The Big Street (1942)

Little Pinks is in love with a nightclub singer named Gloria. But it is a unrequited love as she does not know that he exists. Pinks is a shy busboy and Gloria only goes out with men who ... See full summary »

Director:

Irving Reis

Writers:

Leonard Spigelgass (screenplay), Damon Runyon (story)

Stars:

Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, Barton MacLane

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Henry Fonda	...	Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II
Lucille Ball	...	Gloria Lyons
Barton MacLane	...	Case Ables
Eugene Pallette	...	Nicely Nicely Johnson
Agnes Moorehead	...	Violette Shumberg
Sam Levene	...	Horsethief
Ray Collins	...	Professor B
Marion Martin	...	Mimi Venus
William T. Orr	...	Decatur Reed (as William Orr)
George Cleveland	...	Colonel Samuel Venus
Vera Gordon	...	Mrs. Lefkowitz
Ozzie Nelson and Orchestra	...	Orchestra

Storyline

Little Pinks is in love with a nightclub singer named Gloria. But it is a unrequited love as she does not know that he exists. Pinks is a shy busboy and Gloria only goes out with men who are loaded. When she tries to dump Case for richer Reed, Case dumps her down the stairs. After months of treatment, she will never walk, but Pinks is the only one who takes care of her. He pays all her bills and sends her flowers with unsigned cards. But to Gloria, he is nothing in her eyes. When she wants to leave New York for Florida, to be with the money set, he takes her.

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Plot Keywords:

nightclub | singer | busboy | unrequited love | self sacrifice | 

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Taglines:

"I LOVE LUCILLE"...That's what everybody says! (re-release print ad)

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 September 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Damon Runyon's The Big Street

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Elliott Sullivan (Tramp), Al Hill (Tramp) and Donald Kirke (Surgeon).

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Quotes

[about Gloria]
Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II: She's in bad shape, Doc. Can you do something?
Florida Doctor: I wish I could.
Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II: Why can't you?
Florida Doctor: Did you ever hear of a thing called paranoia? No, I guess you didn't. Well, it's what happens to people when they get to believe they're something they're not.
Nicely Nicely Johnson: Now you're cooking with gas.
Violette Shumberg: Shut up, Nicely.
Nicely Nicely Johnson: Don't tell me to shut up.
Violette Shumberg: I'll tell you to shut up anytime I feel like it, and I feel like it now.
Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II: Please go on, Doc.
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Who Knows?"
(1942)
Music by Harry Revel
Lyrics by Mort Greene
Performed by Lucille Ball at the New York nightclub
Reprised by her with Ozzie Nelson and Orchestra at the Florida nightclub (Vocals for Miss Ball by Martha Mears)
Played often in the score

User Reviews

Two incredible talents in their early years: Ball and Fonda

Anyone who has the slightest desire to learn more about the incredible talent of Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda owes it to themselves to see this marvelous movie. Over the years, these two stars built up such powerful images of themselves as star characters, and most of the public came to know them as a result of the cumulative impressions which they made on our individual consciousness. Your strong impression of Lucille Ball is as a comedian, correct? You seldom if ever think of her as a dramatic actress. Can you imagine Lucille Ball playing a role of a vain self-centered and arrogant harridan who seems to live for the sole purpose of tormenting the lowly busboy who is her one true friend in all the world? Few people can imagine Lucy in such a role, but if you watch this movie, you will see it happen. It is also totally believable because, even though Lucy worked primarily as a comedian, she was a great dramatic actress when she chose to accept a role of that type. As for Henry Fonda, who could even conceive of casting this great actor as a busboy? It was early in his career and he is playing a role of the type that he would never have to play again, but he pulls it off. You wonder at times why he is taking so much abuse from this woman. But the answer is incredibly simple. He deeply loves the woman, and his love comes shining through. If you want to see two great stars at work in the early days of their careers, check out this movie.