The Long, Long Trailer

1954

The Long, Long Trailer (1954)

TOMATOMETER

38%

——

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

77%

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Movie Info

At the height of their TV fame, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were contracted by MGM to make two theatrical films. The first of these, The Long, Long Trailer, stars Lucy and Desi as an upwardly mobile couple who decide to buy a trailer so they can live together while his job takes him around the country. Thanks to their naivete in such matters, they end up with a huge, bulky RV that costs five times what they planned. Their "seeing America" trip turns out to be a slapstick disaster, topped by Lucy's foolish decision to hide a heavy rock collection in the trailer; as Desi tries to maneuver a treacherous mountain road, the weighted-down home-on-wheels nearly loses its balance and almost tumbles off a cliff. The story is told in flashback, as Desi 'splains the breakup of his marriage to a motel court manager. Happily, Lucy shows up, goes "Waaaaah" a little, and all is forgiven. Despite the fact that audiences were getting Ball and Arnaz for free each week on television, The Long, Long Trailer was a big hit at the box-office. The film was adapted by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich from a novel by Clinton Twiss, with uncredited assistance from the I Love Lucy writing staff.

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Cast

Lucille Ball
as Tracy Collini
Desi Arnaz
as Nicholas Collini
Marjorie Main
as Mrs. Hittaway
Keenan Wynn
as Policeman
Gladys Hurlbut
as Mrs. Bolton
Moroni Olsen
as Mr. Tewitt
Bert Freed
as Foreman
Madge Blake
as Aunt Anastacia
Walter S. Baldwin
as Uncle Edgar
Oliver Blake
as Mr. Judlow
Perry Sheehan
as Bridesmaid
Charles Herbert
as Little Boy
Herb Vigran
as Trailer Salesman
Karl Lukas
as Inspector
Emmett Vogan
as Mr. Bolton
Edgar Dearing
as Manager
Geraldine Carr
as Girl Friend
Sarah Spencer
as Girl Friend
Ruth Warren
as Mrs. Dudley
Dallas Boyd
as Minister
Howard McNear
as Mr. Hittaway
Jack Kruschen
as Mechanic
Edna Skinner
as Mrs. Barrett
Alan Lee
as Mr. Elliott
Robert Anderson
as Carl Barrett
Phil Rich
as Mr. Dudley
John Call
as Shorty
Wilson Wood
as Garage Owner
Dorothy Neumann
as Aunt Ellen
Howard Wright
as Uncle Bill
Connie Van
as Grace
Dennis Ross
as Jody
Christopher Olsen
as Tom
Ida Moore
as Candy Store Clerk
Emory Parnell
as Officer
Fay Roope
as Judge
Ruth Lee
as Mrs. Tewitt
Richard Alexander
as Father
Frank Gerstle
as Attendant
Peter Leeds
as Garage Manager
Judy Sackett
as Bettie
Juney Ellis
as Waitress
Janet Sackett
as Kay
Norman Leavitt
as Driver
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Critic Reviews for The Long, Long Trailer

All Critics (8)

Strange, surreal film, notable for Minnelli's brilliant use of color and visual style.

Aug 8, 2008 | Full Review…
Classic Film and Television

One of Minnelli's few broad comedies, more of a collection of anecdotes than a coherent tale, about the wacky misadventures of a middle-class couple (Lucille Ball and Dazi Arnaz) during a long cross-country trek.

May 12, 2007 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
EmanuelLevy.Com

doesn't earn a place on my DVD shelf next to my I Love Lucy collection

May 9, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…
Filmcritic.com

...not even Minnelli and Berman could do much with a predictably inane script.

May 5, 2006 | Rating: 5/10 | Full Review…
Movie Metropolis

The ordinarily graceful Minnelli tries his best to guide this material and he finally gets his momentum in a climactic sequence... But until then, it's a largely unfunny TV sitcom romp.

May 4, 2006 | Full Review…
Combustible Celluloid

hilarious

Nov 11, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Lawrence Journal-World
View All Critic Reviews (8)

Audience Reviews for The Long, Long Trailer

½

This movie is funny for the most part, but some of the jokes (like the title suggests) go too long, so they're not that funny. The story is also predictable, but it's cool to see a movie with Lucy and Ricky.

Aj V
Aj V

Super Reviewer

As a huge "I Love Lucy" fan, I found that this movie didn't live up to their chemistry in the show. It was funny and a cute movie, but in comparison, the show is hard to beat!

Sarah Prisbylla
Sarah Prisbylla

Super Reviewer

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