There were a lot of scenarios in which Amy Poehler’s affectionate documentary “Lucy and Desi”It might not have been possible. As Lucille Ball herself recounts via wonderful vintage interviews, the future superstar couldn’t even make it as a showgirl in the early years. She was kicked out drama school and thrown out of various chorus lines. “I was a dud. A real nothing,”She confesses to having changed her name from Dianne Belmont to Dianne Belmont at one point in her life. “Two Gun.”
By Ball’s own modest account, it wasn’t talent but unrelenting hard work that pulled her up a few rungs, until she’d done enough low-budget studio movies that she was considered “Queen of the Bs.” Her remarkable self-deprecation becomes part of the documentary’s charm, especially given Ball’s prickly reputation. She claims she went into comedy only because she couldn’t think of any other options. “See, when you’re not beautiful, and you’re not too bright, you attract attention any way you can.”
Poehler also gives us the gift, evidence. We can see that Ball was both brilliant and beautiful. The movie, which she was able to play opposite Desi Arnaz, changed her life. “Too Many Girls.”
“Lucy and Desi” is an engaging history and a lovely tribute, but above all, it’s a heartfelt romance. Theirs was, according to both accounts, love at the first sight. They were determined to work together in Hollywood, and — despite significant pushback because Arnaz was a Cuban émigré — they finally got a chance with their boundary-breaking sitcom “I Love Lucy.”
The show was a success immediately and changed the course in television. Despite the rocky marriage, they worked together for almost 20 years as Desilu Productions’ founders. Ball was the first woman in charge of a television studio. It’s an extraordinary story, if a now-familiar one. Fans are likely to have seen much of it play out most recently in Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos,”Nicole Kidman plays Ball, Javier Bardem plays Arnaz.
But there’s nothing like the real thing, both on and offscreen. No matter how many times you’ve seen Ball shill Vitameatavegamin, her performance stands as peerless perfection. And understanding the relationships between the creators and cast members can only deepen one’s appreciation of a seminal classic.
Poehler clearly understands how important these relationships are and shares her story in a broad way. She thoughtfully uses old footage and interviews. “I Love Lucy” stars and writers, adding layers with compelling contemporary observations from the couple’s friends and family members. Personal memories from Ball’s protégé Carol Burnett and the duo’s daughter Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill go a long way towards humanizing historical icons.
And yes, that’s icons, plural: Poehler takes her title seriously and gives equal time to both actors. In fact, it’s Arnaz who’s treated a bit more kindly. While Arnaz Luckinbill and others refer to Ball’s “difficult” nature and hard edges, Arnaz’s are notably softened. The problems in their marriage were a source of constant news and gossip magazines had plenty of headlines about his cheating, drinking, and gambling.
Poehler avoids the sensational, portraying a person who was always trying to do the right thing, but sometimes got overwhelmed by work or his relationships. We learn a lot more about Ball but we end up understanding Arnaz better. It could be because she was who she was or because she had to be in a world dominated by men.
It’s not quite accurate, as Bette Midler has said, that, “There had never been anyone like her before. You realized that women could do this too. It wasn’t just Charlie Chaplin. It wasn’t just Buster Keaton.” (Here’s hoping Poehler might one day make a movie about Mabel Normand, who mentored Chaplin, or Gertrude Berg, who created the sitcom that set the stage for “I Love Lucy.”)
But Ball’s outsized talents and the pair’s pioneering accomplishments were and remain undeniably awe-inspiring. What is the secret to success? “Lucy and Desi”The reason this film is so captivating is because we can sense that Poehler enjoys telling the story as much as watching it.
“Lucy and Desi”Prime Video premieres March 4