Week #2 Film- The Big Street - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

dawsongirl · 10-04-2002, 11:22 PM

How about we try something maybe more of us have seen?

This week-

The Big Street

Comment away!

buddy love · 10-05-2002, 11:39 PM

In my opinion this film is one of Lucille Ball's finest dramatic roles. She was so good as the egotistical nightclub singer who treats poor Henry Fonda like dirt through much of the picture that when I first saw it I wanted her to get her comuppance--which she eventually does. There is nothing "Lucy"like in this wonderful performance. Henry Fonda is terrific as Little Pinks. Agnes Moorehead gives a fine and funny performance. Also in the cast is Hans Conried who would later appear on all of Lucy's television series. An added bonus is the Ozzie Nelson orchestra is in this film. Released in 1942 by RKO (the studio she and Desi would later buy) "The Big Street" directed by Irving Reis is well worth renting. I give it **** out of ***** on my Lucy films meter. There is only one other dramatic film of Lucy's that I feel she may be even better in and that is "Dance, Girl Dance" with Maureen O'Hara released in 1940.

SPLAIN · 10-07-2002, 10:35 AM

Really, you think Dance Girl Dance was better? I LOVE The Big Street, Lucy's best dramatic performance ever. It is said she asked Charles Laughton to give her advice on playing it, and he told her If you are going to play a bitch, play the bitchiest bitch there ever was! And she did! Dawsongirl and Jane, don't you dare make wisecracks about typecasting here. The film is not for everybody, the characters are so Damon Runyon, same guy who wrote Sorrrowful Jones as Little Miss Marker, introduced to Lucy by Carole Lombard, guess that's why she liked her so much, her best acting ever, unless Hollyweird had put comedy on a similar scale, then Lucy would have outOscared Hepburn! Yes, the bit with the wheel chair in the Holland tunnel is a bit much, but then again this is the same woman who ten years later would do a U Turn in the same tunnel! As for the ending, i won't ruin it for people who haven't seen it, but as Hank Fonda is carrying her up the stairs, he's telling her under his breath, what the **** did you have for lunch as the scene was done over and over, and she seemed heavier every time. The scene where she lies in bed having lost the feeling in her legs while she listens to music was hard for her as Hank walked in and said to her, you're not going to do it that way are you? She said, how are you supposed to do a scene after that comment!

dawsongirl · 10-07-2002, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SPLAIN
Really, you think Dance Girl Dance was better? I LOVE The Big Street, Lucy's best dramatic performance ever. It is said she asked Charles Laughton to give her advice on playing it, and he told her If you are going to play a bitch, play the bitchiest bitch there ever was!

Charles Laughton huh? Ever seen The Big Clock? He and his wife are in that. Strange movie.

Quote:

Dawsongirl and Jane, don't you dare make wisecracks about typecasting here.

Thought never crossed my mind.

Quote:

Yes, the bit with the wheel chair in the Holland tunnel is a bit much

That was just ridiculous. What on Earth was Damon Runyon thinking??

SPLAIN · 10-07-2002, 03:04 PM

It was a different time, it's a wonderful life and all that! Yep the hatchet murderer's husband told her to play it bitchy!

10-04-2002, 11:22 PM	#1
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,128	Week #2 Film- The Big Street How about we try something maybe more of us have seen? This week- The Big Street Comment away!

10-05-2002, 11:39 PM	#2
buddy love Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 19, 2002 Posts: 189	In my opinion this film is one of Lucille Ball's finest dramatic roles. She was so good as the egotistical nightclub singer who treats poor Henry Fonda like dirt through much of the picture that when I first saw it I wanted her to get her comuppance--which she eventually does. There is nothing "Lucy"like in this wonderful performance. Henry Fonda is terrific as Little Pinks. Agnes Moorehead gives a fine and funny performance. Also in the cast is Hans Conried who would later appear on all of Lucy's television series. An added bonus is the Ozzie Nelson orchestra is in this film. Released in 1942 by RKO (the studio she and Desi would later buy) "The Big Street" directed by Irving Reis is well worth renting. I give it ** out of *** on my Lucy films meter. There is only one other dramatic film of Lucy's that I feel she may be even better in and that is "Dance, Girl Dance" with Maureen O'Hara released in 1940.

10-07-2002, 10:35 AM	#3
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	Really, you think Dance Girl Dance was better? I LOVE The Big Street, Lucy's best dramatic performance ever. It is said she asked Charles Laughton to give her advice on playing it, and he told her If you are going to play a bitch, play the bitchiest bitch there ever was! And she did! Dawsongirl and Jane, don't you dare make wisecracks about typecasting here. The film is not for everybody, the characters are so Damon Runyon, same guy who wrote Sorrrowful Jones as Little Miss Marker, introduced to Lucy by Carole Lombard, guess that's why she liked her so much, her best acting ever, unless Hollyweird had put comedy on a similar scale, then Lucy would have outOscared Hepburn! Yes, the bit with the wheel chair in the Holland tunnel is a bit much, but then again this is the same woman who ten years later would do a U Turn in the same tunnel! As for the ending, i won't ruin it for people who haven't seen it, but as Hank Fonda is carrying her up the stairs, he's telling her under his breath, what the **** did you have for lunch as the scene was done over and over, and she seemed heavier every time. The scene where she lies in bed having lost the feeling in her legs while she listens to music was hard for her as Hank walked in and said to her, you're not going to do it that way are you? She said, how are you supposed to do a scene after that comment!

10-07-2002, 03:04 PM	#5
SPLAIN I Love Lucy Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 04, 2002 Location: MONTREAL, CANADA Posts: 4,563	It was a different time, it's a wonderful life and all that! Yep the hatchet murderer's husband told her to play it bitchy!