The Big Street is one of the few films that cast Lucille Ball as the leading lady. She had an iffy relationship with films before fame found her with "I Love Lucy" and watching this film I can see why. She has this sparkle and this charm, but for some reason her power is not charged to 100%. She plays the gangsters moll very well, and you can easily see her fitting the part of the villain's-girl-with-a-heart-of-gold, but that isn't who she is here. She's just snarky and beneath everyone.
She is lovely to look at and she does attempt to encapsulate and encompass herself in the character, but it doesn't work. I unfortunately believe that Ball is more of a character actress than a leading lady. She steals the show as the Best Friend or wacky neighbor, but in the spotlight her sparkling light fails to shine through.
The script is also promising, but the last forty five minutes or so derail the story and you're wondering what went wrong. Henry Fonda is horribly cast and isn't very believable as the gullible chump who is infatuated with Ball's character. He's gaunt and sallow and looks far too menacing to be the good guy.
This movie sounded promising, and you will watch it eagerly for the cast and premise but it will only let you down. This is a prime example of mediocrity during the Golden Age of film, and will prove the point that not all "old movies" are "classics". 5.7/10
She is lovely to look at and she does attempt to encapsulate and encompass herself in the character, but it doesn't work. I unfortunately believe that Ball is more of a character actress than a leading lady. She steals the show as the Best Friend or wacky neighbor, but in the spotlight her sparkling light fails to shine through.
The script is also promising, but the last forty five minutes or so derail the story and you're wondering what went wrong. Henry Fonda is horribly cast and isn't very believable as the gullible chump who is infatuated with Ball's character. He's gaunt and sallow and looks far too menacing to be the good guy.
This movie sounded promising, and you will watch it eagerly for the cast and premise but it will only let you down. This is a prime example of mediocrity during the Golden Age of film, and will prove the point that not all "old movies" are "classics". 5.7/10