The Long, Long Trailer (1953)

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Clinton Twiss (novel)
Albert Hackett (screenplay) &
Frances Goodrich (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 February 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

America's No. 1 Favorites Funnier than Ever on the Screen!

Plot:

Nicky and Tacy are going to be married. Nicky wants to save up money for a house, but Tacy dreams of...

Plot Keywords:

Honeymoon | Marriage | Highway Travel | Trailer Court | Husband Wife Relationship

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Lucille Ball	...	Tacy Bolton - Collini
Desi Arnaz	...	Nicholas 'Nicky' Collini
Marjorie Main	...	Mrs. Hittaway
Keenan Wynn	...	Policeman
Gladys Hurlbut	...	Mrs. Bolton
Moroni Olsen	...	Mr. Tewitt
Bert Freed	...	Foreman
Madge Blake	...	Aunt Anastacia
Walter Baldwin	...	Uncle Edgar
Oliver Blake	...	Mr. Ludlow
Perry Sheehan	...	Bridesmaid

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Anscocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The New Moon trailers, produced by The Redman Trailer Co. (as per original sales brochures & in viewing the actual 1953 models), didn't come with a "sunken living room" as was highlighted in the film. This was done to add a reason for Desi Arnaz's character to take his pratfall when first entering the trailer. You can see that the floor of the kitchen is flat with the living room floor if you look closely when he opens the door for the first time at the trailer show, as this was simply a regular production coach in the shot. The interior shots had a "dropped" section in the living room area and you can see that the vent windows are much further from the ceiling than they would be as seen from the exterior. New Moon trailers also had a furnace in the corner between the front door and the kitchen cabinet. It is assumed this was removed from the interior mock up for aesthetic reasons.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Nicky and Tacy are having their dinner in their trailer in the rain, Tacy brings a bottle of Chianti (a dark red wine) to the table. You can clearly see the coloring through the bottle. When she pours the wine it has changed both in the bottle, and in the glasses to a white wine.

Quotes:

Mechanic:Think of it as a train behind you. Forty feet of train.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Fire Maidens of Outer Space (#5.16)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Breezin' Along With the Breeze

Lucy&Desi In For The Long Haul

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.