It's more of Annabelle Allison for future TV sitcom legend Lucille Ball in the two part movie sitcom that showed double feature movie going audiences a bit of what they'd get 13 years later. Publicity starved Lucy is envious over a bit player's engagement to a count, and somehow, Lucy snags a viscount (Ralph Forbes) which sends publicity manager Jack Oakie into overdrive. The pratfalls come fast and furious with Lucy falling through a stage trapped door and ending up on a runaway train. She's given plenty of wisecracks as well, aided once again by Ruth Donnelly as the studio head's secretary, often aimed at the expense of Oakie and studio head Bradley Page, for once cast against type and not playing a smarmy crook.
This is a fairly enjoyable follow-up to "The Affairs of Annabelle", Lucy's breakthrough part that helped make her briefly RKO Radio's "Queen of the B's". This easily could have been a series for Lucy, but it unfortunately is not as funny as the first entry, pretty much rushed out after decent reviews for the first one. Lucy pre-dates her horse riding sequence from "Mame" by 35 years, looking quite stunning in her horse riding outfit. A train sequence involving Lucy's barking pooch could have been funnier with sour faced Donald MacBride getting laughs as the movie and dog hating conductor who proclaims his distaste for a bunch of annoying fans. Fans of Lucy will enjoy seeing her different style of comedy here, quite different than the Mrs. Ricardo, Carter and Carmichael of her 25 year reign on TV.
This is a fairly enjoyable follow-up to "The Affairs of Annabelle", Lucy's breakthrough part that helped make her briefly RKO Radio's "Queen of the B's". This easily could have been a series for Lucy, but it unfortunately is not as funny as the first entry, pretty much rushed out after decent reviews for the first one. Lucy pre-dates her horse riding sequence from "Mame" by 35 years, looking quite stunning in her horse riding outfit. A train sequence involving Lucy's barking pooch could have been funnier with sour faced Donald MacBride getting laughs as the movie and dog hating conductor who proclaims his distaste for a bunch of annoying fans. Fans of Lucy will enjoy seeing her different style of comedy here, quite different than the Mrs. Ricardo, Carter and Carmichael of her 25 year reign on TV.