MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Who Do You Most Relate To, Lucy RICARDO ...

Who Do You Most Relate To, Lucy RICARDO or Lucille BALL?

posted 6 years ago by [email protected] (1732)
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When I started watching ILL around seven years of age, there is no question I related to
the CHARACTER. I couldn't believe that an adult, beautiful woman could act so childishly,
outlandishly and, frankly, so courageously. I also felt that Lucy's speaking voice was that
of a child, in terms of pitch, neediness and whining.

When I got older, and learned more about Ball, I realized I related in many more ways to her
than Lucy R. I'm also a Leo (not that I believe in that stuff) and can be no nonsense,
bossy and very opinionated. Some of Ball's other qualities - including a good business
sense - unfortunately elude me. I also have never had the desire to be married (to
ANYONE of either gender) or have children, both of which, Lucy had and loved.

On balance, I feel I still can relate to Lucy R, and still Lucille B...and still wish I had some
of their attributes.

Anyone else?

[–] Daggerboard (581) 6 years ago

Ricardo.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

Had to think about this one! I don't think I have a lot of traits that either woman possess. But I think I am more like Mrs. Ricardo in the sense that I can be funny and easygoing. But I never had her burning desire to be in show biz.

I have read a few comments by Lucille Ball when she said that she was not funny like her TV character. She said that she couldn't even tell a joke. She said that she didn't "think funny". It was all her writers doing.

In contrast, I have always had people tell me "You're funny" or laugh at what I say. And often I am not trying to be funny. It's just what comes out of my mouth, usually when I am mad! I think I inherited that from my dad. The angrier he got, the funnier he got.

I wish I had Lucille Ball's drive and business sense, but I don't.

Actually I used to compare myself to the four actors on the show and I came to the conclusion that I had the most in common with Bill Frawley, well in ONE respect! The other three actors remarried within a few years after the show ended. William Frawley never remarried after his marriage ended many years ago.

I could never understand how Lucy wanted to remarry so soon! After my divorce, I had NO desire to repeat that mistake. I was dating a guy who kept hinting about getting married and talking about "our future". I kept saying things like, "I am happily divorced." However he didn't get the message and proposed anyway. That was the end of THAT relationship. ha!
Never understood why a woman as successful and well off as Lucille Ball wanted to saddle herself with another husband!
But hey, it was her life. Some people like being married. Not me!

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

Well, I've been in relationships, and still date from time to time, but I'm too set in my ways to consider marriage.
Frankly, it's so alien to me, that it frightens me. But I'm glad that other people - including gay people (not to
get political) have that option. I don't even think I could live with someone again. The last two guys I dated
had their place and I have mine. Just the way I like it. It's nice to have someone you care about stay the night -
WHEN you want that, but it's equally nice to sip Squirt soda and catch a favorite TV show, new release, classic film,
or a Bewitched or I Love Lucy at 2:00 in the morning! I love the freedom of it.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

..."sip a Squirt soda and catch a favorite TV show..." LOL Yes I love the freedom of it too. The guy I was dating was very nice, we'd do things together, I'd often make dinner and we'd watch a DVD. A lot of times it was an episode of ILL. He'd never seen the show before!!! Can you believe it? I should have known right away that there was something WRONG with him! ha ha!

But around 11:00 P.M. I'd often start to think , "Can't you go home now? We both have to get up early for work." He'd get comfortable on my sofa and often fall asleep. All I wanted to do was take a shower and read in bed for a while. I liked dating, I just didn't want him underfoot 24/7.

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

Okay, I'll be honest: I'm currently dating a much younger guy right now (he's 29 and I'm in my 50's. So sue me;
he's a lovely human being and I'm flattered he finds me attractive). I do the "cook dinner/watch a DVD (or Blu
Ray" in my place a lot. Last week, I made homemade tacos, and I showed him "Psycho", a film he'd never
seen. He was GLUED to it. It was either this, or "West Side Story", but I went with "Psycho." We ate dessert
afterwards and discussed the psychology of Norman Bates for a long while afterwards. Next time we're going out
to see a new movie, but the next time we do the dinner/Blu Ray here, it's "West Side Story" (we saw a live
production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", so I know he enjoys Shakespeare).

So far I've showed him "Annie Hall", "The Birds", "The Bride of Frankenstein", and "What's up, Doc?" He enjoyed them
all. But....yes....he's NEVER seen a full ep of "I Love Lucy", so I have to pick a great one (he has seen the candy
factory scene as part of a TV special).

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

..."so sue me..." ha ha, I wouldn't do that, the guy I was dating was ten years younger.

I used to show him some of my favorite movies. There were so many movies he hadn't seen. I couldn't believe it. His grandparents used to own the movie theater in town and he worked at the snack counter.
I used to ask him, "Didn't you ever actually WATCH any of those movies? You got in the theater for free!"
I made him watch Alien. I couldn't believe he never saw it. I showed him some of my old favorites like 'Bringing up Baby' and 'Arsenic and Old Lace.' It was a bit of a mistake to show him 'Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'. He likes to build stuff and do carpentry, so he fancies himself an expert. He kept critiquing the movie and the architect.

Makes me wonder why I showed him "Lucy Builds a Bar-B-Q"!! It's one of my favorite Connecticut episodes. He kept telling me what Lucy and Ethel were doing wrong! Well, duh! I had to keep explaining that it was LUCY and not a "how to" on how to actually build one!

You need to show your guy one of your famous Lucy marathons. Maybe all those episodes where the Ricardos and Mertzes fight.

Oh, and by the way I LOVE Annie Hall! I bought a VHS tape of it years ago. But a few years ago I got the DVD. One of the funniest movies ever. I don't have "The Birds", but it's another Hitchcock favorite of mine.

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

"Bringing up Baby" and "Alien" are two of my faves, as well. I also love "Aliens", the first sequel. Still
terrifying after all these years.

I also love Judy Garland movies, and thought about "Meet Me in St. Louis", but I don't think he'd like it
(he doesn't like "The Wizard of Oz").

The only bad one I love (and have on Blu Ray) that he asked me to turn off was "The Brain That Wouldn't
Die." If you've never seen it, it's a TRIP of a movie. So bad, it's good.

Btw, I had a "Caroline" craving last night and watched "The Club Election", "The Matchmaker" (yet again!),
"Baby Pictures" and "Lucy Tells the Truth." For someone who only appeared in ten episodes (and several
with only one small scene) Doris Singleton sure added a lot. I think she's my favorite "outside" character
next to "Mrs. Trumbull."

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

I love "Aliens" too! It was the first time I saw Michael Biehn and my eyes spun around in my head! But the movie is good too, ha ha! I have a copy of it and watch it every now and then.

But who doesn't love 'The Wizard of Oz'? I'll tell you who, my mom. She saw it in the theater as a kid and wanted to walk out. She really hates musicals. I watched it every year as a child. The guy I was dating never saw it. Unreal! I found it one night while channel surfing and he couldn't believe that I could recite the dialogue along with the characters.

A "Caroline" craving! She was a great supporting character. Too bad she wasn't in more episodes. Lucy's "frenemy". Did you watch the Hollywood episodes with her? I could never understand her need for glasses when she never wore them before!

As for other movies, there were some "bad ones" that guy I dated played for me. He played his favorites, but I hated all of them. He seemed to have the strangest taste in movies. Every one that he played for me, I fell asleep out of sheer boredom!
"The Molly Maguires", I love Sean Connery and it's an interesting story, but I found the movie to be so dull. "The Perfect Storm", never liked movies about drowning people, that's probably why I never watched "Titanic". The worst was "High Plains Drifter". I like Clint Eastwood but I could not understand what was going on in that film. I was seriously close to lapsing into a coma. lol I need movies with dialogue!!

I really preferred to pick the movies that we watched.

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

I finished up my "Caroline" marathon last night with the Hollywood shows and the Superman ep.

I far prefer Caroline before Hollywood because I like her bitchy. In the Hollywood eps, she's too
humble! Almost a sweet nerd when she walks in past Van Johnson.

Btw, I've brought this up before on IMDB, but I think Doris Singleton's nose job was quite strong. She
was always attractive, but the nose job (first evidenced in the Van Johnson ep) made her face look very
different, and she was, indeed, technically prettier.

I love Doris Singleton. I thought she was great in Twilight Zone ("A Kind of a Stopwatch") and she
turns in a TERRIFIC dramatic performance in an episode of The Fugitive (a great show, btw) called,
"Three Cheers For Little Boy Blue." I think it's still up on Youtube. If you ever get the chance to see
this episode, I highly recommend it. Ed Asner is also in it, and Singleton - who plays a bitterly unhappy
wife - will knock your socks off. She's that good in it.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 6 years ago

"Doris Singleton's nose job"...so she DID have one! I always wondered about that. I thought it might have been my imagination. But I thought she looked different in the later episodes.

I loved 'The Fugitive' when I was a kid. I still remember the finale when Dr. Kimball FINALLY caught the one-armed man. I'll have to look for the episode on youtube that you cited.

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

Then if you're already familiar with the series, check out 1965's "Three Cheers For Little Boy Blue."
Singleton is gorgeous, nasty, unhappy, but in the end, accepting of her fate (being in a bad marriage).

Singleton was a first-rate actor. Even in just "I Love Lucy" alone, there's a reason we remember
her - even in just ten episodes.

I would've killed to have met Doris. What a gal.