Lucy Writes a Novel

[Brock]

Along with Lucy Is A Matchmaker, Lucy Writes a Novel has become another fascinating episode for me lately. It's yet another episode where each member of the Fab Four has a great moment, has levels of sheer hilarity, and nothing that happens is beyond the realm of possibility.

 

Sometimes I wonder just how much fun Bob and Madelyn had writing this episode. If they were having a riot in the writers' room, it certainly shows.

 

There are so many great moments in the episode that go beyond the words on the paper and the performances of the screen, and there are individual hallmarks stamped by our actors on this episode which make it so much fun. When Ethel's "Blaze of Glory" line gets a snicker while Fred's "Red hot novel" gets a a howl, she repeats the line once again getting a reaction from Ricky. There is no doubt in my mind this is Vivian Vance stepping just slightly out of character to ensure she gets the laugh she deserves.

 

My personal highlight, however, is Lucille Ball's performance. Maybe it is the writer in me, but after Dorrence comes over to rectify the situation, as you can see Lucy's heart break with each individual step over to take the framed cheque off the wall, my heart breaks right along with her. "Now that's acting! That's real, real acting!" LOL In any other actress' hands, it would be pretty standard fare, but Lucy makes it so much more.

[C L A U D E]

Along with Lucy Is A Matchmaker, Lucy Writes a Novel has become another fascinating episode for me lately. It's yet another episode where each member of the Fab Four has a great moment, has levels of sheer hilarity, and nothing that happens is beyond the realm of possibility.

 

Sometimes I wonder just how much fun Bob and Madelyn had writing this episode. If they were having a riot in the writers' room, it certainly shows.

 

There are so many great moments in the episode that go beyond the words on the paper and the performances of the screen, and there are individual hallmarks stamped by our actors on this episode which make it so much fun. When Ethel's "Blaze of Glory" line gets a snicker while Fred's "Red hot novel" gets a a howl, she repeats the line once again getting a reaction from Ricky. There is no doubt in my mind this is Vivian Vance stepping just slightly out of character to ensure she gets the laugh she deserves.

 

My personal highlight, however, is Lucille Ball's performance. Maybe it is the writer in me, but after Dorrence comes over to rectify the situation, as you can see Lucy's heart break with each individual step over to take the framed cheque off the wall, my heart breaks right along with her. "Now that's acting! That's real, real acting!" LOL In any other actress' hands, it would be pretty standard fare, but Lucy makes it so much more.

Wow, well said.  Never liked it that much but after that, man, I may play it tonight.

[vivfantoo*]

I like this episode, too; lots of funny moments. When Ricky, Fred & Ethel find the pages in the windowshade & start reading aloud, when Lucy outsmarts them all by pulling her copies out of their hiding places right under their noses, even when they are all piecing the pages back together in the basement (& you KNOW someone is going to sneeze!) :-)

[Mot Morenzi]

Very astute assesment, Brock!

 

I think this is an underrated episode. It's grounded in reality, which allows the ensemble to sink into it with such gusto and sincerity.

 

I think the only thing preventing it from making some of my "best of" lists is that I'm not terribly partial to the episodes where the humor is supposed to come from Lucy's failure. Vitametavegamin is an exception, as that wasn't Lucy's fault, she was drunk. But I tend to have a hard time laughing at the scenes where the character falls flat on her face. At the very end of this show, for instance, when she bursts into tears, I'm tempted to cry right along with her.

 

True, these moments are realistic, and would probably happen to the character in real life, but seeing her try so hard and fail can be painful and sad to watch. It's one reason why I've never liked "Lucy Gets in Pictures". I wanted her to make it, and seeing her get booted off the film was more tragic than anything else.

 

Not to take away from the rest of this episode, however, as it is truly a standout. It's also the only time we ever see a fire in the Ricardo's fireplace.

 

But endings like this do help make the times when Lucy is allowed to shine all the more special, like the ending to the Van Johnson episode. That has to be one of my favorite Lucy endings of all time, because she actually did it. She actually succeeded and Ricky was proud of her. I always like seeing the two of them end an episode on equal terms, not on an argument. I personally adore the episodes where she and Ricky work together rather than against one another.