MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > The John Wayne episodes: could Lucy and ...

The John Wayne episodes: could Lucy and Ethel have gotten away with it?

posted 6 years ago by AndrewHNPX (42)
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Obviously it's just hypothetical, but I think it's fun to think about. The only reason the two of them are identified as the culprits is because Ricky immediately calls up the theater to rat them out once the story appears in the paper. I kinda feel like if Ricky just hadn't said anything, they could have just gone back to New York and that would have been that. The only thing the police had on them was that vague description from the couple at the theater, and who knows if that would have even held up or have been admissible in any way? But of course, had Ricky not done anything, then John Wayne never would have shown up and the story would have basically stopped dead in its tracks.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

First of all, the ep is totally unbelievable. I don't know if you're familiar with the legendary Chinese Theater (I live
30 minutes away, and have always lived less than an hour away) it is PACKED with tourists 24 hours a day. It always
has been. As depicted in the ep, only two cops and the couple come by. It would literally be impossible to use a
crow bar and cement without being noticed. So, I'm not personally sold form the outset, funny though the episode is.

[–] AndrewHNPX (42) 6 years ago

Well I think also it's arguably the worst thing Lucy ever did over the course of the series. I mean, she committed outright vandalism.

[–] AndrewHNPX (42) 6 years ago

Also you know it's totally ridiculous that Lucy and Ethel (and perhaps Fred) would all just be let off the hook like that. In real life, even they'd replaced the slab of cement, they'd still be looking at a lengthy prison sentence.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Also, Ricky did the right thing by calling the theater. He had no idea if someone could come forward and properly
identify Lucy and Ethel.

The "worst thing" Lucy did? It may have been the dumbest, but as far as "worst", I would say Lucy's kidnapping
and tying up that dancer in "The Diet" is far worse. So is her calling up Ricky and telling him somebody broke
into the apartment, then hiding out on the window ledge! At least here she gets her just desserts!

[–] AndrewHNPX (42) 6 years ago

Oh yeah, I forgot about The Diet, that was pretty bad, even for her.

Also it was pretty awful of her in Lucy Does a TV Commercial to ruin the job for the other girl who had been cast in the commercial.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

Yeah, like PJ and I discussed some months back, the RANGE of Lucy's character is massive. She was
extremely sharp, an airhead, mean, kind, intimidating AND easily intimidated. And that just touches
the surface.

[–] [email protected] (5854) 6 years ago

When I first visited Los Angeles, that was one of the first places on my tourist "must see" places! I was totally surprised at how crowded it was. Of course there was no way that Lucy could have gotten away with such a stunt unseen.

Then again, it made no sense that the article about the theft would have made the morning papers. Lucy and Ethel were there in the middle of the night. The morning edition of a newspaper is already printed.

And a "frowsy redhead" and "dishwater blonde" are hardly descriptions which the LAPD could use to find the culprits! lol

The whole script was just a clever way to get a huge star like John Wayne into the show. But it was really wild and totally unbelievable.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

It's a funny two-parter that I just don't happen to love. I enjoy when I'm watching it, but I never crave
this Hollywood offering.

[–] [email protected] (5854) 6 years ago

It is funny, but it's also filled with so many illogical moments!

It never occurred to me until I read about it, but that huge slab of cement on Lucy's foot (if it was indeed real cement) would weigh so much that when she hung her leg off the couch in the Mertz's hotel room, it would have snapped her ankle off!
And Lucy sitting in a big pan of cement! How did she get through the hotel lobby with no one noticing? lol

John Wayne's appearance in the second episode was its saving grace.

"Does she always wear her pocketbook on her head?"

"It's getting so I can do it faster every time." (signing his name)

[–] [email protected] (1732) 6 years ago

I actually enjoy part one more (I've never been a fan of the "Duke", so I really don't care that he
doesn't appear in the first installment).

I just think part one is funnier, and I find the constant redoing of Wayne's signature too contrived
and outlandish. Both parts ARE funny, if one can get past how "written" it all is (I doubt Wayne
would've been this nice and accommodating in real life!!).

[–] [email protected] (5854) 6 years ago

I will admit the "redoing" of the signature was repetitive and farfetched too.

I mean, little Ricky was barely seen on the Hollywood trip. But he showed up just in time to mess with one of the cement blocks!

As I wrote before, it really made no sense for John Wayne to bring 3 (three!) of those blocks back to the hotel. Why not just take the one back to Grauman's and just be done with it!

But I always liked the "Duke". If i had been a celebrity who had my footprints stolen by a fan, I think i'd have been flattered too. Of course that was the way the script was written for him.