MovieChat Forums > I Love Lucy (1951) Discussion > Sentimental Anniversary (If Only it Was)

Sentimental Anniversary (If Only it Was)

posted 5 years ago by [email protected] (5497)
17 replies | jump to latest

I like this episode, but I always get sentimental myself wishing that the Arnaz marriage was as happy as the Ricardo one. But I think by season three, Lucy and Desi's marriage was really fraying around the edges.

This is one of those episodes that wouldn't exist if Lucy had been honest. I'm sure if she'd told the Mertzes that they wanted to have a private little anniversary dinner, just the two of them, they would have respected their privacy. Fred and Ethel would've scheduled their party for another day.
Of course we wouldn't have had such a funny episode. My favorite scene is when Ethel asks Fred to hand her the dinner napkins. Ricky puts them in her hand and when she says "thanks", Fred, who is in the kitchen, says "you're welcome" a nanosecond later. Ethel looks so shocked!

On closer examination, the babysitting part doesn't make too a whole lot of sense. Ethel asks Mrs. Trumbull to say that she can't sit past 9 PM. Seriously, would the Ricardos think she had a late date? lol And she was hardly the only sitter in the city. If the Ricky really had a very important dinner with Rodgers and Hammerstein, the Ricardos would have found another babysitter. Didn't Ethel think of that?

But Mrs. Trumbull went along with the ruse. I just don't get why the Ricardos took the baby to her apartment anyway. They were actually staying HOME! Why did they need a sitter? I know they made a big show out of pretending to leave their apartment, but they came right back.

Then later, Ethel has an apartment full of waiting guests, and she wonders where the Ricardos are because Mrs. Trumbull told them she could only sit until nine and it was ten o'clock. So why were the Ricardos still sitting in their closet at ten? haha If Mrs. Trumbull told them that she could only babysit until ten, the polite thing would have been to pick up their baby!

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

This isn't a super fave, although I do enjoy it, and, oddly, I watched it the same night I watched "Ricky Minds the Baby"
the other night.

You are right - the episode is a tad overwritten in terms of babysitting. Also, for Lucy and Ricky to go to so much trouble
to "leave" they are - in my mind, at least - easy to spot coming in through the kitchen door. Plus, they leave the shutters
open, so they could be easily spotted through the kitchen window. (although the plot demands that the shutters
remain open, as that's where Ricky throws the champagne bottle at the end).

It's rather hard to spot where the Arnaz marriage went really South. Ball stated, "The last five years were sheer,
unadulterated hell." So the math on that would be about mid-'54/early '55.

There is no question in my mind, that as brilliant as the fourth season is, Ball IS tougher in her physical portrayal,
and Desi is starting to grow "bloated" a bit in the face (the drinking/stress). Nobody else has commented on it,
but I think Desi looks five years older in, say, "In Palm Springs" than he does in the previous season's "Lucy and
Ethel Wear the Same Dress." Ball is also not as soft. It was so gradual.

My fave exchange:

ETHEL: I've always wanted a fur coat.
FRED: Now honeybunch...if nature had intended for you to have a fur coat...you'd have been BORN with one.
ETHEL: Oh, honestly.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

Ethel should've known she'd never get a fur out of Fred...unless he went hunting!

Did you know that Lucy's stone martens actually belonged to her designer Elois Jensen? She brought her own furs in for Lucy to wear in the episode. My grandmother had similar furs. I find the whole idea revolting, wearing tails and claws,etc. Yeech!

It's totally believable that Lucy would've snooped and found her gift. But I just can't believe Ricky would've TOLD Ethel what he bought Lucy, much less tell her where he hidden the gift. I can understand that he'd ask Ethel for a suggestion for Lucy's gift. But he knew Ethel was a blabbermouth. If anything, he would have told her a fake gift knowing that she'd blab to Lucy. And he would have hid the gift in his office if he had any sense!

The golf clubs were a really elaborate gift. But how in the WORLD could Lucy afford them? She was a well known spendthrift who was always overdrawn and bouncing checks. I'm not sure how much a set of clubs cost, but I think even back then a good set probably cost at least a few hundred dollars. Lucy was never able to save five dollars. Did she take out a loan? It's just such an expensive gift for Lucy to be able to afford.

As for Desi's aging, if you watch the very first episodes back to back with the Connecticut ones, he seems to have aged a decade or more in that time. Stress and drinking took their toll. He seemed to be one of those "driven" people who couldn't actually slow down and enjoy their success. From what I read, in the sixth season he was overseeing the production of other Desilu shows. He'd race onto the set to rehearse his lines and run back out. They said that he was so busy he would come to the set with the black dye still in his hair. By then he had gone gray.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

Sometimes Ethel kept her mouth shut. Ricky trusted her when telling she and Fred about the house in
Connecticut. Although Ethel's "waterworks" sabotaged that!

I think it's unbelievable that it wouldn't occur to Lucy that Ricky wouldn't have spotted those golf clubs on
ACCIDENT. The closet wasn't big, and they were HUGE. I agree that Ricky's hiding the stone martens
in the piano bench was pretty dumb.

I agree that women wearing those stoles with the face and claws is DISGUSTING!! (Aunt Clara's always
come to mind).

Desi did age quickly, but wow - he still is soooooo hot to me. Even now when I watch him sing in the early
years, or just enter the room in his smoking jacket, I still feel that pang. He was just a very naturally sexy
man.

Side note: Ever notice how obvious Viv's head cold is in "Sentimental Anniversary?" She's very nasal
throughout the filming.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

I suppose Ethel could be trusted to keep a secret once in a while. But with her track record, I wouldn't trust her! And didn't she keep Ricky's secret about the house for about five minutes?!!

And those golf clubs were visible as soon as someone opened the closet. Ricky always hung up his coat. If anything, Lucy should have hidden them in her closet behind her dresses.

Those furs are creepy! I probably mentioned this before. My grandmother had them. One time when my sister was about five, she went upstairs in our grandparent's house to go to the bathroom. She spotted those furs and got scared. She came downstairs and whispered to our mom that there was a wolf upstairs!

I was thinking that this is the episode where Vivian Vance had a cold. She does sound very congested.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

Yes, the furs and hats date the show a lot. And the "sensibilities" about gender roles are so outdated. Still,
when naysayers comment on this, I point out that part of the charm of "I Love Lucy" is seeing how far
we have come, and how far we have STRAYED.

I also don't buy into "life was a lot simpler then." Well, it wasn't if you were gay, black, Chinese, or just
a woman wanting equal pay as a man for the same job!

I also don't think life was ever that simple for even a white, straight man then. So much oppression. But
people did have better manners, did dress much more stylishly (although wearing a tie to the movies is
pretty silly. And women wearing high heels all over the place).

My feeling is that with progress comes loss. But in the end, progress is necessary.

In the end, ILL still makes people laugh. It's certainly the "oldest" most watched classic sitcom.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

Some of ILL is dated. But certain things are universal, e.g., married couples and their arguments, friendships, rivalries,etc.

I remember a classmate in college had a book about the good old days not being so good. We do tend to look at the past with nostalgia especially if we haven't lived through it. But I think that's human nature. I'll bet the ancient Greeks and Romans talked about "the good old days".

One time I read something that said, "For all of you who long for the good old days, think of one phrase, "Modern Dentistry". So true!!

I love to watch old westerns like The Big Valley and Bonanza and the men tip their hats at the ladies and act so chivalrous. I think that's a lost art. But then I think, "outhouses, riding horses to town, walking over their manure in the dusty, unpaved streets, etc". Forget it! And don't get me started on corsets and pantaloons! lol

In some ways I DO long for the way people dressed when I was a kid. Some occasions do call for dressing up. People made an effort to be presentable in public. Nowadays being a slob is the norm. We have something of a dress code for work. But people flout it. I can't believe how women come to work in shorts and flip flops. They dress the way we used to dress for summer vacation.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

Yes, and the "gangsta" look of having one's rear (in underwear - thank God!) hanging out, while the
pants are sliding down is soooooo ugly. I also can't believe people just throw on wrinkled shirts, jeans,
and flip-flops to meet for dinner. It's also now acceptable for men to wear hats indoors. I plead guilty,
but they ARE nice hats, with summer outfits that are clean and attractive.

One time I was called into jury duty, and for reasons that I can't fathom, I wore shirt, windbreaker, jeans
and a hat. When I was called into court, the judge was snippy when he said to me, "Get rid of the hat,
Sir." You'd have thought I was on trial!! I was very embarrassed because when I removed my hat, my
uncombed hair was pointing in all different directions. I did get a few awkward glances! I laugh about
it now.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

"Gangsta" yes, for some reason people have started to emulate the dregs of society. From what I've heard, the "pants falling down" look is drawn from prison because they take the prisoners belts.

And the tattoos! Almost every woman I work with has them and I just think they look awful on women. Maybe not a discreet butterfly on the wrist, but the other day I saw an attractive young woman in the grocery store who had tattoos along her arms and those awful "prison looking" tats all around her neck. I've seen those in prison documentaries and they are mostly gang tattoos. Wonder what she's going to tell her grandkids years later about why Grandma is tatted up like a member of the Aryan Brotherhood!

I wouldn't go to the extreme of dressing in a suit, little hat and white gloves to leave the house the way Lucy and Ethel did. I don't even own white gloves. But they sure looked nice. They took pride in how they looked in public. Was it the "Loving Cup" episode when Lucy wanted Ethel to hurry and take her to the banquet? Ethel said that she never wore jeans on the subway and wasn't about to start now!

Your jury duty story reminds me of the face off that Vinnie had with the judge in "My Cousin Vinnie". Remember how Judge Haller (the late wonderful Fred Gwynn) was aghast that a lawyer would show up in his courtroom wearing a leather jacket.

He says, "The next time you come into my court, you better be wearing a suit and it better be made of some kind of CLOTH!"

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

I just don't get the tattoo thing either, and have found I will NOT bring up my disgust for
tattoos because I, too, have worked with/for (!) and been acquainted with lovely, intelligent
women who have tats. I think it is BEYOND trashy, and I just can't wrap my head around it.
I, personally, would get claustrophobic at the idea of having an "ink" on me I couldn't wash off!

I am NOT a sexist person in anyway. However, I confess that a hot, attractive man with ONE
tattoo on his upper arm is sexy, depending upon the who the guy is. I dated a very good-looking
gym hound with one tattoo back in the late '90's. We met because we were both DJs. But
I dressed in conservative, nice sports coats and slacks, while he wore T-shirts and tight jeans.
Talk about opposites attracting!

I used to feel guilty about accepting a tat on a guy, and NONE on a woman, thinking it made
me sexist. But then I realized that seeing a man walking around in a dress would also turn
me off. Sorry, even today, some things look attractive on men and not women, and the
other way around.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

I'm totally baffled by the epidemic of ugly artwork that women are putting all over their bodies! Of course it's none of my business. The problem is when the women at work show off their latest tattoo. They admire and compliment each other.
It's all I can do to keep a neutral expression and not grimace or say, "You know that looks like *bleep*, don't you?"

They are very nice women. But a lot are very overweight and their grooming leaves a lot to be desired. Why in the world do they think that ugly stuff makes them look attractive, like when it's on a fat, jiggly upper arm? Yikes!

I also think that ONE tattoo on a guy, like on a well muscled bicep or forearm looks good. I confess that men's forearms really "get" to me! It's a hot body part if a guy has well developed muscles.

The first tattoo I ever saw was on a guy who was our neighbor when I was six years old. He had an anchor. He was a Navy vet (no surprise there). I was fascinated by the fact that it didn't wash off like the kiddie tattoos we had. They were flowers, geometric shapes,etc. We'd put them on the backs of our hands. But like you, I'm too OCD for that. After fifteen minutes I'd wash it off.

Could you imagine Lucy and Ethel with tattoos? lol or Carolyn coming over to show off her newest artwork.

The worst are those brides on "Say Yes to the Dress" who want a gown to show off their tats. They look like hideous bruises on their backs and arms. The staff who all work on commission "ooh and aah" and compliment them.

I'd lose a commission for sure because I'd tell the bride to wear sleeves and a high neckline and cover up all that ugly crap!

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

We are on the same page with all this. I get irritated by the term "body art." Uh-huh.
I also get very angry when hipsters or overly-liberal people try and justify graffiti as
"art." No, they are defacing property that doesn't belong to them. It's a CRIME!

Funny, too, my neighbor (the same man who wouldn't let me watch "Strike up the Band")
also had an anchor tattoo on his forearm. He got his, like many men, during World War II.
Despites this, he was a very soft-spoken, mild-mannered Catholic man with FIVE kids!!

Just yesterday, when I went online, I saw some rock star (or celebrity) got a FACE tattoo.
The ink is totally covering his face!!! Insane.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

Well, tattoos are non-denominational! One of the women I saw with a huge tattoo was in church a few weeks ago. I was sitting about five pews behind her and she was wearing a dress with spaghetti straps.

I thought she had a big burn or bruise on her upper back. When I passed her to go up to Communion, I saw it was a tattoo. WHY would anyone want something on them that looks like a big bruise?

Aside from all that elegant "artwork" I really can't stand lip rings, nose rings, pierced eyebrows, pierced tongues! Yikes!! Some girls also pierce their navel. Geez, I don't even have pierced ears.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

I think you'll get what I mean when I say, some men and women pierce their...."

I think you know how South I went with that comment. YUCK!

When I was in my '20's, I had my left ear pierced. In the '80's, it was "hip" for guys
to have one earlobe pierced and, as nerdy and conservative as I was, I did it. I got
rid of it in about six months, as I was tired of "cleaning" my earlobe with alcohol.

Unfortunately, I still have a scar on my left earlobe, despite its "healing" of 30-plus
years. When people look at me closely, they spot it, and say, "Gary?....YOU had
your ear pierced?" Oh, brother.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

Oh I was thinking about that body part too. I had some teen-age students (girls) who were telling me that they wanted to get their navels pierced. Then they told me what ELSE they wanted pierced! Yikes!

One of my sisters begged our mom for years to get her ears pierced. Our mom finally gave in when she was 13. I think it was her birthday present.

My other sister also got her ears pierced. Mom caved in earlier with her because she was tired of all the nagging. lol She wanted a second piercing in her one ear, so she did it herself when she was about 12.

I've never had any interest in that sort of thing. When I started substitute teaching and saw all the piercings on high school students I realized that I was from another era, a real dinosaur.
The worst thing that I ever saw was that really creepy thing where someone puts a ring in his earlobe. You know the size you wear on your finger? It creates a big hole in the earlobe. Why the freak would anyone want to do that?

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

I know. I can't even LOOK at ears like this, it makes me physically ill.

Another thing: Ever notice how the people who play their car music the loudest,
have the worst taste in music???

[–] [email protected] (5497) 5 years ago

LOL I know! Sometimes when I am walking through town I hear this godawful stuff blaring from car radios. It's all swearing and vulgar language. Now if they were playing Judy: Live at Carnegie hall, that would be different.

Some people I work with love hip hop. I call it 'crap hop'.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

Once the "ruse" was over, and the "surprise party" got under way at 10:00,
I would like to think someone dashed over and got the baby, put him to
bed, and invited Mrs. Trumbull to join in.

My feeling is, she was more than a "babysitter" whenever Lucy needed
her - at the drop of a hat - but friend of the family.

Dig that disgusted looks Lucy gives her when she walks into the room
in a Spanish costume, singing. LUCY: "Mrs. Trumbull, Mrs. Trumbull...
that talent scout isn't here yet." Lol!