into putting her on the show by threatening to submit an unflattering portrait of him to a national magazine, and I think it's made clear in the episode that Lucy would really do it if Ricky didn't give in.

Then, even though Lucy's performance as the "Bull" in Ricky's bullfight number is funny in and of itself, at a time when Ricky and MGM are attempting to build an image of him as a dashing, romantic hero, Lucy makes him look like a fop and a bumbling clown. To top it off, at the end of the number, she pulls off the bull's head, and laughs about what she's done to Ricky as she skips offstage.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 25 days ago

I get what you're saying but the whole show is about Lucy and Lucy's antics and Lucy's sometimes bizarre - yet funny - behavior. I've also gotten a little miffed at one or two episodes where I think it went too far but I love the show. She's also made to look very silly in many episodes so to me it evens out.

[–] [email protected] (6082) 25 days ago

Yes, the bullfight episode is Lucy at her most selfish and manipulative.

But I think it turns out to benefit Ricky in the end. Lucy tries to embarrass him, but the whole dance routine is so funny that the audience thinks it is intentional.

You can never go wrong by making people laugh. To me it sort of looked like Ricky was spoofing his whole “romantic leading man” image and just giving the audience a good laugh.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 25 days ago

I agree with you totally about laughter. Laughter is definitely the best medicine as they used to say. Talking about this is now reminding me of the barber shop quartet episode where Lucy at the end is made to look very silly - with a mouth full of shaving cream! It's not just Ricky or someone else bearing the brunt of her craziness. She sometimes gets what she deserves 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Such a great show!

[–] [email protected] (6082) 25 days ago

Many of Lucy’s childish antics came back to bite her on the butt!

In London she schemed to get a weekend invitation to Sir Clive’s estate, only to find out that his daughter was the actress who had flirted with Ricky. She changed her mind, but Ricky made her go.

She tore Ethel’s bonus buck and ended up in a vat of starch.

In Hollywood she just had to sneak into Cornel Wilde’s hotel room. Ricky called her and said she could come up and meet him. But by the time she got there he had left because of evidence of “ a prowler” on his balcony.

[–] jcnyclv (1633) 25 days ago

You're right, and they're all so hysterical! Have always loved this show and always will.

[–] Corryveckan45 (176) a month ago

I love the way Ricky and Fred get even with Lucy and Ethel for the fake "Hunger Strike," and I can't believe that Ricky and especially Fred, of all people, caved in and agreed to buy both girls those designer gowns! I think what they did to the girls was entirely appropriate.

I like Lucy's line: "Well, leave it to Jacques. What an inspired use of Burlap!"

[–] Megan254 (362) 23 days ago

I don't think Lucy was selfish to be honest. Ricky treated her sometimes like a child, and not as a wife. Lucy probably gave the check back, even though she said she wasn't.

[–] Corryveckan45 (176) 10 days ago

In fairness to Ricky, Lucy often acted like a child, and when she did, I don't blame Ricky for treating her like one.

[–] [email protected] (6082) 10 days ago

Many years ago I saw Lucille Ball on a talk show. She was asked to describe the Lucy character.

She started by saying that she was childish. She had a few other negative things to say about her character. It was along the lines of how Lucy always wanted her own way and self centered.

In fairness to Lucy, she did seem to have two sides. She was a good wife and mother. She was a loyal friend. But when she didn’t get her way, she schemed and cried and lied her way out of situations.