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

Lucy Gets a Paris Gown

posted 10 months ago by Corryveckan45 (168)
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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 (530) 10 months 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 (168) 10 months 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.