Early on the morning of Tuesday, April 26, 1989, a Hollywood legend, who had been hospitalized since the 17th, was awakened with a sharp pain in her back. The actress lost consciousness before a nurse could get to her room. The cause of death was later determined to have been a ruptured aorta. This had been the second time the aortic valve had broken. Surgery had been performed just days earlier to repair it. However, this time, Lucille Ball was gone forever.

As I peruse articles detailing her life and death, I cannot help wondering what the outcome would have been if a nurse had been with her. Would Lucy have been spared those terrifying last moments? Her passing came as such a shock because there were reports she wanted to make a comeback, and she wanted it to be as a serious actress. She loved “Driving Miss Daisy” and wanted to play the main character. If Lucy had portrayed Daisy, there is no question she could have proved to everyone that she was more than just a comic genius.

Indeed, throughout her career, Lucille Ball proved to the world she was capable of more than just physical comedy. Audiences, particularly the critics, did not like it when she did something different. They wanted to see her as a comedienne and nothing more. It is sad because there was so much more to this highly intelligent, prolific, and outspoken woman. And that is what I aim to explore in this column.

I have tried to include examples that paint a portrait of Lucille Ball that is rarely seen. Even though three movies are comedic in terms of genre, I have attempted to write about them in such a way that I hope will give fans a chance to appreciate them and the actress who made them great in a new light.

“Critic’s Choice”

The 1960s brought about a new kind of woman. Competitive and freethinking, this role was heavily influenced by the portrayal of women in films. Females of all ages wanted to be like the characters they saw on the screen. No more were they afraid of what men would say about them going out and realizing their dreams. Times had changed, and, in order to succeed, women had to change along with them. They had to stand up for themselves and let it be known they too possessed intelligence. No longer were they mere objects of femininity.

One picture which proves this point is “Critic’s Choice,” released in 1963 and the fourth and final movie Lucy and Bob Hope made together. Angela Ballantine, the main character, is a typical wife, doing the shopping and cooking the meals. She makes time to attend her stepson John’s baseball games and see the plays her husband Parker reviews. In the midst of all of this, she begins to think something is missing from her life, but just cannot figure out what it is.

The answer she has been seeking all along comes to Angela one morning while she, Parker, and John are having breakfast. Parker is reading his latest review aloud. Ironically, the play he wrote about happened to have starred his ex-wife, Ivy. Sitting there, lost in her own thoughts, Angela imagines what it would be like to actually write a play of her own. She finds the courage within herself to announce this news to her family. The reaction from them is disbelief. No one, not even her own husband or mother thinks she can pull it off. It is this negative criticism that forces Angela to work hard, putting all of her strength and talent into her project. She won’t stop until she proves those who doubt her wrong, even if it means risking her marriage and betraying her sisters.

By the time the play has been written, everybody is in shock that she actually had the gumption to complete it. After much cajoling, Parker agrees to read it. Eager to hear his opinion, Angela is greatly disappointed when he tells her what he thinks of it. They get into a huge argument, and she flees to a local theater, where she succeeds in getting a producer she knows to back the production. Parker does not realize what is about to occur, but his wife will soon find herself getting much deserved attention from another man.

That man happens to be Dion Kapakos, who directs the play. In Dion, Angela finds someone who believes in her. Because of the rigorous schedule of the play, she begins spending more time with Dion. Parker is left to fend for himself, so he turns to Ivy for comfort. She forces him to face the fact he could lose Angela to Dion if he does not do something to win back her love. So, he tells her he is going to review her play. Knowing how he feels about it, Angela thinks this decision is unfair. Parker is adamant, saying he must do his job as a critic. After the harsh comments he writes, Angela is determined to storm out of his life forever. However, she changes her mind when Parker tells her he loves her and begs her to stay.

Although this story is pure farce, there is a deep meaning embedded in its context. A woman can do anything, regardless of whether or not she has the moral support of a man. There is much inspiration in the characterization of Angela Ballantine. Women can identify with her and aspire to their own goals.

“Mame”

Publicized as one of the last splashy musicals, “Mame” had everything, including exquisite costumes, breathtaking cinematography, and a story that was irresistibly charming and entertaining. At least, that is what the cast and crew thought. Unfortunately, the critics failed to appreciate the laborious effort that went into bringing such a melodious masterpiece to the screen. They butchered Lucy’s performance, claiming she could not sing or dance. This is absolutely unjust, considering she starred in “Wildcat” her only Broadway show, years earlier.

Lucille did everything she could to promote “Mame”. She appeared on talk shows such as Dick Cavett, took part in a fox-hunting event in Atlanta, and threw a speakeasy bash in Chicago. The obligatory press tour Lucy went on gave her the chance to talk to reporters and voice her opinion of the recent changes in film.

In interviews, she responded to questions with as much directness as the character she transformed into on camera. No subject was too personal. This included expressing her disapproval of such movies as “Deep Throat” and “Last Tango”. Anyone who possessed the gumption to challenge the increasing popularity of pornographic films in the 1970s is worthy of admiration. One of the most influential women in Hollywood took it upon herself to point out what was wrong with the ever-changing industry.

Not only did Lucille want to bring back family oriented entertainment, but starring in “Mame” was her way of trying to become the dazzling diva she had longed to be since the 1930s. Although both of these goals weren’t realized, this film remains a treasure in its own right. “Mame” might not have received rave reviews when it premiered on March 27, 1974, but the magic and charm Lucille Ball brought to it has left a lasting impression with her fans, who seem to have even more adoration for her in the years since her death.

“Yours, Mine and Ours”

Written by Lucy’s TV writers, Bob Carroll Jr. and Madelyn Pugh, this movie is special because it’s based on a true story. Lucille wanted to star as Helen North, the widowed mother of eight who marries Frank Beardsley, father of ten and played by Henry Fonda, for a long time. This was the second teaming for the two stars. In 1942, they starred in “The Big Street.”

“Yours, Mine and Ours” takes a real look at life, weaving plotlines about the military and the problems teenagers face.

The events that unfold before our eyes seem so real that we forget we are watching a film.

In the 1950s, the word “pregnant” could not be said on television. When Lucy’s character finds out a new arrival will soon be joining their union, the term is not only used, but the subject of the pregnancy is treated with much seriousness. Movies had matured a lot by the late 1960s.

‘The Facts of Life’

“The Facts of Life,” the third film that paired Lucy with Bob Hope, was made in 1960. Considered daring for its time, the plot concerns two people who find themselves alone together and end up falling in love while on a trip. What makes this movie controversial is Kitty Weaver and Larry Gilbert (the characters Lucy and Bob portray) are married to other people. The stars are so convincing in their roles that one forgets one is watching a fantasy being played out on the screen. Infidelity is always a sensitive topic, and it is certainly handled with taste in this picture.

Lucille Ball as producer

Everyone knows how Lucy took over Desilu after her divorce from Desi Arnaz, but what many people fail to realize is that she continued her role as producer after selling the company in 1967. The following year, she and her second husband, Gary Morton, formed Lucille Ball Productions. This company was responsible for producing her last hit series, Here’s Lucy. Even after the show ended in 1974, the conglomerate continued to thrive. The cancellation of her final show, Life With Lucy, was the last project to be produced by the company.

Lucille deserves credit for her work as a producer. At a time when the majority of women still found themselves overlooked for their creative contributions behind the camera, she was brave enough to show the world she could run a business by herself. This is quite an achievement, and it is right up there with her list of television, film, and radio credits.