"I Love Lucy" Lucy Raises Tulips (1957)

User Rating:

9.0/10   

TV Series:

"I Love Lucy" (1951)

Original Air Date:

29 April 1957 (Season 6, Episode 26)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Lucy vies to beat Betty Ramsey when the two compete in a local gardening contest.

Plot Keywords:

Bandleader | Friendship Between Men | Product Placement | Cult TV | Friendship Between Women

Cast

Lucille Ball	...	Lucy Ricardo
Desi Arnaz	...	Ricky Ricardo
Vivian Vance	...	Ethel Mertz
William Frawley	...	Fred Mertz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eleanor Audley	...	Flower Judge
Peter Brocco	...	Flower Judge
Mary Jane Croft	...	Betty Ramsey
Richard Keith	...	Little Ricky Ricardo (as Little Ricky)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Filming Locations:

Ren-Mar Studios - 846 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Desilu Productions

What Made Them Professional

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Now what I have always found remarkable about this episode, when Lucy is stuck on the out-of-control rider mower, is after she gets it to stop, she and Vivian Vance engage in one of the most brilliant exchanges of what transpired, but we have to rely entirely on Lucy's vivid description, nothing else.

Vance manages to ask each question, allowing Lucy to follow thru with the next response. Neither lady misses a beat. No doubt, by this time, they were masters of their craft, but I always envisioned this Lucy Ricardo stunt, then I finally realized there was no stunt, just writing and two comedic performers.

I suspect it may be difficult to catch today, as if it is shown in reruns on TVland, some of the dialogue may be edited, which is a shame, and I imagine that my own memory is embellishing the exchange somewhat considerably as well.

Still, I did enjoy it.

Ethel hears a crash. Lucy enters.

Ethel: Lucy, where have you been?

Lucy: Where haven't I been? I've seen parts of Connecticut I didn't even know existed.

E: Was there much damage?

L: Well, every lawn between here and town is half-mowed.

E: Did anyone see you?

L: The way people came running out, you would have thought I was Lady Godiva riding by.

E: You poor thing.

L: Then we got on the Boston post road. -- Against traffic all the way!

E: Oh, no, why did you do that?

L: It wasn't me, that beast has a mind of its own!

E: Were you scared?

L: Was I scared? If I skipped my next henna rinse, my roots would come in snowy white.

E: Well, how did you get it to stop?

L: Remember that hedge we were thinking about getting rid of? You don't have to worry about it anymore.

E: Was the mower damaged?

L: No, not a scratch on it. That thing is indestructible.

In truth, Lucy's adventure on the mower would have made a much better plot than the actual plot; a flower show in which the real tulips are replaced with wax ones that then melt in the hot sun.

Or maybe keeping this stunt as a supporting device made it so much more memorable.