Director Amy Poehler explores the rise of one of the most prolific power couples in entertainment history, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, in the first trailer for “Lucy and Desi.” Watch the embed above.
The documentary premieres on Prime Video on March 4.
Poehler is making her documentary feature directorial debut on the project, and she produced the film through her Paper Kite banner. The film premiered last month at the Sundance Virtual Film Festival.
“Lucy & Desi” will tell the story of the groundbreaking comedian Ball, who forever changed the way the world viewed comedy and paved the way for scores of women who followed in her footsteps. The film will utilize archival film and personal still photos, first-person narratives and examine how Ball evolved from a performer to a businesswoman and through “I Love Lucy” and more worked to break barriers for women in entertainment and beyond.
The documentary also looks at Hollywood’s great love story between Lucy and Desi, and how Ball’s relationship with Arnaz helped to transform the TV industry and has cemented Ball’s legacy long after her death in 1989.
In her review of the film, TheWrap’s Elizabeth Weitzman wrote, “Lucy and Desi” is an engaging history and a lovely tribute, but above all, it’s a heartfelt romance. And theirs was, by both accounts, love at first sight. They were determined to work together in Hollywood, and — despite significant pushback because Arnaz was a Cuban émigré — they finally got a chance with their boundary-breaking sitcom “I Love Lucy.”