What's it rated? R
- Photo Courtesy Of Escape Artists And Amazon Studios
- SCANDAL! Being the Ricardos centers on Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) being accused of being a communist, and how her husband, Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem), helped to save her career, screening on Amazon Prime.
When? 2021
Where's it showing? Amazon Prime
I Love Lucy was my absolute favorite as a kid—while the show was on well before my generation, it was what I picked every day after school to watch. It's iconic, physical comedy at its finest, featuring a brash redhead who—gasp!—dared to be pregnant on television.
Of course, that show is what first comes to mind when you think of Desilu Productions, but the real story, and what Being the Ricardos focuses on, is what was going on behind the scenes, and the relationships that Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had not just with each other, but with their co-stars, writers, and everyone in between. I don't think I'm alone when I say I always thought of Lucille Ball as the power end of that couple, but this movie shines a light on Desi as well and the strong influence he had and the power he was able to wield.
Certainly imperfect, the couple struggled with infidelity and the trappings of fame, but the question of love was never there, at least from what we see. When Lucy was called out as a communist in big red letters all over the newspaper, damage control was needed fast or the whole house of cards would soon tumble down. A lot of this film centers on that time and what calculations were made around the response. Both Nicole Kidman as Lucille and Javier Bardem as Desi inhabit these iconic roles well, and while there may never be another Lucille Ball, Kidman paints an honest and grounded portrayal of the star. (in color and B&W; 131 min.)
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