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Lucy and Desi, the Amy Poehler-directed documentary about one of Hollywood’s most prolific power couples, premiered exclusively on Prime Video on Friday (March 4). The nearly two-hour documentary explores the unlikely partnership and enduring legacy of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez.
Peeling back the layers of the glitz and glamour of show business, Lucy and Desi dives into the duo’s groundbreaking work in television along with giving audiences a peek into their lives behind the scenes.
“They were true outsiders, and I think that you sense it when you’re watching them in the 1950s — that they were these two very skilled performers who were kind of ready,” Poehler said in an interview with Haper’s Bazaar. “I like to think of the project as two songs that were playing in different spaces, and when the mashup came together, it was like the best song ever. They were married and they did love each other, and that’s often not very interesting to watch. But with Lucy and Desi, there was just this real vibe and electricity between them.”
Poehler continued, “I also think that — [and] not to get too macro here — they represented a time in America that was very specific, a very post-war capitalist boom where gender roles were really entrenched, but America was changing. The simple idea that this woman was married to this Cuban band leader, and even though he seemed like the boss, she ran the show, and how they were equal partners in business for most of their lives — it was just really fascinating. So it talked about gender and economics and what makes an American — all this really big stuff that just was underneath just a funny show.”
How to Watch ‘Lucy and Desi’ Online for Free
To watch Lucy and Desi online, you must be subscribed to Amazon Prime or Prime Video by itself. Not a member yet? Prime is offering a free 30-day trial to stream Lucy and Desi and other content in the mega-library of films, movies and TV shows, which includes a bunch of other Prime Originals free of charge.
After the free trial ends, your Amazon Prime membership will cost $14.99 a month (or $139 a year). Aside from Prime Video access, the membership comes with free same-day, one-day or two-day delivery on your favorite items, exclusive deals for Prime members only, two-hour grocery delivery, unlimited photo storage, Prime reading, Amazon Prime Music, Prime Gaming, savings on prescriptions, the option to try on fashions before your buy them, and more. Amazon Prime provides 50% discounts for qualifying students and EBT/Medicaid recipients as well.
Prime Video is home to a massive collection of exclusives such as The Weeknd x the Dawn FM Experience, Reacher, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Harlem, Invincible, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fairfax, Upload, The Wheel of Time, The Legend of Vox Machina, I Want You Back, The Protégé, The Boys and The Boys Presents: Diabolical.
You can also rent movies on Prime Video and stream content from several other platforms, including Paramount+, Starz, Discovery+, BET+, and Showtime.