Monday, October 26, 2009

I Love Lucy "Equal Rights" Clip #1

Throughout the week we will be posting each installment of this specific I Love Lucy episode entitled, “Equal Rights”. We felt it would be interesting to space out the clips in their relation to the order in which we discuss our main points. It is also fun to anticipate the ending because it is really interesting and wraps up our overall discussion.

This first clip displays how equality between husband and wife truly was in the husbands favor, and is reinforced when Fred agrees. Lucy and Ethel both vocalized how they did not support Ricky’s comment, which goes against the stigma of other housewives during that time. Please feel free to comment on anything that you find interesting. Enjoy!




5 comments:

  1. Jacqueline Trabish

    Now knowing that the show, I Love Lucy was co-produced by Lucy, I believe it was geared towards women as both a confidence booster and a reality check. It spoke to women saying they are not alone when they wish for being something then just a “typical housewife,” but on the other had it imposes the fact that they have no skill other then accomplishing the household chores. Their husbands are the ones that bring home the bacon; and that is the way it is going to be.

    One of my favorite episodes is when Lucy, her husband Ricky, and their best friends switch gender roles. Because they each thought the grass was greener on the other side. The ladies end up working in a chocolate factory, making the money while, the men keep up with the house hold chores. The husbands cant cook, ironing is quite difficult, making iron burns in a few of the shirts. On the lady's end, they started off struggling with job hunting because they have no experience. They finally lie and say they have had experience working in a chocolate shop and could not keep up with the quick process of making and wrapping the chocolates. By the end of the day the lady's got fired and the men made a mess of the kitchen, just makes you think “typical”. At the end of the show they all agreed the men were better at working and making money and the women were the ones that should be staying home and taking care of the house.

    Part 1
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-duc7u8XEE
    Part 2
    http://www.youtube.com/watchv=qcRABkQvTf8&NR=1
    Part 3
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lKCOQ5BrnA&NR=1

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  2. I like that episode too! Your point about I Love Lucy being geard twords women is a great one to think about, and the show really exhibits that, especially through the clip we just saw when Lucy talked back to Ricky, which was usually unheard of.. Thanks for your thoughts!

    -Lauren

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  3. I never saw that chocolate factory episode but this one did a good job showing the differences between men in women. In another way this episode showed some of the benefits women had because of men, (holding there jackets, letting them go first). I am excited to see how the episode goes on.

    I never knew I love Lucy was directed by her to. That shows some of the reasons for it being more advanced for its time.

    -Lisa Rodriguez

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  4. I'm so glad to see that everyone seems to be getting into the clips of the show and looking forward to see how it ends! This episode in particular, I think, will surprise a lot of people with its ending!

    I also love Lisa's comment on how Lucy being part owner of Desilu "shows some of the reasons for it being more advanced for its time" because I totally agree! Lucille Ball herself was an extremely independent women who did amazing things like being the first female to part own a production company and really one of the first female comediennes who paved the way for both future male and female comedians. This is why I personally look at I Love Lucy as being more of a boundary pusher kind of show, because even though it was very innocent in a lot of ways, knowing who Lucille Ball really was and connecting this with some of the underlying themes of the show, I feel that they were completely intentional at some points. The way I look at it is, how could an individual who felt so strongly about being independent, not want her show to portray the same thing for other women? This of course would be a hard thing to do, but I feel I Love Lucy did a great job of at least making a step.

    However, I understand that many would disagree with me.

    Meghan Slaalien

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