Lucy in the Swiss Alps - I Love Lucy | clown ministry

You are here: I Love Lucy season 5 >Lucy in the Swiss Alps - I Love Lucy

Lucy in the Swiss Alps—I Love Lucy season 5, originally aired March 26, 1956

Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball Poster Card
Buy at AllPosters.com

As part of the European Vacation story arc, Ricky and his band are booked to play in Lucerne, Switzerland. However, Ethel has sat on Fred’s glasses, and the near-sighted Fred has sent the band ahead to the wrong town. Despite Ricky’s anger, there’s nothing to do ... except try and find a replacement band. A local group of Swiss musicians, more accustomed to playing Schnitzelbank make a brave attempt at La Cucaracha—with a Swiss accent. Ricky refuses to hire hire the band, and the group decides to go mountain climbing, over Ricky’s protests. They climb to the top of a mountain, and enjoy a picnic lunch. On the way back down, they stop and rest in a small cabin—where Lucy’s sneeze and slamming of a door causes an avalanche.

While trapped in the cabin, fear of impending death results in several amusing “confessions”—except from Ricky, who wisely says “I’m no fool. We may get out of this alive.” And, indeed, they do—rescued by the Swiss music band, who the relieved Ricky hires, despite their inability to play Latin music. The look on Ricky Ricardo’s face at the end of the episode is priceless, and a testament to Desi Arnaz’ comedic abilities. A very good episode of I Love Lucy, and highly recommended.

Lucy in the Swiss Alps is available on the I Love Lucy Season 5 DVD collection.

Funny quotes from I Love Lucy—Lucy in the Swiss Alps

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): With all the times Ricky’s been mad at me, he’s never struck me.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Well, you’re bigger than I am.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Don’t let that Latin temperment fool you. His bark is worse than his bite.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): He bites, too?

Ethel: Really, honey, were you afraid you’d lose me?
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): I’ll say, that outfit you’re wearing is rented.

Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): We have to concentrate. We have to use our brains.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, let’s see ...
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): You stay out of this.

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): We wouldn’t be trapped in here if Fred hadn’t sent the band to Lucarno.
Ethel: (to Fred) She’s right. This is all your fault! What a dumb-bunny trick!
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Well, I wouldn’t have sent the band to Lucarno if you hadn’t sat on my glasses.
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Well, actually the whole thing is Ricky’s fault.
Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz): MY FAULT?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): Yes! If you hadn’t left Cuba and come to America we wouldn’t gotten married, and we wouldn’t be in Switzerland in the first place!

Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Well how did they get out in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?
Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): They waited for the spring thaw.
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): I wouldn’t mind that if we had five more brides.

Fred Mertz (William Frawley): Ricky I got a confession to make, I charge you ten dollars a month more than my other tenants.
Ethel: I got a confession too, Fred. Every month I give them back the ten dollars.

Ethel: You remember when we were married I said I was 18. I was 19. (starts crying)
Fred Mertz (William Frawley): I have something to tell you too. You were 24.

Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball): I hear music. Some strange far off music. Oh no, maybe we’re closer to eternity than we think.