Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, perhaps the most recognizable comedic husband and wife team in television history, also share the feat of starring in three theatrical films together: Too Many Girls, The Long, Long Trailer and Forever Darling. Complied in order to preserve this dynamic duo for future generations to watch and enjoy, The Lucy & Desi Collection (originally released in 2006) includes all three feature films.
A Little Lucy and Desi History
Married in a secret ceremony that remained such for just over two hours in 1940 in an attempt to diffuse an onslaught from their adoring fans, Lucy and Desi’s rocky twenty year relationship began with an equally rocky start. After meeting on the set of their first joint feature produced by Warner Bros., Too Many Girls (1940), the two more or less immediately felt a heated attraction. They were married several months later and encountered much heartache, stemming from Desi’s induction into the United States Army, which coalesced into his notorious philandering and alcoholism and was eclipsed by Lucy’s numerous miscarriages.
By 1951, they were desperate to stay together as much as possible and thus the two jointly created the concept for the now ever popular comedy series, I Love Lucy, as a means to achieving this goal. Gaining near legendary status for the show, Lucy and Desi were contracted by MGM to star in the other two features, The Long, Long Trailer (1953) and Forever Darling (1956). This news came as a happy surprise to the couple, who were hoping to make up the lack still remaining in their marriage --- convinced that time together would heal the pain and suffering.
The Collection
In light of this history, it is no wonder that the first movie, Too Many Girls, a Broadway musical turned movie, centers around a young Lucille disguised a hare-brained heiress that goes off to college, unwittingly followed by four football players assigned by her father to watch over her, of which Desi is a member. The two are not paired up romantically in this film, but it marks their first meeting nevertheless. This is in stark contrast to the other two films that are a part of the collection, which focus mainly on a married couple who are trying to put the spark back into their relationship.
Although the plots are somewhat different, each contains these basic elements: A married couple one day discover that they barely know each other and attempt to fix their broken marriage, leaving the audience with the fuzzy feeling that all will work out in the end. The Long, Long Trailer is told in retrospect as Desi’s character relates it to a motel manager and Forever Darling shows the basic causes for the marital breakdown through a humorous encounter with an angel that looks just like James Mason.
Written with the uncredited help of some of the I Love Lucy staff, The Long, Long Trailer and Forever Darling mirrored most of the situations that were found from week to week on the television series, playing up some of the physical humor for which Lucy is so well known. These two movies are available for individual purchase; however, Too Many Girls is exclusive to this collection. All are available at Amazon.
