Lucille Ball is one of my favorite actresses. I guess it is because I grew up watching alot of reruns of I Love Lucy on my little black and white TV in my bedroom. I got up yesterday morning and my husband put on the movie "The Big Street" on American Movie Classics on Demand (free with Time Warner digital cable this month) starring Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. (1942).
It was an interesting movie - a very different role for "Lucy". She plays a glamorous nightclub singer, Gloria Lyons, who is a real bitch. Henry Fonda (Pinks) is a shy busboy in love with her but she treats him like he doesn't exist because Gloria only goes out with men who are wealthy. Her rich gangster boyfriend pushes her down the stairs. After months of treatment, she will never walk, but Pinks is the only one who takes care of her. A very young Agnes Morehead - Endora of Bewitched - plays Pinks' neighbor.
Toward the end of the movie there is a Knitting reference. When Gloria (Lucille Ball) realizes she will never walk she decides she will have to take up knitting, like it is something expected of one in a wheelchair. Interesting perspective from 1940's culture.
It wasn't the best movie I ever saw, but it was interesting to see Lucille Ball in one of her earlier roles. The filming and costuming of the times was very different than today's but I think that added to the my interest in the movie. The knitting reference definately took me by surprise!!!!
I would give it a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 for vintage movies.
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