Those who only know Lucy from her TV appearances are missing a huge treat: the 80-plus films she made during her 50-year career. Beginning as a Goldwyn Girl and playing a blonde Roman slave in 1933's Roman Scandals (and impressing star Eddie Cantor and producer Sam Goldwyn when she was the only girl willing to take a mud pie in the face), Lucy moved from bit parts and potboilers to supporting roles in hysterically funny comedies and surprisingly moving dramas. Eventually she was crowned "Queen of the 'B' movies." For a complete list with reviews, see the Fourth Edition of Lucy A to Z: The Lucille Ball Encyclopedia. The list that follows offers short takes on some of my favorites in Lucy's big-screen legacy.
» Kid Millions (1934) Goldwyn Girl, uncredited. Lucy backed up future co-stars (on TV) and chums Ethel Merman and Ann Sothern.
» Roberta (1935) (uncredited) Fashion Model.
» Top Hat (1935) Flower Clerk. One of Lucy's best-known early cameos.
» Follow the Fleet (1936) Kitty Collins. Lucy's parts are beginning to get larger now. In this film, her wisecracking blonde friend to lead Ginger Rogers garnered some audience attention and led to bigger supporting roles.
» Stage Door (1937) Judy Canfield. The first "big" movie (or "A" picture, if you will) in which audiences and reviewers took notice of Lucy's characterization, no mean feat in a cast that included Ginger Rogers, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, and Katharine Hepburn. Lucy more than holds her own.
» Panama Lady (1939) Lucy. Though often ridiculed as one of Lucy's worst potboilers, I found this a nicely-done downbeat proto-film noir pic, in which Lucy gets stranded in Panama, all for the love of her guy.
» Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) Bubbles, aka Tiger Lily White. One of Lucy's best roles, as one of two dancers (Maureen O'Hara is the other) who choose different paths in life: Lucy becomes a famous and well-paid stripper, while O'Hara aims for the ballet. A classic.
» Too Many Girls (1940) Consuelo 'Connie' Casey. Bubbly but dated college musical, a filmed version of the stage hit that made Desi Arnaz famous; the film is more famous now for being the one during which Lucy and Desi met and fell in love.
» Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) May Daly/Madame Du Barry. Lucy's first MGM film was a Technicolor extravaganza, filled with everything but the kitchen sink, in order to make wartime audiences forget their troubles. If you've never seen Lucy in glorious Technicolor and given the full MGM star treatment, this film is the one to catch.
» Best Foot Forward (1943) Herself. Lucy plays a down-on-her-luck star who agrees to date a cadet at a military academy for some good publicity. Things go wrong, of course, but everything ends well in this good-natured, fun musical. Featuring the film debuts of Nancy Walker, June Allyson, and Gloria DeHaven.
» Easy to Wed (1946) Gladys Benton. Technically an Esther Williams vehicle, you can't take your eyes off gorgeous Lucy as the wronged woman in this remake of Libeled Lady (Lucy has the Jean Harlow role). This is Lucy's best film showcase: she's fiery, funny and vulnerable, and belieavable in every scene. Co-starring future I Love Lucy guest (and friend) Van Johnson.
» Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949) Ellen Grant. Lucy squares off against bookie William Holden, ultimately winning his heart in the solid comedy. Holden would later appear in one of the most famous episodes of I Love Lucy: Lucy, Fred and Ethel go star-gazing at the Brown Derby and Holden winds up in the next booth.
» Fancy Pants (1950) Aggie Floud. Lucy and co-star Bob Hope are terrific in their second teaming, a remake of Ruggles of Red Gap, in which Hope plays an actor hired to play a butler for Lucy's nouveau-riche Western clan.
» The Magic Carpet (1951) Narah. This is the film (and what an awful potboiler it is) that Lucy did to get out of her Columbia contract. Lucy's obviously having a great time despite the woeful material.
» The Long, Long Trailer (1953) Tacy Collini. Banking on the success of I Love Lucy, MGM lured former contract players Lucy and Desi back for this Technicolor romp directed by Vincent Minnelli. A funny and heart-warming comedy...and a huge hit.
» The Facts of Life (1960) Kitty Weaver. An adult comedy/drama, in glorious black-and-white, with Lucy and Hope playing married friends (but not to each other) who think about having an affair.
» Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) Helen North. A family film that's just right: sentimental but not treacly, and featuring Lucy and Henry Fonda as single parents (with eight and 10 kids, respectively) who marry to create one suprer-family. Lucy, mostly understated except for her famous drunk scene, is right on the money here, and her chemistry with Fonda (her co-star in 1942's melodramatic The Big Street) is obvious.
» Mame (1974) Mame Dennis. Unfortunately, Lucy felt the need to recreate the larger-than-life Auntie Mame in the film version. Not as awful as some would like to believe, the problem starts with the kid who plays Patrick and continues through Lucy's attempts to talk/sing the score; ultimately, though, it was the need to camouflage the age of its star that did this movie in; the use of layers of make-up and vaseline-intensive filters were what most of the reviews centered on.
