As awards season is now in full swing, just what subject is the source of the newest work by an Oscar-winning screenwriter and three Oscar-winning directors? An acclaimed literary classic, perhaps? Maybe a pivotal moment in history, eh? No, they’ve decided to shine their talents, and considerable “star power”, on … a TV show. Really? Well, it’s not just any bit of “video escapism”. Oh no, this is a “biggie”, a true icon, one that still influences all matter of media to this day. And it’s still on the air, either being broadcast or streamed or replayed in all recorded formats, from Beta to Bluray. In any list of the “greatest TV shows of all time” it’s placed near the very top. And during its “hay day”, it was garnering “Soper Bowl-sized’ ratings…every week. It could be called the “mother of all situation comedies”. Its stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who were fairly well-known as a film star and a singer/bandleader before the show premiered, but they achieved “pop culture immortality” by BEING THE RICARDOS.
But rather than giving us a full biography of the stars or a year-by-year history of that TV show, the filmmakers decide to spotlight one production week, Sunday through Friday (filming day) of a 1953 episode of “I Love Lucy”. To tie things together, some recreated 1970’s talking heads interviews with the former writers and executive producer “frame” the drama with a running narration/commentary. Those trying times commence with the interruption of some pre-work romance by the last minutes of newspaper gossip Walter Winchell’s radio broadcast as he drops some not-so-subtle hints that America’s favorite TV “funny lady” is a “red” AKA a “Commie”. Needless to say that this destroys the mood for Lucy (Nicole Kidman) and Desi (Javier Bardem). The resulting “discussion” leads to another recent scandal, as a photo of Desi sharing drinks with a woman, not Lucy. has made the cover of “Confidential” magazine (recall “QT” from LA CONFIDENTIAL). He reminds Lucy that this was an old pic of him entertaining the daughter of their show’s sponsor. Still, Lucy has her suspicions over Desi’s claim that he was “playing cards” with the boys on their boat the previous night. But it’s back to work the next morning for a “read through” of that week’s script. There’s open animosity between co-stars Vivian Vance (Nina Arianda) and Bill Frawley (J.K. Simmons) who play the Ricardos’ neighbors Ethel and Fred Mertz. Plus the rivalry between writers Madelyn Pugh ( Alia Shawkat) and Bob Carroll (Jake Lacy) is in full force. Keeping them on track while keeping the stars, the network, and the sponsors happy is over-worked executive producer Jess Oppenheimer (Tony Hale). But a new bombshell soon drops on him. The show’s star duo informs him, along with the CBS and the other “money men”, that Lucille is pregnant. What will they do? How will it affect the show? But if this whole Communist headline isn’t squelched, will there even be a show? Perhaps the couple will be drummed out of “show biz”. You’d think that getting a show on “its feet” within five days is stressful enough!
Amidst all the social media bashing over the casting of these beloved, almost worshipped TV icons, the ensemble does a terrific job of not nearly mimicking, but bringing real humanity to them. At the forefront of the frenzy is Ms. Kidman, who may be scrutinized most of all. The “Lucy legion” need not fret, as her performance captures the comic genius while giving us a woman truly ahead of her time. And in certain shots, at certain angles, you’d think Mrs. Aranz was recreated ala CGI (much like another comic star in a recent “re-boot”). Kidman shows us the hard-working “pro”, the exacting perfectionist who dares to question her “role”. Despite the outlandish slapstick, she won’t throw out “logic” for a laugh. At times she seems to go into a “trance’ as we almost see through her eyes how she plans to “sell” a gag. There’s even a glimpse of Ball’s playful sexy “vibe’ in some steamy flashbacks. But best of all, we get her vulnerability as her old studio home at RKO “evicts” her, as she begins to fight to keep her marriage together (she doesn’t budge on casting Desi as “Ricky”). Kidman makes her the unstoppable “hero” of the story. And Bardem’s Desi is a big part of that. He conveys the wild, untamed passion of his nightclub act (with tables of swooning admirers. But we also see his “taming”, if only temporary, by the glamorous starlet (Bardem has a great “gobsmacked’ expression during their very “lengthy” first date). But we see his frustration via Bardem’s expert body language, as Desi’postwar movie dreams are dashed. But on the set of his sitcom, his shoulders broaden, as his finely tailored suits barely contain his new “swagger”. And pity those who try to patronize him as the affable Cuban turns into a roaring lion. These talented actors show us how this “power couple” generated laughter, ratings, and heat.
The “ice” is created in the interactions between the show’s supporting couple. Simmons gives Frawley a “seen-it-all” snark as he tries to stay away from his “cups” while staying above the chaos. He’s even a warm father-like mentor to his boss and co-star Lucy. But he just can’t “get” his other co-star, played with annoyed energy by Arianda (so good as Mrs. Laurel in STAN AND OLLIE). Her Vivian is dismayed that Ethel is the brunt of jokes about her appearance, while nothing is made of the big age difference with her sitcom spouse. She wants her light to shine, but it must be dimmed next to the title role. Hale breaks out of his nebbish former TV roles in “Arrested Development” and “Veep”, as the no-nonsense producer Jess. His intense glare tells us that he will do his job and won’t be intimidated by anyone, especially the “stars”. His “AD” castmate Shawkat is terrific as the lone female writer in a mostly male talent pool. She won’t be pushed aside even as she tells Lucy of her fight to keep her character from being “infantile”. And there’s a teasing rivalry/attraction with Lacy as her scheming co-writer/partner, who delights in claiming credit, even as he hesitates on presenting new ideas.
The Oscar-winner in charge is lauded screenwriter turned director (this is his third feature) Aaron Sorkin. Sure, he indulges in his “talky-walky” penchant that he used most famously in his own TV show “The West Wing”, as Desi and company argue through endless hallways behind studio sets. But here it feels somewhat natural to the frantic pace of doing a weekly show. In a wise move, he eschews the usual bio-format (“this happened which let to this…then this…”) to focus on a five-day period (similar to what Spielberg did with LINCOLN). The idea somewhat stumbles by pushing too many things in the time frame, as those scandals didn’t rally “pile-up’ over one episode. But it can be chalked up to the need for “dramatic conflict” (I’d hope the rest of their ‘season” was a “cake-walk”). Although a final confrontation between the main duo seems highly implausible. Plus the story is “fleshed-out” with those aforementioned “flashbacks” as we get a handle on the romance of Lucy and Desi. But there’s also a “flash-forward’ as Lucy imagines what will be a signature scene, though I’d have enjoined another “forward” of her buying RKO after they gave her the “boot”. Happily, the era is expertly recreated via the talented production artisans (nice to see the Ricardos tiny living room in color) and the lush cinematography from Jeff Cronenweth. Oh, and those fashions from Susan Lyall are stunning, too. I may quibble with what’s left out, but the cast really delivers, giving us an inside look into the very real people who kept us entertained for over 70 years by BEING THE RICARDOS. Babaloooo!!
3.5 Out of 4
BEING THE RICARDOS opens in select theatres on Friday, December 10, 2021
