Blondie in Society (1941)

Director:

Frank R. Strayer

Writers:

Karen DeWolf (screenplay)
Eleanore Griffin (story)

Release Date:

17 July 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Blondie moves in the best circles...NO WONDER THE BUMSTEADS ARE DIZZY!

Plot:

Dagwood brings home a pedigreed Great Dane which an important company client wants and which Blondie enters in the big dog show...

Plot Keywords:

Dog Show | Great Dane | Dog | Construction Industry | Boy Ranger

Cast

Penny Singleton	...	Blondie Bumstead
Arthur Lake	...	Dagwood Bumstead
Larry Simms	...	Baby Dumpling Bumstead
Daisy	...	Daisy Bumstead
The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir	...	Singing Ensemble
Jonathan Hale	...	J.C. Dithers
Danny Mummert	...	Alvin Fuddle
William Frawley	...	Waldo Pincus
Edgar Kennedy	...	Doctor Glenn, Veterinarian
Chick Chandler	...	Cliff Peters
Irving Bacon	...	Mailman
Bill Goodwin	...	Dog Show Announcer

Also Known As:

Henpecked (UK)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #7236)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The ninth of twenty-eight Blondie movies starring Penny Singleton as Blondie Bumstead and Arthur Lake as Dagwood Bumstead.

Goofs:

Continuity: Blondie refers to the Great Dane as being female, but in the next shot, the dog is obviously a male.

Movie Connections:

Follows Blondie Goes Latin (1941)

Soundtrack:

In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree

The Bumsteads at the Dog Show

BLONDIE IN SOCIETY (Columbia, 1941), directed by Frank R. Strayer, the ninth feature in the popular comedy series based on the Chic Young comic strip characters, ranks the very best of the entire 28 episodes. This series reached its peak here, and the leading players are at their funniest. At 78 minutes (the longest in the series), it plays fast and furious.

Dagwood Bumstead (Arthur Lake) gets himself a great dane named Chin-up to cover a $50 debt, and his wife, Blondie (Penny Singleton) helps out by entering Chin Up in a dog show. Everything goes wrong, of course. While the dog wins the contest, everyone who had disowned him, wants to reclaim him, a fight ensues, causing everyone, including the Bumstead child, Baby Dumpling (Larry Simms) and his neighbor friend, Alvin (Danny Mummert) to acquire black eyes.

Besides Dagwood running into the neighborhood postman (Irving Bacon) to catch his bus for work, other comedy highlights include Dagwood trying to take his Sunday bath, but never does due to constant interruptions, a gimmick used occasionally in the comic strips, but seen only once in this series. Penny Singleton shows off her singing ability by vocalizing "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" and "Trees." Veteran character actors Edgar Kennedy and William Frawley also add to the comic hi-jinx. For animal lovers, the Bumstead dog, Daisy, and Chin-up help provide some memorable highlights as well. And then there's Mr. Dithers (Jonathan Hale) as Dagwood's irritable boss, etc.

Available on video with the 1960s tag-on TV opening and closing credits with vocalists singing the "Blondie" theme song. Thankfully when it was shown on the American Movie Classics cable channel from 1996 to 2000, it was presented with its original opening and closing credits shown in theaters. While much of the 28 "Blondie" comedies are quite enjoyable, this one is definitely a winner. (***/2)