The Long, Long Trailer

The plot is surprisingly simple. Tacy Collins (Lucille Ball) and Nicholas Carlos Collini (Desi Arnez) are about to be married. Tacy persuades him that having a trailer home would be ideal, since he has the type of job that takes him away so often. This way, she could always be there to take care of him no matter where he is working, as their home would always go with him, wherever he may be. Nicky buys into her logic, and the rest is history.

They purchase a top of the line trailer home, a new car to tow it, and get married. Tacy and Nicky then hit the road and have a number of very funny adventures. They will have you belly laughing, as the personas of their film characters do not differ greatly from that of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, the characters of their television show. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Keenan Wynn has a small role as a traffic control cop whose path briefly crosses theirs. Don't blink, or you may miss him. Some of the footage is shot in gorgeous Yosemite National Park and the cinematography is a treat, with beautiful scenic vistas replete with mountain views.

Not only was this film a hit for MGM in 1954 and the best grossing comedy of the year, but it was also their best grossing comedy to date, beating MGM's previous record holder, "Father of the Bride". If you are a fan of Lucy and Desi, or if you simply want a film that would be fun for the whole family, you cannot go wrong in choosing this one.


Better than the series   October 2, 2001
Douglas Doepke (Claremont, CA United States)
31 out of 39 found this review helpful

Because fans stayed away from this film in droves, Lucy and Desi never made another movie together. Too bad, because the film is far superior to the series. Credit should go to veteran director Vincente Minelli and his sure hand in balancing the material. Against all odds: Ball's slapstick is drained of usual shrillness, Desi's star is allowed to shine, situation is raised above personality, and peripheral crowd scenes are heightened to hilarious commentary on busybody middle America. In fact, this is one of few 50's movies to capture spirit of a rising middle class: the buoyant optimism, the credit card dependency, the aping of upper class tastes. All is accomplished, nevertheless, with an underlying sweetness that might not be expected from two overaged stars then in the process of subduing the tigers of TV land. Moreover, the choice of a trailer gimmick for the comedy setting was an inspired one. A true little gem and document of its time.


"Trailer brakes first! Trailer brakes first!" (Squeal!)   June 27, 2005
M. Hart (USA)
21 out of 24 found this review helpful

Into the third season of their highly successful TV sitcom "I Love Lucy", the then married Lucille Ball (1911-1989) and Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) starred together in a hilarious 1954 film entitled "The Long, Long Trailer". Lucy played the character Tacy Bolton, who is engaged to Desi's character named Nicholas 'Nicky' Collini. Because Nicky's job involves a lot of travel, Tacy believes that the best way for them to be together is for them to live in a trailer. Begrudgingly, Nicky goes along with Tacy to a trailer show, but the trailer that Tacy had seen advertised is much smaller than she expected. However, across from it is a 40-foot monster that Tacy insists that she & Nicky just go and look at. Not long thereafter, Nicky is signing the purchase agreement for the then very expensive trailer. Since Nicky's car isn't heavy enough to pull such a large trailer (it weighs over three tons), Nicky has to then trade in his car for a much larger and expensive one that he must then have customized with a large trailer hitch. The mechanic that installed the hitch (played by Jack Kruschen, 1922-2002) gives Nicky a driving lesson to learn how to operate the trailer brakes with the car. Nicky is so traumatized by the experience that he can't stop hearing the mechanic saying, "Trailer brakes first!", as well as the squealing brakes.

Once the trailer is loaded, Tacy & Nicky drive off with their "forty feet of train" behind them and are heckled by passing cars. When they stop at their first trailer park (which seems highly idealized), instead of having their wedding night to themselves, other trailer park residents invite themselves over. They include Mrs. Hittaway (Marjorie Main, 1890-1975, better known as the character "Ma Kettle") and Mr. Hittaway (Howard McNear, 1905-1969, better known as "Floyd" from the 1960-1968 TV sitcom "The Andy Griffith Show"). Later, Tacy and Nicky are slated to stay with her Aunt Anastasia (Madge Blake, 1899-1969, who played "Aunt Harriet" in the 1960's live action "Batman" TV series); but Nicky has some difficulty backing the trailer into their driveway, so their stay isn't as pleasant as expected. Two of the most entertaining scenes include Tacy trying to prepare dinner in a moving trailer and Nicky & Tacy driving the trailer on a narrow road over an 8000-foot Colorado mountain pass, which is made more difficult with Tacy's heavy rock & jar collection.

Overall, "The Long, Long Trailer" is a hilarious, entertaining and engaging film that I wholeheartedly rate with 5 out of 5 stars. It was also one of the most successful films released in 1954 and is still just as funny today as it was then. The film ending is also very endearing. I can't wait for this film to be released on DVD. Hopefully, that won't be too long from now.


One of the Best Movies Ever!!   March 2, 2003
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

When you need a genuinely good laugh, slip "The Long, Long Trailer" into your VCR. It's sort of an extension of "I Love Lucy" except the characters are Nicky & Tacy Callini instead of Ricky & Lucy Ricardo and it's filmed in glorious AnscoColor instead of boring black and white. This hilarious movie is given the full MGM treatment, with the studio's premiere director at the time, Vincente Minnelli, directing. Starring as well are some of Hollywood's greatest character actors, particularly the fabulous Marjorie Main. Also featured are some beautiful scenes of Yosemite National Park and the mountains of California. And that yellow 1953 Mercury Monterey convertible is one of my personal favorites of the film. Another amusing highlight is hearing Lucy and Desi sing "Breezing Along With the Breeze", accompanied by the lush, 100-piece MGM symphony orchestra. This is one classy motion picture! "The Long, Long Trailer" was one of 1954's top box office hits and was MGM's most successful comedy in the studio's then 30-year history. That's quite impressive considering people could stay home and watch Lucy and Desi for free on television. So DO get this video. You'll watch it- and laugh- over and over again. In fact, I'm gonna go watch it right now. HEY, Warner Home Video -- hurry up with the DVD version of this 1954 MGM sensation. (Warner owns the entire pre-1986 MGM library.)


Hilarious Honeymoon in a Long, Long Trailer!   October 9, 2000
Laure-Madeleine (NYC)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

Unavailable on video for many years, "The Long, Long Trailer," a 1950s "on the road" film, stars the comedy team of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, as Tacy and Nicholas "Nicky" Carlos Collini. Directed by Vincente Minelli, the film rolls along (after an opening flashback) by showing one silly mishap after another as Tacy and Nicky take a honeymoon trip in their trailer. This elegantly mismatched couple go through the inevitable period of adjustment that comes after marriage, with the added stress that comes from trailer living for the uninitiated. The allure of this film is multilayered: a carryover of the 1950s traditional husband-and-wife roles from the popular television series, "I Love Lucy"; humorous vignettes about visiting relatives; vacation miscues and misunderstandings, which are so frustrating at the time but make for great stories later.

My favorite part of the film is when Nicky is pulling the long, long trailer behind their new car up a narrow mountain pass. The brakes are heating up furiously, and he discovers the reason for it. Tacy has been collecting rocks as souvenirs from all their stopping places, which she had hidden all over the trailer. This scene is classic Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz bantering: he had told her to get rid of the rocks (as the pragmatist), but she would not (as the sentimental). Here is a clear example of subversion of authority, a conflict which creates the tension and the comic relief needed to move the plot (and the trailer) along.

Highly recommended buy: for family viewing; for cult film aficionados; for those in need of some belly laughs!