Lucille Ball is an icon to say
the least. Millions of americans fell in love with her in the 1950s
as Lucy Ricardo, the sharp-witted, scheming wife of her famous husband
Ricky. Her comedic genius has yet to be challenged; and though she
is forever immortalized at 623 East 68th Street in New York City,
her address ten years prior was a bit different. In 1942, Ball joined
Henry Fonda in "The Big Street".
Written by Damon Runyan
and directed by Irving Reis, The Big Street stars
Lucille Ball as Gloria Lyons, a nightclub singer who prides herself
on being a member of high society. Her attitude is condescending,
and she has no reservations about verbally bashing anyone who dares
to question her superiority. During a local eating
contest, Lyons strolls through the crowd with her small dog in hand.
In the blink of an eye, the dog escapes her grip and runs into the
street outside. Agustus 'Pinks' Pinkerton, played by Henry Fonda,
is completely taken with Gloria. He sees her as a goddess, incapable
of wrong-doing. He is the only one to witness to the dog running
and grabs it out of harm's way in the nick of time. Gloria is grateful
to Pinks and gets him a job at an upscale club to show her appreciation.
Before long, Pinks can not stop thinking about her. He sends her
flowers and lovingly refers to her as "your highness",
a term which she obviously believes she deserves. Before long, an
altercation arises between Gloria and the owner of the club that
she frequents. She tells him off in typical Gloria Lyons fashion
and tries to walk away when he strikes her in the face, sending
her tumbling down a flight of steps. She sustains an injury that
leaves her a mere shadow of her former self. "Pinks" steps
in and assumes the role of caretaker, even spending his own money
to keep Gloria as comfortable as possible. However, with her cold
and callous demeanor comes expectation. Nothing seems to be good
enough for her. She is a star, a spectacle, a sight to behold, in
her own mind. Does Pinks' unending devotion have the strength to
overcome Gloria's perpetual need for adoration? After all, she defines
love as that which gives you "one room, two chins and three
kids."
There were a few things
that immediately jumped out in The Big Street.
The first being Henry Fonda's character. He plays a very quiet and
timid man in "Pinks". Had Fonda not assumed this role,
one would expect someone like Elisha Cook, Jr. to fill the spot.
He rarely speaks his mind; but rather, internalizes the pain of
interacting with shallow people. Gloria Lyons is one such person.
The viewer easily notices his love for her, and wishes along with
him that
she could see life through realistic eyes. He is the rarely-found
caliber of man who takes feelings into consideration, and she is
his opposite. If opposites do indeed attract, the viewer expects
a wedding invitation at any moment. To the contrary, it's Pinks'
reserved manner that always leaves him one step behind making a
bold move. The second highlight was Lucille Ball's persona. Though
she is full of herself, one gets the impression that it's all a
facade, and that an extremely fragile rose of a woman lay beneath
the rough exterior. This is likely a woman who grew up with nothing,
only to find success and shiver at the thought of returning
to nothing. Pinks and his friends are the representation of such
low status in Gloria's evaluation. The fact that she is under his
protective wing is more of an insult to her than it is a blessing.
Her greatest misconception, however, is that the crowds who supported
her in triumph would support her in crisis. This misconception often
kept her from giving in to her illness, but it also kept her from
overcoming it. In a fashion true to real life, the applause vanished
in the face of misfortune and took her safety net with it. The symbolism
in Gloria's illness (a "paralysis" of sorts) was a brilliant
commentary on her life. She was unable to stand on her own. The
years she spent in the limelight were not of her own doing, but
rather with the assistance of those she refused to credit. Some
would call her fall from grace a classic account of poetic justice,
and while the audience prepares its "I-told-you-so" speech,
they are distracted by the sympathy they feel. Only a talented actress
like Lucille Ball could evoke such a twisted flurry of emotion from
the viewer, and she does so effortlessly.
Gloria
Lyons and Agustus 'Pinks' Pinkerton are the poster children for
so many. In their own way, they both represent fear. Gloria fears
that reality is not in accordance
with the grandeur she has built up in her own mind, and that no
matter how much she resists, she will have to face it someday. Pinks
fears that he is substandard. He can not manage to feel like the
man he wants to be. He wants to be the knight that rides in on a
white horse and saves the girl. Whether it's his own lack of esteem
or just the unfortunate hand he was dealt, the result is always
the same - coming up just short of being respected.
THE DVD
The Big Street
is not available on DVD at the present time. However, Turner Classic
Movies (TCM) is often the go-to source for such films. The next
showing is on November 15, 2006 at 8:00PM EST.
THE CONCLUSION
The
title of the movie is both indicative and symbolic. The
Big Street describes the street of life and it's many twists
and turns. It reminds us that potholes can appear as easily as open
highways. Those who take the smooth lanes for granted will usually
find turbulence. This is a tale of greed, hope, love, impatience
and determination. The road less traveled may be less popular, but
it's also less congested.
eating
contest, Lyons strolls through the crowd with her small dog in hand.
In the blink of an eye, the dog escapes her grip and runs into the
street outside. Agustus 'Pinks' Pinkerton, played by Henry Fonda,
is completely taken with Gloria. He sees her as a goddess, incapable
of wrong-doing. He is the only one to witness to the dog running
and grabs it out of harm's way in the nick of time. Gloria is grateful
to Pinks and gets him a job at an upscale club to show her appreciation.
Before long, Pinks can not stop thinking about her. He sends her
flowers and lovingly refers to her as "your highness",
a term which she obviously believes she deserves. Before long, an
altercation arises between Gloria and the owner of the club that
she frequents. She tells him off in typical Gloria Lyons fashion
and tries to walk away when he strikes her in the face, sending
her tumbling down a flight of steps. She sustains an injury that
leaves her a mere shadow of her former self. "Pinks" steps
in and assumes the role of caretaker, even spending his own money
to keep Gloria as comfortable as possible. However, with her cold
and callous demeanor comes expectation. Nothing seems to be good
enough for her. She is a star, a spectacle, a sight to behold, in
her own mind. Does Pinks' unending devotion have the strength to
overcome Gloria's perpetual need for adoration? After all, she defines
love as that which gives you "one room, two chins and three
kids."
him that
she could see life through realistic eyes. He is the rarely-found
caliber of man who takes feelings into consideration, and she is
his opposite. If opposites do indeed attract, the viewer expects
a wedding invitation at any moment. To the contrary, it's Pinks'
reserved manner that always leaves him one step behind making a
bold move. The second highlight was Lucille Ball's persona. Though
she is full of herself, one gets the impression that it's all a
facade, and that an extremely fragile rose of a woman lay beneath
the rough exterior. This is likely a woman who grew up with nothing,
only to find success and shiver at the thought of returning
to nothing. Pinks and his friends are the representation of such
low status in Gloria's evaluation. The fact that she is under his
protective wing is more of an insult to her than it is a blessing.
Her greatest misconception, however, is that the crowds who supported
her in triumph would support her in crisis. This misconception often
kept her from giving in to her illness, but it also kept her from
overcoming it. In a fashion true to real life, the applause vanished
in the face of misfortune and took her safety net with it. The symbolism
in Gloria's illness (a "paralysis" of sorts) was a brilliant
commentary on her life. She was unable to stand on her own. The
years she spent in the limelight were not of her own doing, but
rather with the assistance of those she refused to credit. Some
would call her fall from grace a classic account of poetic justice,
and while the audience prepares its "I-told-you-so" speech,
they are distracted by the sympathy they feel. Only a talented actress
like Lucille Ball could evoke such a twisted flurry of emotion from
the viewer, and she does so effortlessly.
Gloria
Lyons and Agustus 'Pinks' Pinkerton are the poster children for
so many. In their own way, they both represent fear. Gloria fears
that reality is not in accordance