Lukewarm Off The Presses: About Lucille
Friday, September 4, 2015 at 9:22AM 
It's surprisingly easy to photoshop Cate's face over Lucille's so basically it works visuallyCate Blanchett playing Lucille Ball in a future biopic has already, rather oddly, taken over two entirely unrelated comment threads so I suppose we should say something official-like? The news of Aaron Sorkin's Lucy biopic to which Cate Blanchett is attached was one of those news stories that happened in those intermittent time periods when I was doing something other than the interweb (shock) for about 12 hours. I think it was dinner with a friend + 2 hours of Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp + sleeping. When I woke up it was like the news had always existed and everyone but me was talking about it. These things happen. Even with our kind of news -- read: 'Actressy And How' -- when we're unlucky.
Undeniably this is a weird project on paper. Can you connect Sorkin's rat-a-tat-tat sober pontificating (even though it has a sense of humor) to Lucille's broad slapstick mixed with indefatigable verbosity? The verbosity sure. But otherwise... What's more, Sorkin's work rarely seems all that interested in women. Neither can I imagine Cate pulling it off without resorting to technical mimicry absent the silly soul -- Cate can definitely do comedy but this kind of comedy? That seems like quite a reach.
with George Sanders in Lured (1947)
with Gene Kelly in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943)
Then again, Lucille Ball is a showbiz icon with more sides than just ditzy Lucy from the beloved 50s sitcom. In fact, there are enough movements in that career to suggest that the way to go would be an I'm Not There approach. You've got the savvy businesswoman, the 40s dramatic starlet (see Lured for the improbable sight of glamorous Lucille Ball in a Douglas Sirk directed serial killer drama!), the sitcom superstar, the late career wanderings (Mame anyone? No?). The bio won't cover her whole life, thankfully but looks to focus on 1940 through 1960 and her marriage to Desi Arnaz. If we don't get a scene from the set of Lured (1947) I'll feel personally cheated.
Reader Comments (26)
A Lucy-Desi bio seems better suited to a HBO project for a niche audience. I grew up in the generation that could watch I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show in the afternoons and still watch Here's Lucy weekly. But it's been over a quarter of a century since she's passed. And sadly, I think the majority of young movie audiences have probably never actually watched Lucille Ball, much less have an interest in her life story.
As for Cate, she's great. But I didn't think she was great as Kate in The Aviator. More of a triumph over miscasting. And do we really need to see that repeated?
FYI, check out the great book about Lucy and Desi by Coyne Sanders, "DesiLu." It's been out awhile, but a great read about their romance and rise to second-career stardom on TV...and the aftermath of their divorce.
I don't think humor needs to be included in a biopic in a way other than the usual, movie-realistic one. I have to say that I am excited about this even if I have seen nothing from Lucile Ball and even if I don't know how I'll buy Cate as Lucile plysically (but make-up artists are geniuses).
Was that sitcom diva in Dotty Got Spanked a version of Lucile Ball in I Love Lucy? If so, maybe...you know..and since you mentioned I'm Not There..
But really..Haynes has a million projects to work on right now.
Neither can I imagine Cate pulling it off without resorting to technical mimicry absent the silly soul
How come Streep partisans rarely admit the soullessness of her work? Her acting is about acting. Never about giving something from within. The ones who feel are seen as less versatile.
At first, this bit of casting struck me as out of left field. But the more I think about it, the more I think it could work. From what I have read and also seen in interviews, my impression of the off-camera Lucy is that she was more serious than people would assume. If Blanchett's approach is not impersonation but rather getting at the emotional truth of the character of Lucille Ball, she could be really successful. When I heard that Michelle Williams was playing Marilyn Monroe a few years back, I couldn't picture her in the role at all, yet once I saw the film I bought her in the role because the focus wasn't about recreating iconic moments. It was about who Marilyn was for that brief moment in time and Williams captured the vulnerability and challenges of Marilyn's experience. Blanchett is more than capable of doing the same thing with Lucy.
I enjoyed Lured when I saw it, and it's always interesting to see Lucy doing something that isn't a variation of Lucy Ricardo. My favourite non-comedic film of hers is The Dark Corner (Lucy Goes Noir). She's billed as the star, but it's really Mark Stevens who has the star character, with Lucy playing his secretary who supports her flawed boss and falls in love with him. Reportedly she had a miserable time making the movie, but it's a great detective flick with Clifton Webb doing a great job of playing Clifton Webb.
And just as a side note, Nathaniel, I've really appreciated the hard work you and your contributors have been doing on the site. I check in a few times a day and always find something of interest. I also appreciate the links to other sites you include when they have written something worth checking out. I'm looking forward to your coverage of the Awards season this Fall.
I would bet money this ends up being more about TV history than Lucy's life. Also would not be surprised if this scuttles any plans to adapt Nick Hornby's "Funny Girl" into a film anytime soon.
James L -- i appreciate!
Dave S -- you're probably right. I bet it'll mostly be about Desi & Lucy doing I Love Lucy
But this isnt a remake of I LOVE LUCY. So Cate doesn't need to play "this kind of comedy" whatever that means. She's more than capable of Lucille Ball the person.
No, no, no - Cate is not right for this part. If you're gonna go with a redhead, why not Amy Adams (who we know has the dramatic chops) or Isla Fisher (who probably looks the most like Lucy)?
I personally don't get it but wish Cate good luck. I disagree that Streep's acting is soulless - her performances reveal all dimensions of a character and are heartfelt, which is what makes her work and characters so memorable.
lylee -- amy adams is actually an inspired idea and i don't usually say that about her!
@Tom Ford
I think listening to 3rtful is rather ridiculous.. especially when it comes to Streep ... he hates her and has never had a positive remark about her.... yet , if you go back and look at old blogs, he is constantly bringing her up as he does in this blog.
I find ignoring him, makes him more frustrated.
I think there is something to be said about Lucille's children being producers on the project.
It's an ambitious project for Cate and at its worst will be an interesting failure.
If they don't focus on Lucy's knack for slapstick which from everything I seen her do Cate doesn't possess, or maybe she does and it just hasn't been revealed, then she should be able to handle the off stage Lucy who by her own admission was not a funny nor humorous woman in private unlike her friend and role model Carole Lombard.
Happy to see the love for Lured. That is a trippy movie especially the Boris Karloff scenes. Just the pairing of Lucy and Boris Karloff is so strange but the whole movie is very entertaining. Anyone who hasn't seen it definitely should.
If she can play Blanche DuBois, Bob Dylan and Elizabeth I, she can certainly play Lucille Ball. I really hope this happens, and with a solid director.
I've got no problem at all with the casting and it makes me think they will focus on Lucille Ball herself (and Desi), not on the TV show and recreating moments. THAT would be the TV movie version (Debra Messing on Showtime, Tori Spelling on Lifetime).
This is not as weird as casting Judy Davis as Judy Garland, and look how well that turned out.
As much as I adore Lucille Ball, I wonder what more there is to learn from a feature film biopic? And as someone pointed out, who, exactly, will be buying tickets to this? TV seems to be the best venue for this kind of movie, as I'm sure my elderly relatives, who also love Lucy (and who watch endless hours of PBS, Lifetime, and the History Channel) would tune in. Can't see them driving to the multiplex.
Amy or Isla would be great choices actually. I'd love to see Rose Byrne have a go at it. I like Cate but it just seems....off.
I do hope that they do give proper credit to Desi Arnaz- and who is going to play him?
I would watch Cate Blanchett as Lucy. Blanchett is actually very funny.
Clearly Oscar Isaac is Ricky.
Jason - Isaac is a brilliant pick, although there's the age difference. I was hung up on Fred Armisen, or Michael Pena.
Ryan & Lylee - I second the choice of Amy Adams or Rose Byrne.
I just can't get on board with Cate, I found her version of Kate Hepburn heavy going, but really it will depend a lot on the script.
Aaron Sorkin?? No way.
One of the reasons Meryl Streep did so well as Julia Child was Nora Ephron's warm and witty script. (not to mention Stanley Tucci)
God I miss Nora Ephron.
Sorkin is good mixing light drama with screwball comedy-- I think he's a good fit for a Lucy biopic. Curious to see what Blanchett will do with the part. Lucy's so well known, especially her voice, that there will have to be some mimicry involved.
Did anyone see the Lucy & Desi TV movie years ago with Frances Fisher? Fisher did a great job with a so-so script (I think she's underrated).
If a good director could eke a good performance out of him, Benjamin Bratt's face is crying out to play Desi Arnaz.
I am also in the "this could work" camp. Lucille Ball was a raspy-voice, hard-drinking, never-pretty-enough-for-the-man showgirl, caught up in the McCarthy hearings, fighting her way as co-owner of a major production company, being sarcastic all the way... Cate can definitely do that.
I want a heavyweight director for this, but one Blanchett's not collaborated with as of yet. Daldry ? Stephen Frears? Bennet Miller? David O. Russell? Aronofsky?
Re: the age difference, Desi was actually six years younger than Lucy. In Hollywood the 11 years between Oscar & Cate wouldn't read much differently, I don't think.