Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

Starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas
Directed by: H.C. Potter
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Comedy
1948

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: The Blandings decide to move out of the city and into the country. What starts as a small project to build their dream home quickly spirals out of control and turns from a dream into a nightmare.

Review:

Tim: This was a very popular 1948 comedy. While it is not bad, I don't think it has aged quite as well as some other films. The film is decent, but I didn't find it particularly funny. Plus, I was never the biggest fan of Cary Grant. I like him and respect his skills, but I've never been wildly enthusiastic about him. Nothing here changed my mind. This film is at least good enough to have been remade twice (Tom Hanks' The Money Pit and Ice Cube's Are We Done Yet?).

The premise of the movie is pretty simple. Mr. Blandings decides to move out of the country, building his dream home in the process. What starts out as a small project spirals out of control as more and more money is sunk into the increasingly insane endeavor. This causes considerable stress on both Mr. Blandings and his family. Everyone can at least relate to the occasional stress of homeowning.

Grant is at least decent in the role. He is a likeable person, and we genuinely enjoy watching him, even as his life gets worse and worse. THe supporting cast are all decent, but none are outstanding. Myrna Loy is pretty good as Grant's wife.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is a good comedy that hasn't aged as well as it should have. The film is still funny and enjoyable, but you just wish it was a little funnier and a little more effective. Still, the movie is enjoyable and well worth seeing. At the very least, you'll get a few laughs out of Grant's misfortunes.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Money Pit, Are We Done Yet?, Father Goose