August 22, 2006
Holden Back the Years
I Love Lucy
"L.A. at Last"
Originally aired: February 7, 1955 on CBS
Recently aired: August 20 on TV Land
Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr.
Directed by William Asher
L. A. at last, indeed - after three less than stellar episodes of the Ricardos' and the Mertzes' Kerouacian journey across the country, things finally get good. Sorry, but watching every one trying to escape the long arm of the septuagenarian sheriff and his daughters, the DoubleChin twins, left me a little dauncy. But now that they're in Hollywood, we can all play "Which Movie Star Will Be the First to Take Out a Restraining Order Against Lucy?" Let the games begin!
Lucy, naturally, has no trouble recruiting Fred and Ethel for a day of stalking. And, as luck would have it, Lucy, Fred, Ethel, Eve Arden, Walter Pidgeon, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, and William Holden all show up for lunch at the Brown Derby. So, assuming that every one who answers his or her page is actually there, what are the odds that six well known movie stars will have lunch at the same restaurant on the same day at the same time? Never mind, I'm nitpicking. This is a great episode for several reasons.
First, when was the last time you watched a sitcom that had a scene in which two minutes and twenty-three seconds elapse without one word of dialogue being spoken? That's how long Holden stares at Lucy while she tries to eat her spaghetti. Really funny stuff there, but it is rather off-putting to watch Ethel use what appears to be a pair of fingernail scissors to cut Lucy's spaghetti. I'm no Adrian Monk, but I damn sure wouldn't want something that might be carrying a nail fungus anywhere near my food.
Second, Lucy setting her nose on fire is funny, but Ricky's and Holden's reaction to it is priceless. Ricky is probably thinking "oh great, my movie career is over before it's even started. Thanks, honey." While Holden looks like he's realized that he just gave a ride home to a guy who's married to a carnival freak.
Third, it just lasts a couple of seconds, but Lucy putting on the brakes after Ricky tells her that William Holden is in the living room is a great bit of comedy. Lucy was such a great comic actress, she could be funny even with her back to the camera.
And finally, who in the 2/7/55 viewing audience suspected that one of the coolest guys in Hollywood would end up covered in cream pie? It's like Hitchcock killing off Janet Leigh in the second reel of Psycho. Well played, Jess, Madelyn, and Bob. Well played.
Stuff I noticed:
The waiter who spills the cream pies not only runs away like the sniveling coward that he is, but he seems to have super-glued his hand to the tray.
"L.A. at Last"
Originally aired: February 7, 1955 on CBS
Recently aired: August 20 on TV Land
Written by Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr.
Directed by William Asher
L. A. at last, indeed - after three less than stellar episodes of the Ricardos' and the Mertzes' Kerouacian journey across the country, things finally get good. Sorry, but watching every one trying to escape the long arm of the septuagenarian sheriff and his daughters, the DoubleChin twins, left me a little dauncy. But now that they're in Hollywood, we can all play "Which Movie Star Will Be the First to Take Out a Restraining Order Against Lucy?" Let the games begin!
Lucy, naturally, has no trouble recruiting Fred and Ethel for a day of stalking. And, as luck would have it, Lucy, Fred, Ethel, Eve Arden, Walter Pidgeon, Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, and William Holden all show up for lunch at the Brown Derby. So, assuming that every one who answers his or her page is actually there, what are the odds that six well known movie stars will have lunch at the same restaurant on the same day at the same time? Never mind, I'm nitpicking. This is a great episode for several reasons.
First, when was the last time you watched a sitcom that had a scene in which two minutes and twenty-three seconds elapse without one word of dialogue being spoken? That's how long Holden stares at Lucy while she tries to eat her spaghetti. Really funny stuff there, but it is rather off-putting to watch Ethel use what appears to be a pair of fingernail scissors to cut Lucy's spaghetti. I'm no Adrian Monk, but I damn sure wouldn't want something that might be carrying a nail fungus anywhere near my food.
Second, Lucy setting her nose on fire is funny, but Ricky's and Holden's reaction to it is priceless. Ricky is probably thinking "oh great, my movie career is over before it's even started. Thanks, honey." While Holden looks like he's realized that he just gave a ride home to a guy who's married to a carnival freak.
Third, it just lasts a couple of seconds, but Lucy putting on the brakes after Ricky tells her that William Holden is in the living room is a great bit of comedy. Lucy was such a great comic actress, she could be funny even with her back to the camera.
And finally, who in the 2/7/55 viewing audience suspected that one of the coolest guys in Hollywood would end up covered in cream pie? It's like Hitchcock killing off Janet Leigh in the second reel of Psycho. Well played, Jess, Madelyn, and Bob. Well played.
Stuff I noticed:
The waiter who spills the cream pies not only runs away like the sniveling coward that he is, but he seems to have super-glued his hand to the tray.
Eve Arden has a one-line cameo as herself. She is rewarded for her effort by being cast in the Desi Arnaz-produced sitcom "The Mothers-in-Law" only twelve years later.
Holden sets some sort of record by reciting two cliches that mean pretty much the same thing in about five seconds: "I wonder how a person like that would act if the shoe was on the other foot. . .For once I'm going to turn the tables." Don't expect to show up in Bartlett's any time soon, Bill.I remember watching this episode when I was about five. If most five-year-olds are like me, they're kinda creeped out by the sight of a woman setting her nose on fire.
