Product Details

• Actors: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: May 2, 2006
• Run Time: 272 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000EHQU0I
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,967 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Lucy & Desi Collection (Too Many Girls / The Long Long Trailer / Forever, Darling)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Besides making television history as the producers and stars of television's immensely popular I Love Lucy and The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz, starred in three quite agreeable feature films. The Lucy & Desi Collection includes the trio, all in excellent shape, plus a handful of nifty special features of archival interest. Many fans of Arnaz and Ball have probably seen one or both of the movies the duo made in the 1950s, at the height of their TV success: the 1954 The Long, Long Trailer and Forever Darling. Each is a comically cautionary tale about the dangers to marriage from misunderstandings, miscommunication, and differing goals. But the real find in this box set is the 1940 Too Many Girls, an energetic, Rodgers and Hart musical--direct from Broadway, with three original cast members (Arnaz, Eddie Bracken, and Van Johnson) making their movie debuts--in which Arnaz and Ball actually met.

Too Many Girls stars Arnaz as a South American athlete tapped by Princeton's football team to join its squad. The one condition is that he remain undercover until the season begins, forcing him to forgo women. Half-mad from deprivation, he shrugs off Princeton's heavy hand and agrees to join three football buddies hired to secretly chaperone a wealthy man's willful daughter (Ball) to a small, co-ed college in New Mexico. There the boys join the school's football team and immediately make it a success; of course, they also pitch woo to some comely young ladies. The Rodgers and Hart score is enjoyable, with a couple of minor classics ("You're Nearer" and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was"). The best moment, however, is Arnaz and Ball's very first scene together in what would become a historical partnership: Arnaz fainting at the sight of Ball, the first girl he's seen in months.

The Long, Long Trailer, in gorgeous Technicolor and directed by Vincente Minnelli, is a somewhat allegorical tale of a newly married couple who invest in a 40-foot trailer as their first home--and immediately regret it. Well, at least Arnaz's character does; he's the one who has anxiety attacks over operating electric brakes while steering up and down one-lane, mountain roads. Sight gags are plentiful: a scene in which Ball tries to make beef stew, a Caesar salad, and cake in a wobbling, moving trailer is classic Lucy. But there are some genuine dramatic sequences in this handsome movie, too, and the stars rise to the occasion. Forever Darling concerns the marriage of a sensible if visionary chemist, Lorenzo (Arnaz), and a high society gal, Susan (Ball). The latter can't decide if she should concentrate on entertaining friends and keeping up appearances or joining her husband on a two-year field test of his bug-killing spray. James Mason stars as a handsome guardian angel attempting to steer Susan toward happiness. But along the path toward resolution, lots of mayhem ensues. A lengthy camping scene full of disaster will delight I Love Lucy fans. --Tom Keogh

Product Description

3-Disc DVD Collection from The First Couple of Comedy! Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz star in the only movies they made together - Forever, Darling, The Long, Long Trailer, and Too Many Girls. Forever Darling and The Long Long Trailer are available individually, while Too Many Girls is exclusive to the box set.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars LUCY AND DESI FANS REJOICE! April 27, 2006

By Eric

Format:DVD

At last! Aside from the fact that I do, along with the rest of the world, love Lucy...to have these three films finally arrive on DVD is a dream come true.

THE LONG, LONG TRAILER is truly one of the great screen comedies of all time, and although Lucy & Desi play characters named "Tacy and Nicky", they run pretty close to the Ricardos in many ways. The film gives both beloved performers many chances for their signature slapstick, but being based on a best-selling book, there are also touching moments that remain poignant. Deftly directed by Vincente Minnelli, it's no wonder, TRAILER was a box office smash.

FOREVER DARLING is a delightful collection with a bit of a twist, and the added bonus of James Mason as Lucy & Desi's guardian angel.....Last, but certainly not least, we get something special. TOO MANY GIRLS is the movie where Lucy met Desi and the pair fell in love. They don't have many scenes together, but it's a superb screen version of the Rodgers & Hart Broadway show that made Desi Arnaz a star, and Lucy, Ann Miller, Eddie Bracken and the rest of the cast make this a must-have for fans of classic film.

Cheers to Warner Brothers for bringing out this great collection of the only 3 movies our Lucy & Desi made together, and at such a low price, you can't pass it up!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't get no better than this! June 14, 2007

By Wayne Minge

Format:DVD

I originally bought this 3 DVD pack for 'The Long Long Trailer' as that was my favorite Lucy and Desi movie but then after I sat down and watched the other 2 films that you get with this I must say they are not as great but are fun to watch as well. It's well worth the price to pay for this boxset. 'Forever Darling' is the only movie which is in widescreen format the other 2 are in the original theatrical format of fullscreen. I do not like Fullscreen as I despise it but when I found out that the other 2 films were made in that resolution I didn't mind at all. So if you are doubting the fact to buy this or not do not pass it up. These are the only movies Lucy and Desi ever made together and its well worth buying it to own and watch over and over again for a laugh.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DO I LOVE LUCY? July 10, 2006

By Peter A. Montana

Format:DVD

There are people who like Lucy. But I am one of many that truly truly LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVE LUCY. I remember Monday nights waiting for Lucy to come on television. I thought then and still to this day think she is the funniest and most brilliant comedian. The title THE QUEEN OF COMEDY could not fit anyone but her. I remember when the LONG LONG TRAILER came to my neighborhood in Ozone Park, Queens NY. To see my favorite comedian in color and for well over an hour was a memorable experience for me. Lucy was my first true love. Through the years I have watched the I Love Lucy reruns over and over and over. Each time I see them I laugh like it's the first time. Through the years I ordered the Columbia House I love Lucy VHS tapes, copied most of them off the TV and then finally ordered the complete I LOVE LUCY collection on DVD. Bought the VHS version of THE LONG LONG TRAILER. Imagine how excited I was when I found out that it was going to be released on DVD. I ordered the 3 DVD set immediately. Ah it was like Christmas in July when it finally came. Only one other person, a dear friend of mine loves Lucy as much as I do. We talk Lucy all the time, compare notes and try to stump the other with trivia questions. I know more than my friend does but we still have fun. So would I recommend the 3 DVD set? It's priceless and a must for anyone who even remotely likes Lucille Ball. I cannot wait for the release of Mame.

Sincerely

Peter Montana