When most people think of Lucille Ball, they see the red hair, the chocolate conveyor belt, and the iconic "Waaaaah!" that echoed through living rooms for decades. But before she became the Queen of Comedy, Lucy was a dramatic powerhouse waiting for a break that never quite came the way she wanted. If you really want to see what she was capable of, you have to look at the 1942 RKO film The Big Street.
It’s an odd, gritty, and surprisingly dark movie. Honestly, it’s nothing like the slapstick she’s famous for. In The Big Street, Lucille Ball plays Gloria Lyons, a nightclub singer who is—to put it bluntly—a total nightmare. She’s selfish, money-hungry, and incredibly cruel to the one person who actually loves her. That person is "Little Pinks," played by Henry Fonda, a mousy busboy who treats her like a goddess even after she’s paralyzed in a horrific accident.
Why The Big Street Is the Lucille Ball Movie You Haven't Seen
This isn't your typical Hollywood romance. It’s based on a story called "Little Pinks" by Damon Runyon, the guy who basically invented the "tough guy with a heart of gold" trope. Runyon even produced the film himself. The plot kicks off when Gloria’s gangster boyfriend, Case Ables, loses his temper and knocks her down a flight of stairs.
She wakes up paralyzed.
Suddenly, the glamorous "Her Highness" (as Pinks calls her) is penniless and broken. Enter Henry Fonda’s character. He takes her in, pays her bills, and eventually—in one of the most bizarre sequences in cinema history—pushes her in a wheelchair all the way from New York City to Miami because she thinks the Florida sun will cure her. It’s a 1,300-mile trip. On foot. Pushing a wheelchair.
👉 See also: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
The Desi Arnaz Factor
Filming The Big Street was a bit of a soap opera behind the scenes, too. Lucy and Henry Fonda had actually dated years earlier, back in the mid-30s. By 1942, Lucy was married to Desi Arnaz, and let’s just say Desi wasn't exactly thrilled about his wife spending long days on set with an old flame.
Desi was notorious for showing up on set to "supervise." He’d hang around, making his presence known, probably making things pretty awkward for everyone involved. Despite the tension, or maybe because of it, the chemistry between Ball and Fonda is electric. You can see the genuine affection Pinks has for Gloria, even as she’s literally screaming at him to get her more expensive things she can't afford.
A Performance That Should Have Won an Oscar
Lucy was vocal about this being her favorite role. She felt she finally had meat to chew on. Critics at the time were shocked. The New York Times called her performance "stunning," and James Agee famously wrote that she tackled the role like it was "sirloin and she didn't care who was looking."
She expected an Academy Award nomination. She didn't get one.
✨ Don't miss: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia
The snub stayed with her for years. It’s kinda sad when you think about it—if she had been recognized for The Big Street, we might have lost I Love Lucy to a career of gritty film noirs. Instead, Hollywood kept casting her in "B" movies and technicolor musicals where she was the "Technicolor Queen," but rarely the lead in a serious drama.
What Makes Gloria Lyons So Unique?
Usually, in 1940s movies, if a female character is "bad," she has a moment of redemption where she becomes a saint. Gloria Lyons doesn't really do that. Even at the end, she's still obsessed with her jewels and her status.
- She insults Pinks' friends (asking a thin woman, "How's your tapeworm, sister?").
- She uses Pinks' life savings without a second thought.
- She tries to ditch him the second a wealthy playboy shows interest in Florida.
It’s a brave performance. Lucy didn't try to make the audience like Gloria. She made them understand her desperation.
The Runyonesque World of The Big Street
The movie is packed with what people call "Runyonesque" characters. These are low-life gamblers, grifters, and touts who talk in a very specific, formal way (they almost never use contractions). You’ve got Sam Levene as "Horsethief" and Eugene Pallette as "Nicely-Nicely Johnson"—a name you might recognize if you know Guys and Dolls.
🔗 Read more: Isaiah Washington Movies and Shows: Why the Star Still Matters
Agnes Moorehead is in it, too, playing Violette Shumberg. Watching her and Lucy together is a trip, especially since they’d both go on to be huge TV legends (Moorehead as Endora on Bewitched).
How to Watch and What to Look For
If you’re going to hunt this down—and you should—keep an eye on the ending. It’s a "downer," according to some 1942 reviews, but it’s actually incredibly poetic. Pinks basically breaks the law to give Gloria one last night of "royalty" in a fancy nightclub.
Practical Steps for Classic Film Fans:
- Check the Archives: The Big Street isn't always on the major streaming platforms, but it pops up on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) frequently. It’s also available on DVD as part of the "Lucille Ball Film Collection."
- Watch for the Physicality: Look at how Lucy uses her body. Even though she’s confined to a chair for half the movie, her facial expressions and the way she carries her head tell the whole story of a woman who refuses to accept her fall from grace.
- Compare to Later Work: Watch an episode of I Love Lucy right after. The contrast is jarring. You’ll see the same precision in her movement, but used for tragedy instead of a laugh.
The legacy of The Big Street is that it proves Lucille Ball was a "real" actress long before she was a "TV" actress. She had the range to play a hard-bitten, ungrateful diva just as well as she played the lovable redhead. It’s a piece of Hollywood history that deserves more than just a footnote.
If you want to understand the full scope of Lucy's talent, start with this film. It’s the missing piece of the puzzle for anyone who thinks they know everything about the woman behind the Ricardo name.
To dive deeper into Lucy's pre-television career, look for her work in Stage Door (1937) or Dance, Girl, Dance (1940). These films show the steady climb she made before The Big Street finally allowed her to carry a major dramatic narrative.