The Long, Long Trailer

"The Long, Long Trailer" was made in 1953--during the height of the success of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz with "I Love Lucy". Considering how popular the show was, it's certainly not surprising they'd take the characters and transport them to the big screen, though here they're called Nicky and Tacy.

The story begins with a frustrated Nicky finally finding his wife with the trailer. Apparently, he's been looking for days and they had a huge fight and Nicky tells the guy about to buy their trailer about all the problems it brought them.

Nicky and Tacy are engaged and just about to get married when she springs a huge surprise on him...she thinks they should live in a trailer. After all, Nicky's job takes him all over the country and she reasons it would be better than paying rent. Unfortunately, her 'inexpensive' investment of only $1700 ends up costing more than three times as much...not to mention having to get a larger car to tow that monstrosity. Nicky is clearly overwhelmed by all this...and Tacy is blissfully ignorant of the entire situation. What exactly will they have to go through...see the film and find out for yourself. Just be forewarned...the movie, at times, might just make you cringe.

In some ways, this is like watching an "I Love Lucy" film...with different names and story but quite similar nonetheless. Not a great film but an enjoyable one...and one that may just convince you NEVER to own a trailer!

This movie really needs to come out on DVD and sooooon!!!! it is one of the best funny movies out there. I have been seeing lucy movies and shows since i was a yourg boy. I love the classics, you did not need special effects for it to be a good movie. Don't get me wrong i love the new ones but the classics rule!! so i hope the Long,long Trailer comes out on DVD soon for everyone to enjoy. Those movies from yesteryear will always be king of movies. the stars can be compared with a lot of today starts if you look carefully at movie stars today. Kevin costner is our steve mc queen and so on. funny how life is reborn in different ways. Just need to look closer when we have our eyes open! thank you to who ever may care to be reading this.

Even if you aren't a fan of Ms. Ball and Desi, the mid-century fashions, architecture, and the now priceless automobiles featured make this a wonderful piece of history.

That the couple is real, married in life and not just for show, adds to the ripping good chemistry that makes farces as this work.

The only other period film that I enjoy as much is the somewhat later "It's A Mad, Mad... World"; best ensemble cast ever, Spencer Tracy's final film.

The "Trailer" turns out to be a curse, the helpful folks aren't, everything that was supposed to be easy and wonderful turns out to be a series of exercises in endurance... but even during the most tense and adversarial scenes, the lifetime love shared by Desi and Lucy comes to the fore; throughout, it's very apparent that they love each other, very much. There's a scene, where they're stuck in the rain overnight, and during the dinner conversation the camera captures the facial and body language between them; if you can't see how much in love these two are, you might test as a sociopath. Later, she wants to get him a television set. And Desi's practicality, continuously worn away by Lucy's optimism, makes the movie- his accent just adds to the charm.

This is absolutely one to cherish- no guns, no bad words (tho' Desi is given many occasions for such), no car chases, neck tattoos, nor Billy Badasses being Billy. Just a sweet, somewhat silly diary of a husband giving up common sense to please the lady he loves. They sing a duet, as well, and these two can sing. What?! Singing in a movie? Jeez-us wept, I must be old.

And, as a car guy, I'd give body parts for that yellow/black/white Mercury Monterey drop top. Really- I'd give a kidney at least; you just don't see these anymore, possibly 'cuz other cars make "better" hotrods or investments. Perry Mason had one, but as it was done in B&W, you can't call the colours.

It is a must see.

In the midst of their wildly successful run through "I Love Lucy," Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz made a movie. In "The Long, Long Trailer" they play newlyweds Nicky and Tacy. Nicky's job apparently requires him to travel a lot, and Tacy comes up with the idea of buying a trailer as their new home so that she can accompany him wherever he goes - and what a trailer. It's a beast. It's huge. And Tacy doesn't seem to understand the challenge involved in pulling the thing around the country.

The basic story revolves around the fact that the purchase of this trailer almost destroys Nicky and Tacy's new marriage. Much of the humour in this revolves around the trials of driving with the trailer hooked to the car. The movie for the most part lacks the slapstick kind of humour that "I Love Lucy" was famous for - with perhaps the exception of a scene in which Tacy tries to cook in the trailer while Nicky is driving. Watching Nicky try to back the trailer into the driveway of Tacy's uncle and aunt's house and almost destroying the house is also quite funny. Otherwise, the humour is lower key than you'd expect, and the movie is sometimes even tense. The scenes in which Nicky has to pull the trailer up a long and windy mountain road is actually rather unsettling.

This certainly isn't as good as "I Love Lucy" but in its own way it's fun, and lets us see Lucy and Desi doing something a little different. (6/10)

The Long Long Trailer stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz playing very similar characters to the Ricardos who came into our homes weekly on CBS via I Love Lucy. They're newlyweds and Lucy talks Desi into buying a mobile home, a really big trailer which would intimidate anyone who's not licensed to drive big rigs. Except Lucy that is and she's not doing the driving in most of the picture.

If The Long Long Trailer proves anything it proves one should have such a license to drive these things. That thing is a menace in amateur hands. But at least Desi knows he's an amateur.

Although Lucille Ball got to do her usual scatterbrained thing that wreaks havoc on all around, I actually thought that Desi Arnaz got the best laughs in the film. Seeing him trying to back that trailer into her aunt's driveway, his adventure trying to take his first shower in the trailer with an outlet that won't cooperate, and then trying to drive through Yosemite National Park up a steep mountain road.

That was at times more scary than funny. But it was funny because Lucy insisted on bringing her pet rock collection along adding to the weight. That made her a generation ahead of her time.

If you're an old or a new fan of the Ricardos you will definitely appreciate The Long Long Trailer.