Early sound films featured vaudeville acts involving ukulele players. Lucille Ball, known as Lucy from I Love Lucy, played an impressively flashy ukulele during one such act in one episode of her classic sitcom.
Israel Kamakawiwoole’s hit song Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World has become one of the most beloved tunes for ukulele players worldwide. Our UU team tackled Growth from Criticism & Impostor Syndrome before answering viewer queries regarding Wound, Unwound & Flatwound Low G Strings.
Forgetful Lucy – Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore star as Henry Roth, a womanizing marine veterinarian who develops feelings for Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore). After meeting Lucy at Hukilau Cafe each day for breakfast, their relationship develops quickly until he accidentally offends her; when he later discovers she has been involved in an accident and suffers amnesia, his parents (Blake Clark and Pomaika’i Brown) instruct him not to contact their daughter any longer.
At first he’s desperate to forget her but slowly becomes obsessed with winning her back every day with a song on the ukulele he composes himself. Though depicted on the poster as playing a baritone ukulele, in reality Sandler actually plays six-string tenor. Overall, however, this film features plenty of laughs and great performances by Sandler and Barrymore (the second time after The Wedding Singer (1998)). Amy Hill, Rob Schneider, Dan Aykroyd, and Sean Astin also feature.
Forgetful Lucy – Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore’s ukulele skills were one of the highlights of her character in 2004 film 50 First Dates. This romantic comedy follows two characters with short-term memory loss who attempt to get acquainted through a series of dates; its soundtrack features reggae-fied versions of new wave classics from Blondie and the Police; among these reggae versions was UB40’s cover of Blondie’s “Every Breath You Take,” complete with an iconic chorus and fingerpicked guitar solo that sound all too familiar.
The ukulele first made its cinematic debut during the silent film era, just a few years after its creation. Most early sound films were known as “shorts,” short movies which ran before longer feature films. Most musical short films featured an emcee who told corny jokes before introducing various musical acts – often including Ukes for incidental music on these shows such as vaudeville star Cliff Edwards who sang and played concert-sized Ukes on his performances.
50 First Dates’ Lucy suffers from anterograde amnesia, which typically affects short-term memory, however there are real conditions that cause similar effects – for instance traumatic amnesia may result in “intermediate memory loss” which lasts several days or even longer.
Forgetful Lucy is an endearing romantic comedy with plenty of heart. Though its humor may not always be subtle, its endearing characters and catchy melodies make Forgetful Lucy enjoyable to watch.
While most films featuring ukuleles are comedies or dramas with light comedic elements, ukeleles can also appear in thrillers and war movies. Actor Caleb Landry Jones plunks out some eerie notes on an ukulele during Jordan Peele’s mind-bending 2017 horror flick Get Out; similarly in The Thing (2011) remake there was an Antarctic research team singing “Samiid Aednana,” a Norwegian folk song, while strumming a Fender ukulele ukele.
Forgetful Lucy – Rob Schneider
50 First Dates is an enjoyable comedy that offers an entertaining spin on Groundhog Day. Marine vet Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) meets Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), an art teacher who suffers from amnesia each morning and forgets him each morning; so Henry decides to win her over through a series of romantic dates, each more memorable than the last.
50 First Dates is both romantic and comedic in equal measure, its main message being that courtship and selfless romantic devotion are far more satisfying than sexual flings – a sentiment Bill Murray echoed with Phil Conner in Groundhog Day. Furthermore, 50 First Dates features many amusing asides such as Henry’s video wakeup tape or his rendition of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” or Jocko the 2000-pound Walrus who gets up to all sorts of mischief during its runtime.
Rob Schneider excels as Ula, Henry’s pot-smoking native Hawaiian assistant who offers him advice about love. Pomaika’i Brown gives another memorable performance as the eccentric chef with a fondness for Spam; Lusia Strus (another SNL veteran) appears as Noreen and contributes comic relief as well.
While the plot may be predictable, the acting is outstanding. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore both deliver impressive performances; their chemistry is palpable. Additionally, dialogue is sharp and clever while characters are well-developed.
50 First Dates is an absolute must-watch romantic comedy film for anyone who appreciates an engaging love story with a twist. Sure to bring joy and make you smile, this romantic comedy film makes an excellent date movie! Grab some popcorn and settle back to enjoy an enjoyable journey through time!
Forgetful Lucy – Madali Lang
This charming musical playback of their first date between Lucy, who suffers from short-term memory loss, and the protagonist captures both the spirit of the film while subtly exploring how complex loving someone with this condition can be. Amusing anecdotes comparing Lucy’s condition to Gary Busey’s add a light-hearted tone while conveying its poignant message of undying devotion – “How about another first kiss?” asks their protagonist as evidence of their continued bond.