The Long Long Trailer Movie

[iamjiwjr]

I've heard about it. I've been told you must see it if you have an RV no matter what kind of RV.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long,_Long_Trailer

I just watched it on TV. They were right. i think my wife had every fight they had in our first few RV years. Every one.

Lucy and Desi at their insane best.

My sides are hurting. Hilarious!!

ps - If you look at the end of the Wikipedia article in the credits, it gives a link to the text of the book by the same name. It's in the public domain and can be downloaded to your favorite e-reader.

You gotta see it!

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by iamjiwjr

ps - If you look at the end of the Wikipedia article in the credits, it gives a link to the text of the book by the same name. It's in the public domain and can be downloaded to your favorite e-reader.
You gotta see it!

The story is that the author never got to see the movie.
Clinton E. Twiss

Birth 5 Mar 1904 Minnesota, USA
Death9 Nov 1952 (aged 48) Los Angeles County, California, USA

[Civilguy]

That was a wonderful show. My wife does those same innocent expressions that we see Lucy do!

Oh, come to think of it, I guess I do the same the expressions as Desi does too.

[Iowa Dave]

Movie
I’ve seen the movie several times and enjoy it each time. It’s kind of a crazy show and I wouldn’t think I could relate to Lucy’s character but I just can’t stop picking up those pretty rocks. Enjoy.
Iowa Dave

[iamjiwjr]

I shuddered and twitched all over during the hill climb scene. I read that they pulled it with a 200 hp Lincoln, using a road that runs up to Mt Whitney.

i don't know if I'm man enough to attempt that one.

[Tom in Scampville]

For those of you that have access to amazon prime, it is available to rent at the moment for $0.00, which is my price! Enjoy!

[Bob Durrstein]

I watched it as a first run movie in the theater!

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

You may find the movie funny. I used to, but no longer.
My wife hides rocks from me in our Snoozy.

[DavidG]

Originally Posted by iamjiwjr

I shuddered and twitched all over during the hill climb scene. I read that they pulled it with a 200 hp Lincoln, using a road that runs up to Mt Whitney.

i don't know if I'm man enough to attempt that one.

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You can see the convertible in most scenes is a '53 Mercury Monterey, which had a 100+ hp flathead engine. On the climbing scenes a '53 Lincoln was substituted. it had the OHV engine with over 200 hp. But the '32 ft New Moon trailer weighed about 6,000 lbs so it was marginal even for the Lincoln.After the film Lucy and Ricky were able to keep the trailer and had it in their yard for years.

[CalCop]

I have that movie in my library of movies. I've watched it many times. We all can relate to pulling more trailer than the tow vehicle could handle and worry about the next mountain. The scene showing Dezi planning the next day's route was right on point for us all.

[DavidG]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

You may find the movie funny. I used to, but no longer.
My wife hides rocks from me in our Snoozy.

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Speaking of rocks, on one Quartzsite trip I went through Ash Fork, AZ, one of the flagstone centers of the US. I stopped to take photos of the huge piles of colorful stone , some as big as cars and meant for big fancy buildings. The worker told me that for $20 I could fill my Ranger PU and my 13' Scamp with all I could hold from the 'seconds' pile. . I was careful but filled the cab, truck bed and boxes in the trailer with many flagstone stepping stones for my yard. I made it home easily to Fresno, so maybe I should have taken way more ! David in Fresno and Sonora, CA.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

In 1964 my in-laws towed a (24 foot I think) Holiday Rambler trailer from Pittsburgh to the NYC World's Fair. They did this with a 1957 Plymouth station wagon with eight children.
The wagon probably had a 318 cubic inch engine with 290 hp.
But stopping it! I think most of us old enough to have owned 1950s and 1960s Chrysler products remember how bad their brakes were. I'm reasonably certain that had to be a white knuckle drive traversing the Allegheny Mountains.
I once owned a 1968 MOPAR muscle car that needed an anchor to stop it when the brakes were at their best.

[Mikmay]

Good movie but still think Robin Williams trying to empty his black tank in RV is the best, been there done that.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

In 1964 my in-laws towed a (24 foot I think) Holiday Rambler trailer from Pittsburgh to the NYC World's Fair. They did this with a 1957 Plymouth station wagon with eight children.
The wagon probably had a 318 cubic inch engine with 290 hp.
But stopping it! I think most of us old enough to have owned 1950s and 1960s Chrysler products remember how bad their brakes were. I'm reasonably certain that had to be a white knuckle drive traversing the Allegheny Mountains.
I once owned a 1968 MOPAR muscle car that needed an anchor to stop it when the brakes were at their best.

In the early 1950's my parents took my 2 sisters from NY to CA pulling a very heavy 24 ft house trailer with a small Henry J car on route 66. My mom said my dad would go like crazy down the hills to make it up the next one. They made it somehow. If they hadn't I wouldn't be here. Idiotic yes but my dad didn't back down from anything.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

In the early 1950's my parents took my 2 sisters from NY to CA pulling a very heavy 24 ft house trailer with a small Henry J car on route 66. My mom said my dad would go like crazy down the hills to make it up the next one. They made it somehow. If they hadn't I wouldn't be here. Idiotic yes but my dad didn't back down from anything.

Don't try this today with front wheel drive and unibody construction! You may break in half.
While I admit todays vehicles are engineered to a higher standard improving reliability and endurance, I wish this had been accomplished with basic engineering norms of days gone by. I still can't bring myself to own a vehicle with front wheel drive and an automatic transmission. Nothing like the days when we could put our cars into a 4 wheel drift and know that we had to only control the rear of the car in oversteer without the front plowing straight ahead with understeer.
No wonder our children have no interest in the dying sport of sorts car racing. They grew up, for the most part, thinking that a Honda Civic was adequate.
Besides, the fact that most autos have almost no towing capacity.

[DavidG]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

Don't try this today with front wheel drive and unibody construction! You may break in half.
While I admit todays vehicles are engineered to a higher standard improving reliability and endurance, I wish this had been accomplished with basic engineering norms of days gone by. I still can't bring myself to own a vehicle with front wheel drive and an automatic transmission. Nothing like the days when we could put our cars into a 4 wheel drift and know that we had to only control the rear of the car in oversteer without the front plowing straight ahead with understeer.
No wonder our children have no interest in the dying sport of sorts car racing. They grew up, for the most part, thinking that a Honda Civic was adequate.
Besides, the fact that most autos have almost no towing capacity.

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Jann, Bill and Fiberglas Friends ,

On my tenth birthday day (1953) my father towed our masonite trailer over the almost 10,000 ft Sonora Pass with our 1950 Desoto, a six cyl flathead with Fluid Drive semi-auto transmission. We made it fine but trailers are still not recommended on that Hwy 108....but I do it with my Scamp 13 '. Problem is some very tight hairpin turns at the base of extremely steep grades .. . .and then another . . . and another. Hwy 4 over the Central Sierras is better, but Hwy 88 is best and sometimes has loads of big rigs hauling big loads of hay to California from Nevada. Then you can head East on Hwy 50 or go North to Hwy 80 . Both of which I do as often as I can ! David in Fresno and Sonora, CA.

[bigb]

If you are really into this sort of thing check this out: https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...ad.php?t=24281 starting with post #5 by tjfour who was 7 years old when his family crossed the country in 1952 with a 40 foot trailer behind a Buick. Following the thread watch for his numerous posts with pics. I actually met him on the Airstream forum and was so interested in the story I found a copy of the Life Magazine that documented it.

[garycarolyn]

Originally Posted by Tom in Scampville

For those of you that have access to amazon prime, it is available to rent at the moment for $0.00, which is my price! Enjoy!

We also rented the movie on your recommendation. First thunk was Desi's head, we did the same thing! I thought Lucy was hilarious but my husband (who does most of the driving and worrying about safety and breakdowns) didn't find it so funny. Just made him anxious. I knew it was going to happen, he loved the eggs rolling out of the frying pan.

Who knew right away that you don't try to fix dinner while riding in the trailer while it was being towed!!! ?? She was a genius at physical comedy.

[Jake]

Hi All:
Yes, this is truly one of the best trailer movies ever made, and given the time frame, and Lucy & Desi, what a classic!!!
I have showed it several times outdoors, at our campground, white sheet/ screen on the Gazebo, laptop / projector and a set of bluetooth speakers...
Invite all to bring their chairs/ drinks, set up the popcorn machine, and it is always non stop laughs and gasps!!!
Cannot wait to do it again...Covid go away!!!!
Cheers, Ian G

[Rob and Dot]

I noticed that in the movie they had a dolly wheel to carry the hitch weight while towing.... anyone else pick up on that?