Stone Pillow

Synopsis of Stone Pillow

In an effort to understand the plight of homeless women living on the streets, young social worker, Carrie Lange attempts befriending a homeless woman named Florabelle. So begins Carrie’s education in survival on the streets of Manhattan.

Tim: [to Carrie] You think there’s something so different about the homeless? A few bad breaks, a few checks that don’t come, we could all be sleeping on stone pillows.

Stone Pillow starring Lucille Ball

The great Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy, Stage Door, Yours, Mine and Ours) plays Florabelle, an elderly bag lady struggling to survive on the streets of New York City. She carries her most prized possessions in a shopping cart, and has staked out a Manhattan street corner as “home.”

When approached by Carrie, a curious young social worker played by Daphne Zuniga (Melrose Place, Spaceballs), Florabelle is extremely cautious. She’s learned not to trust anyone or anybody. But after Carrie rescues her shopping cart, containing her worldly good, she starts to soften.

Florabelle mistakenly thinks, at first, that Carrie is a runaway. And she tries to direct her to a shelter. But after a time, Florabelle introduces her to the underground of Grand Central Station and the details of daily survival. Together, both women discover a new perspective on their lives.

Florabelle: Sometimes I see someone… But ahhh who would remember me.

Trivia

This movie is set in the winter. So Lucille Ball had to wear several layers of heavy clothes. As a result had to be hospitalized for dehydration. At this time her doctors also informed her that she was allergic to cigarettes. She had been smoking for 56 years.
Lucy appeared on the Tonight Show with Joan Rivers to promote the movie and shared that she had lost over 20 lbs and that she was refused service at a restaurant while shooting, due to her appearance and the place not recognizing her.

Cast of characters

Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy, Stage Door, Yours, Mine and Ours) … Florabelle
Daphne Zuniga (Spaceballs) … Carrie Lang
William Converse-Roberts … Max
Stephen Lang … Tim
Susan Batson Susan Batson … Ruby
Anna Maria Horsford … Collins
Stefan Schnabel … Mr. Berman
Rebecca Schull … Mrs. Nelson
Imogene Bliss Imogene Bliss … Violet
Michael Champagne … Supermarket Manager
Gloria Cromwell … Bus Terminal Matron
Patrick Kilpatrick … Young Thug
Matthew Locricchio … Tony
Pat McNamara … Daggett