“Being the Ricardos” with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem

written and directed by Aaron Sorkin

In 1953, at the height of her popularity, Lucille Ball was accused by Walter Winchell and others of being a Communist. In response, husband Desi Arnaz abandoned his usual audience warmup (“I Love Lucy” was often filmed before a live audience) to deny the rumor.

“The only thing red about Lucy is her hair and even that is not legitimate,” he said. The crowd roared its approval, the show went on, and “I Love Lucy” was saved.

This was only one of the events that are at the heart of Aaron Sorkin’s highly entertaining  new film “Being the Ricardos” on Amazon Prime and in theaters—starring Nicole Kidman as Lucy and Javier Bardem as Desi.

Every time I think Kidman is a lightweight, her performances prove me wrong. In BTR, she captures LB’s perfectionist streak to a fare-thee-well—the kind of attention to detail that has Lucy opening the soundstage at 3 am to block a scene she is not happy with. Does she look like Lucy or sound like Lucy? Is Vitameatavegamin good for you?

Bardem has the role of a lifetime as Desi. He plays the bongos, sings “Babalu” and “Chiki-Chiki Boom Boom” and parries back and forth with his hard-charging wife. When he insists on working Lucy’s pregnancy into the script (something the suits at sponsor Philip Morris oppose), he gets his way.

BTR also features JK Simmons (“Whiplash”) and Nina Arianda (“Venus in Fur”) as Fred and Ethel, and Linda Lavin and John Rubinstein (from “Pippin”) in small but important roles. And while the setting is the 1950s, the crackling dialog and whip-smart direction are vintage Howard Hawks-Nunnally Johnson circa 1930s.

Kudos to writer-director Aaron Sorkin. Based on his prodigious body of work (especially “The Farnsworth Invention” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Broadway), I am convinced there is nothing this man cannot write, and I am jealous as hell.

An unqualified yes to “Being the Ricardos.” It will remind you why “I Love Lucy” captured 120 million eyeballs at the height of its popularity, hence

I strongly encourage you to lend yours to this film. Happy holidays.