As I am sure most of MY girls know, this weekend marked the centennial of the birth of the great Lucille Ball, still as much of a cultural icon now as ever, when I first discovered her as a small child on morning (back in pre-school days) reruns of "I Love Lucy." Later on, in my upper school (junior and senior high) years, 'Lucy' would prove to the a tranquilizing balm, as, each night after dinner, I would watch an episode, which would give me the fortitude to tackle my homework, most of which (like geometry, trig, or biology) I considered a major waste of time then, and still do NOW!!!!! But I made it through, honey, thanks, in no small part, to Lucy.
So, when Monsieur and I got in yesterday, exhausted from our afternoon excursions, we switched on the TV, and while we did not plan on watching the 'Lucy' Marathon (which I think the Hallmark Channel ran as a tribute!!!) we happened upon--and I had not seen this in YEARS--the famous Scotland episode with the two headed dragon!!!!!!!!!!!!
Darlings, it is even better than I remembered, because what the entire thing is is a spoof of the musical "Brigadoon," which, by the time this episode was shot and aired, had been filmed as an MGM musical in 1954 (with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse). Having seen this show twice onstage during my lifetime, I must say I prefer it there. But the 'Lucy' version was a hoot! From the Ensemble's rendition of "A Macgillicuddy Is Here!" to Ricky as "Scotty Mactavish Ricardo-!!!!!!-- and his plaintive song, "I'm in love with the dragon's dinner/The dragon's embraceable dinner," this is one of the best from one of the best comedy series ever!!!!!!!! Capped off by the inspired pairing of Vivian Vance and William Frawley, trapped to each other in a dragon costume, as the two headed dragon!!!!! This is especially humorous if you know, that, in actuality, these two did not get along with each other at all, so I imagine their being encased in this costume, as professionally as they did perform, was repugnant to both!!!!!!!!!
"I Love Lucy" is one of those experiences that, when you re watch it, brings to mind not only its brilliance, but also the time of your life when you first discovered it. To be sure, we ultimately switched to MY Marathon, the 'SVU" one, but this taste of Lucy was as delicious as forty years ago!!!!!!!!!
You just can't keep a good redhead down, darlings!!!!!!! And don't I know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know it too!!!
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