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Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
I finally got a copy of the movie, and since I am a Myrna Loy fan I was please, strike that, very please with this funny screwball comedy. One of the funniest part of the movie is Myrna explaining to the painters what different colors she wanted the interior of the house to be painted. Myrna Loy is just great and Cary Grant is as great as ever in this movie.
It is my understanding, Irene Dunne was going to play this part, but she turned it down. I am glad she did, since I like both actress, but I don't think Irene Dunne could have played this part any better. Buy it, you will like it.
If you Like Myrna Loy, and even if you don't, you will love this movie.
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If you enjoy Cary Grant you will adore this film. A great family film with Grant and Myrna Loy building a country house and in the process encountering an array of problems. A great aspect of this film is an insight into 1950s sexism - it's done very gently by Cary Grant - but every woman who sees this film will be forced to laugh at the sexist remarks innocently made by Cary Grant. An absolutely lovely film despite the sexist remarks.
Rating:  -
I love Cary Grant and this is a fun movie. Everything that can happen to him seems to. After purchasing a house that is practically falling down, remodeling is over his head. And a jealousy over the relationship of his wife and his friend causes both funny and serious moments. I think it is a good old family movie.
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"Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House" is a wonderful tale running the full gamut of emotion from farce and romanticism to drama,with alot of dry humour thrown in for good measure.Much of the latter comes from Melvyn Douglas,the Blandings close friend and lawyer.
The Blandings,mister played by Cary Grant and the misses played by Myrna Loy,live in a "cliff hugger"(apartment) in the big apple.Cary works for an advert agency and provides the families single source of income for his family which includes two daughters, and the extended family of one bird and a maid.
The movie starts off right away emphasizing with subtle humour the cramped quarters of a dwelling they have collectively outgrown.One day Melvyn drops in for a visit to discuss plans for a "small" renno that Cary is totally unaware of.Cary balks at the $7,000 price tag being bandied about and heads to work.When he arrives it seems Cary has been suddenly handed an account which a now-fired peer couldn't put away.While he considers how his day is going he spots an ad in a magazine which boasts about living in Connecticut.He gets a brainstorm and next day he and Myrna are house hunting in said state.The house they settle on is one that is so decrepit that it is practically falling apart before their eyes.But both have their own fantasies about what it would look like fixed up,and after all it's just needs a bit "of love",as Myrna puts it.Melvyn their lawyer,is beside himself when he hears what they've gotten themselves into.They've been taken price wise but Cary is adamant that some things you should "buy from the heart".Back at their dream home it seems that the home that just needs"love",has to be torn down.In fact an architect by the name of Simms,played by screen veteran Reginald Denny,is enlisted to build a new one in its' stead.The work begins but with each successive day after painful day the cost of the house just keeps skyrocketing.Frustration runs rampant with the Blandings and it threatens to tear the two of them apart.To top matters the apartment building they currently live in gives them a 30 day eviction notice! Work continues and when they finally move in the house is miraculously nearly complete,except for the one side which has no windows;and which coincidentally is the side in which the bedrooms are on.It also seems the missus has misread the train schedule from Connecticut to New York.Cary has to get up an hour earlier to catch it.Then there is a little matter of Melvyn and Myrna.It seems they are getting a little more cozier than Cary would like.Cary complains that every time Melvyn leaves he shakes his hand and kisses his wife.Myrna responds by asking would he prefer it the other way around? When the movie is nearing its conclusion Cary has not put away that important account that he took over at work and the deadline has come and gone and he wants to sell the house and get back to the "quiet and peaceful" existence that he had before all this started.Melvyn however kiboshes that feeling by saying that even though he's been against the entire project from start to finish that upon reflection maybe they do have a lovely home and maybe there are some things that one should "buy with the heart and not the mind".With that statement Cary's thoughts change in an instance and also at that moment his maid happens to come up with a perfect slogan for the advert campaign he so desperately needs.The movie ends in a novel way(no pun intended),with a shot of Cary reading a book of the same title as the movie(one he's presumably written) with Myrna and Melvyn there asking us to drop by the house some time.Fade out.
As the plot progresses the mood of the film changes on a dime depending on what is happening.Many moments are serious but usually contain bits of comedy in them.One such instance is a conversation that Cary has with a man who is drilling his well.As costs are rising so is Carys' frustration as the man has already drilled a good 150 ft with no luck.A serious Cary asks the man several questions and with each reply comes either a "yep" or "nope",it is hilarious.Myrna has her moments too.An especially funny one occurs when she describes in minute detail to the head painter the exact colour scheme/shades she wants each room in.When she goes off for a moment he turns to his assistant and asks whether he got all that and he replies with "Yeah;red,yellow,green and white".
It is a credit to the screenwriters that they never have the characters getting so mad to the point of shouting at one another or worse.Both exhibit a frustration alright(especially Cary) but both have their limit and exhibit a more controlled patience throughout(especially Myrna).If they had gone into a more confrontational mode that would have taken the movie to an entirely different level and really negated any effect humour would have had on the proceedings.Furthermore it gives us the audience more empathy and understanding for all involved and the frustrations and reactions that take place.No,it is smartly written and smartly played by all involved.
Technically the film has been transferred fairly well.There are a few areas where more work could have been done but it is passable as it is.
Included on the DVD is an hilarious Tex Avery cartoon of that year "The House Of Tomorrow",trailers and two radio air shots with Grant and Irene Dunne and Grant and Betsy Drake.
In concluding I must say this is a film that is a classic of its kind and I think a must have for every serious film lover.It's got everything a good film should possess,great actors,great direction and and a great script from which to work from.Once you've visited the Blandings house once,you will want to return again and again.
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My brother is in the home stretch of the type of year-long home remodel that could definately qualify as a "Blandings Experience".I am tickled to be the one to turn him on to this charming little film. Hopefully, he has retained enough humor to appreciate the gesture... Ah the pairing of Myrna and Cary! Not the mention Melvyn Douglass and the post war bobby-soxer daughters ("bicker,bicker,bicker...") How sublime, how endearing, how clever.
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