LUCY'S MOVIE GUIDE
Red Skelton takes over the role played on Broadway by Bert Lahr, while Lucille Ball steps into the shoes of the original play's Ethel Merman.
The story proposes that Red is a men's room attendant in a New York nightclub who has a yen for gorgeous showgirl Lucille Ball. After drinking a potent mixture, Red dreams that he is King Louis XV of France, and Lucy is the magnificent Madame DuBarry. Also showing up in Red's dream is Gene Kelly, who in "real life" is the guy who ends up with Lucy at fade out time.
Special Notes: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) originally purchased the rights to Du Barry was a Lady as a vehicle for Ann Sothern. When Sothern turned down the revised role, MGM decided to cast Lucille Ball. Sothern reportedly turned down the role because she was pregnant with her daughter, Tisha Sterling.