Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

This movie is a little unusual in that it's got a very slim plot and the movie itself is done at a very slow and leisurely pace. While this makes it pretty different from the average Grant film, it is still highly watchable and entertaining. It's sort of like someone said "let's just follow Cary around and watch as he gets perturbed at all the little problems that come up when you are having a house rehabbed". Considering what a fun actor he is in the film and the great support he gets from Myrna Loy and Melvin Douglas, the film works very well. While the film has pretty modest pretensions, it makes the most of the material. It's a great film for Cary Grant fans or for the whole family.

In Manhattan, the American middle class Jim Blandings (Cary Grant) lives with his wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) and two teenage daughters in a four bedroom and one bathroom only leased apartment. Jim works in an advertising agency raising US$ 15,000.00 a year and feels uncomfortable in his apartment due to the lack of space. When he sees an advertisement of a huge house for sale in the country of Connecticut for an affordable price, he drives with his wife and the real estate agent and decides to buy the old house without any technical advice. His best friend and lawyer Bill Cole (Melvyn Douglas) sends an acquaintance engineer to inspect the house, and the man tells that he should put down the house and build another one. Jim checks the information with other engineers and all of them condemn the place and sooner he finds that he bought a "money pit" instead of a dream house.

"Mr. Blandings Builds his Own House" is an extremely funny comedy, with witty lines and top-notch screenplay. Cary Grant is hilarious in the role of a man moved by the impulse of accomplishing with the American Dream of owning a huge house that finds that made bad choice, while losing his touch in his work and feeling jealous of his friend. In 1986, Tom Hanks worked in a very funny movie visibly inspired in this delightful classic, "The Money Pit". My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Lar, Meu Tormento" ("Home, My Torment")

Anyone who has ever embarked on a construction project, from a tree-house to a skyscraper, will identify with the beleaguered Mr. Blandings. His simple vision of an idyllic life in the suburbs encounters the harsh reality of recalcitrant geology, feuding contractors, exploding costs, and other complications -- all to hilarious effect.

The script has a perfect ear, the director's timing is impeccable, and the sophisticated style of the stars gives the entire production a polished sheen. Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas are all brilliant, but this is much more than a star vehicle. It's one of the best sophisticated comedies Hollywood ever committed to celluloid. And even 60 years later, the story is all too true.

This film is a fantastic showcase for Grant's bewildered man of America, and he always did that so well. The Blandings, a 'typical New York family, on about 15,000 a year', decide to leave their four room apartment in the city and buy a 'dream house' in rural Connecticut.

Of course, this being a comedy, you know it won't go smoothly (you get a good clue as well from Melvyn Douglas' laconic narration here and there, as the Blandings' long-suffering lawyer, and Mrs B's high school sweetheart). First the picturesque little home is a wreck, then they start to plan a substitute (the scene where Mr and Mrs B plan what rooms their new house will have is classic), then everything that can go wrong goes wrong ... on top of this, Grant's harrassed advertising executive has to find a slogan for the bete noire of his company, Wham! ham.

My particular favourite scenes involve Myrna Loy, perfect as Mrs B, instructing which colours of paint each room will have; and a little room at the top of the house which regularly traps Grant inside. A highly recommended RKO goodie, this film. Hugely enjoyable.

My main attraction in seeing 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' was the cast. It is hard to resist a film with Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas and in the same film. They're great talented actors on their own (am especially fond of Grant), together it is just as good. Love classic film and a lot of comedy, especially the sophisticated and witty kind, too.

Expectations were high and they were met, if not quite exceeded. Mean every word of my review summary, 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' was a dream to watch and it is far from bland with such a good cast carrying the film so well. My only complaint of 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' is that for my tastes the ending came over as too neatly wrapped up and convenient. Otherwise, the film was a delightful joy and just perfect for a cheering up on a rainy day or after a hard one.

The best thing about 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' is the cast. Grant is his usual urbane and charming self in the best of ways and Loy has charm, elegance and comic timing in spades. Best of all is a hilarious and understated Douglas. The interplay just sparkles.

Another star is the script. The comedy is sparkling in wit, pointed and full of sophistication, the social commentary is interesting regardless of how of the time it is and whether it holds up or not (was enjoying myself and invested in the film to care) and there is a depth that makes it easy to identify with the situation when it is a scenario that is relevant today.

Story-wise, 'Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House' is slight but is never less than absorbing and there is enough going on to not make it too simple, neither does it get over-stuffed or too complicated. The characters to me were likeable and easy to identify with and the pace matches the wild situations very nicely.

Visually, the film isn't audacious but it has an elegant stylishness that is easy on the eye, particularly the photography. The direction is more than just competent and it doesn't feel stagy.

Overall, apart from the ending a delightful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox