I Love Lucy (1951–1957): Season 1, Episode 19 - The Ballet - full transcript

Lucy claims to have been a ballerina, to get into Ricky's show. She goes to Madame Le Mond's class to hone her ballet skills.

Hi.

Hi, Lucy. Hi, Lucy. You ready?

Yeah, almost. Hi, Rick.

Come on, Ricky,
get your coat, honey.

Picture starts at 8:22.

Oh, honey, I-I think
you'd better go alone.

I'm having nothing but
problems with my new show.

Oh, Ricky, what
kind of problems?

Well... it's a cavalcade of
show business we're doing,

and I'm-I'm having
trouble finding some acts.

Oh, what kind of acts
do you need, Ricky?



What kind of acts do you need?

Now, look, Lucy,

we're not going to
go all over this again.

You cannot be in the show.

Give me one good reason.

You have no talent.

Give me another good reason.

Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.

Look, honey, even if I
wanted to put you in the show,

I wouldn't be able to do it.

There's only two openings...

A ballet dancer and a
pair of burlesque comics.

I'm a ballet dancer.

Well, I am, and I've had...
I've had experience, too.



I-I-I was in a dance
recital in high school...

"The Dance of the Flowers."

She has got nice stems.

Thank you.

I was the only
petunia that did a solo.

Look, Petunia, Madame Le Mond...

The premier ballerina
of the French Ballet...

Is staging this number.

I hardly think that she would
consider that training enough.

Well, then she'll just
have to be shown.

I just happen to have
that costume in my trunk

and I know that I
can do that dance

just as well now as I did then.

Once you really know
ballet, it never leaves you.

Lucy, I didn't know you
were a ballet dancer.

For four years, I was
never off my toes.

What am I going to do about her?

Have you ever thought of
putting her in a large basket

and leaving her on
somebody's doorstep?

No, that wouldn't work.

She's too smart; she'd
find her way home.

Hey, Rick...

You know those
comedians you want...

Do they... do they really have
to be, uh, burlesque comics?

You know, I did a very
funny act years ago

with my partner, Ted Kertz.

Mertz and Kertz,
the laugh twins.

Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.

Presenting Mertz and Kertz.

Well, if I ain't my ol... if it
ain't my old friend, Fred.

How are you, Fred?

Well, if it ain't my
old friend, Ted.

How are you, Ted?

Did you hear about
the terrible accident

on the streetcar, Freddy?

No, I didn't hear
about an accident

on the streetcar, Teddy.

You mean to tell
me you didn't hear

about the accident on
the streetcar, Teddy?

Mertz...

I'm Kertz.

Now I'm Mertz.

How are you, Rick?

They have to be
burlesque comics.

Aw, pshaw, that's too bad.

Hey, by the way

what was the terrible
accident on the streetcar?

Wouldn't you like to know?

No.

Well, I'll tell you anyway,

but remember,
this is my best gag

and you got to
promise not to use it.

Okay, I promise.

What was the terrible
accident on the streetcar, Fred?

Well, a man had
his eye on a seat

and a woman sat on it.

What a pip-a-roo!

Remember now, you
promised not to use it.

That's one promise
I will never break.

Introducing Petunia Ricardo.

Well?

Well, you'll do for the comic,

but who am I going to
get for the ballet dancer?

Oh, Ricky, you're mean.

Look, honey, you're not
serious about this, are you?

I am, too.

Here I am with all this talent

bottled up inside of me

and you're always
sitting on the cork.

Now, Lucy.

I'm gonna get in that show
if it's the last thing I do.

Lucy, you're too young to die.

Whose side are you on?

Well...

I'm going to get in that show
or my name isn't Lucy Ricardo.

What did you say, Clem?

Oh!

Touché.

En garde!

I have just had a
most exciting visit

with the wife of
Monsieur Ricardo.

She's a very experienced dancer

and she will be your partner.

She is here now.

Come in, Madame Ricardo.

Entrez, entrez, entrez.

Come in, come in.

Mesdames et messieurs,
Madame Ricardo.

Kiss the hand,
Enchanté, n'est-ce pas?

Now, first I think we will start

with a few
limbering-up exercises.

I assume you know
all the basic positions.

Uh, yeah, yeah.

All right, Ici, madame, ici.

Classe, en place.

All righty, class.

Now then, first position.

Bon, bon.

No, madame, further out.

No, madame, the
toes... further out.

Madame, not that far out.

Now then, a plié.

And a one, a two,
a three, a four,

a five, a six, a seven, eight.

A one, a two, a
three, a four, a five...

Stop, stop, stop.

Stop!

Fifth position.

Now then...

Plié.

And a one, a
two, a three, a four

a five, a six, a seven, eight.

A one...

Eh bien, classe.

Petite battement.

And a one, a two,
a three, a change.

A one, a two, a three, a change.

A one, a two, a three, a change.

A one, a two, a three, a change.

One, a two, a three, a change.

One, a two, a three, a change.

One, a two, a three, a change.

A one, a two...

Un moment, un moment!

Releve.

Tour en l'air.

And a one, a two,
a three, a four,

a five, a six, a seven, eight.

A one, a two, a three, a four,

a five, a six, a seven, eight.

A one, a two, a three, a four...

Enough! Enough!

Take a rest period!

Except Madame Ricardo.

Madame Ricardo, I am afraid

you have not quite had

the experience I had hoped for.

Well, I guess I
am a little rusty.

I think we should
go to the barre.

Oh, good, 'cause
I'm awful thirsty.

Madame...

this barre.

Oh, I thought you meant...

Take your place at the barre.

Feet in first position.

Now, in the first place,

your posture is atrocious.

Shoulders back, hips under,

stomach in, chest out

chin up, knees straight.

Now then, remembering
all these things,

raise the right leg
even with the barre.

Even with the barre?

Even with the barre.

Now then, lower the leg

slowly to the floor.

Madame, the leg down, à bas.

A bas! A bas,

A bas. A bas.

A bas! A bas!

A bas!

A bas. A bas.

A bas. A bas.

A bas. A bas!

A-a-a bas!

A bas.

A bas.

A bas.

A bas.

A bas.

A bas.

A bas.

A bas!

A bas.

A bas.

Where are you going?

No, no, no, no, there
is much work to do.

There is?

Oui. You have great talent.

I have?

But there is much to do

if I am to get you in
shape for the opening.

Oh. Now then, at the barre,

feet in first position.

Shoulders back, hips under,

stomach in, chest out,

chin up, knees straight.

Now then, plié!

500 times!

And a one, a
two, a three, a four

a five, a six, a seven, eight...

Hello.

Hello, Lucy. How
are you feeling today?

Can you move yet?

Oh, yeah, I'm fine.

As a matter of fact,

I'm expecting my
partner here any minute.

Your partner? I thought
you gave up ballet.

Oh, I did; that was
too much work.

No, I called the Lido
Theater and asked them

to send over a comic to
teach me a burlesque act.

Oh, somebody's at the
door; maybe that's him.

I'll call you back later, Ethel.

Well, this must be the place.

Well, what time do
the girls get here?

Uh, how do you
do? I'm Mrs. Ricardo.

Oh, how do you
do? Where's the fella

who wants me to teach him a bit?

Oh, right here.

Say, you're a
nice-looking fella.

Thank you. You see, I
have a wonderful chance

to get into a show if I
can do a burlesque act.

Oh, I don't know about
doing this bit with a dame.

These bit-bits are
done by two men.

Well, couldn't you just
pretend that I'm a man?

Okay, I got a good imagination.

Come here.

Here, this will help.

Try it on.

Okay.

Now, let's see.

What bit will we do?

How about "Slowly I turn"?

"Slowly I turn"?

What's that?

That's the name of the sketch.

Oh. Want to try it?

All right.

There isn't much to it.

What do I do?

Well, I'll be sitting here
on this park bench here.

You come along, tell me
I look down in the mouth.

Ask me if you can help.

Well, what happens then?

Well, the rest of it sort
of takes care of itself.

Okay. Want to try it?

Yeah.

Uh, you look down in the mouth.

Can I help you?

Stranger, you have a kind face.

Would you like to hear my story?

Say, "Yeah."

Yeah.

Sit.

I wasn't always a bum.

Once I was handsome like you.

Then she came into my life.

It was love at first sight.

And we were married

and very happy

until one night, there
came a knock at the door.

I opened it.

A stranger was there.

I vowed to make
my home his home.

And that was the
beginning of the end.

One night when I
returned home from work,

I found the usual note.

The stranger had
stolen my wife away.

Then the search began.

I followed them
all over the world,

until one day I saw
them at Niagara Falls...

That beast and my lovely wife.

I never mention her
name because when I do,

everything turns
black in front of me.

I'm possessed
with a lust to kill.

That's why I never
mention her name.

But it's the same as
George Washington's wife.

Martha?

Martha... that's it, Martha.

Slowly I turned,

step by step, inch by inch,

I crept up on the beast
who had ruined my life.

I looked around for a rock.

I grabbed one,
I let him have it.

Revenge was all
I had on my mind.

That's all I wanted.

Stop it! Stop it!

Stop it!

What's the matter with you?

Oh.

Oh, you're not him.

No!

You're the one
with the kind face.

Yeah!

I'm sorry.

I'm not well.

Well, that's all
right, I understand.

I guess it might have been
quite a shock to you thinking

about Martha.

Martha!

Martha!

Slowly I turned,

step by step,

inch by inch, I crept up on him.

I looked around
for another rock.

I grabbed it.

I let him have it once more.

Revenge, that's all I wanted.

Stop! Stop it!

The only thing...

Give me that thing.

What's the matter with you?
Don't you remember me?

Oh, it's you.

Yeah, the one
with the kind face.

I'm sorry.

I'm very weak.

I should have met you
when I was stronger.

Yeah, you should have met
me before you met Ma... Oh.

I almost said "Martha."

Slowly I turned,

step by step, inch by inch.

I looked around for a rock.

I couldn't find one.

So, I grabbed a
handful of Niagara Falls

and I let him have it.

Give me that thing.

That's enough of this.

I agree with you.

It's too much.

I'm ashamed of myself.

Well, you ought to be.

Look at me, I'm a mess.

That's a very
strange way to react

just because you
hear the name Martha.

Martha! Slowly I turned,

step by step, inch by inch,

I crept up on him.

I let him have it.

Drop it! Drop it! I let him...

Drop it! Drop it!

On the floor?

No, let me have it.

Okay.

What's the matter with you?

Are you crazy or something?

You said to let you have it.

Oh!

Oh, you gotta...

You're a pretty good sport.

Here.

Now that you got
the idea of the bit,

you want to try it again?

Yeah, but this time, you
be the one with the kind face.

Okay.

Hello.

Hello, Lucy. Fred
just called me,

and I think I ought to tell you
before you get too involved,

Ricky just hired those
burlesque comics.

Ew...

Well, some opening night, huh?

Yes.

Too bad Lucy was so stubborn.

She wouldn't even come down.

Did you see Ricky?

Yeah, but he
couldn't talk to me.

Something went wrong backstage.

One of the ballet dancers
took sick, and they don't know

what they're going to
do about the number.

Lucy knows that routine.

She learned it from
Madame Le Mond.

Gee, that would be
a great break for her.

Yeah. But what a terrible
trick to play on Ricky.

It is not.

She'll be fine.

I'm going to call her up

and tell her to come right now.

You go find Ricky

and tell him you've
got another dancer.

All right.

Hello.

Hello, Lucy, this is Ethel.
I'm down at the club.

Yeah?

The most exciting
thing just happened.

One of the
performers just got sick

and can't do the act,

and you're the only one
that knows the routine.

Routine? You mean
"Slowly I Turn"?

Yeah, all that turning stuff.

You learned it that
day, didn't you?

I'll say. Uh, what
about my partner?

Oh, he's here.

Okay, I'll get my costume
on. I'll be right down.

Well, hurry up. You'll
just have time to make it.

Okay.

♪ Linda flor de alborada ♪

♪ Que brotaste del suelo ♪

♪ Cuando la luz del cielo ♪

♪ Tu capullo besaba ♪

♪ De la rosa y el encanto ♪

♪ El pensil te ama tanto ♪

♪ Que ya loco de amor
siento celos del ave ♪

♪ Del aire, del sol ♪

♪ Marta, capullito de rosa ♪

♪ Marta, del jardín linda flor ♪

♪ Dime que feliz mariposa ♪

♪ En tu cáliz se posa ♪

♪ A libar tu dulzor ♪

♪ Marta, que en
tus claras pupilas ♪

♪ Brilla una aurora de amor ♪

♪ Marta, que en
tus ojos azules ♪

♪ De inefable candor ♪

♪ Veo en ellos, adios. ♪

♪ Martha, rambling
rose in the wildwood ♪

♪ Martha, with a
fragrance divine ♪

♪ Rosebud of the
days of my childhood ♪

♪ Watch you bloom
in the wildwood ♪

♪ And I hope you'll be mine ♪

♪ Martha, now your
eyes beam at twilight ♪

♪ Sparkling like the
dew from a dawn ♪

♪ Martha, well, I live
for your love-light ♪

♪ I awake with a sigh ♪

♪ And I find you are gone ♪

♪ Martha, Martha, Martha. ♪

Ricky?

Ricky?

Well, hello, honey. It's
about time you got home.

Come in, dear.

Are you mad at me, honey?

Why, of course not, honey.

Are you sure?

Positive.

Come in, honey.

Ricky Ricardo!

Well, I guess I had
it coming to me.

Mmm...

Now we're even.

Yeah.

The burlesque comic was
played by Frank Scannell.

The part of Madame Le Mond
was played by Mary Wickes.

I Love Lucy is a
Desilu production.