Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

A man and his wife decide they can afford to have a house in the country built to their specifications. It's a lot more trouble than they think.

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Eric Hodgins (novel), Norman Panama (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cary Grant	...	Jim Blandings
Myrna Loy	...	Muriel Blandings
Melvyn Douglas	...	Bill Cole
Reginald Denny	...	Simms
Sharyn Moffett	...	Joan Blandings
Connie Marshall	...	Betsy Blandings
Louise Beavers	...	Gussie
Ian Wolfe	...	Smith
Harry Shannon	...	Tesander
Tito Vuolo	...	Mr. Zucca
Nestor Paiva	...	Joe Apollonio
Jason Robards Sr.	...	John Retch (as Jason Robards)
Lurene Tuttle	...	Mary
Lex Barker	...	Carpenter Foreman
Emory Parnell	...	Mr. PeDelford

Storyline

The Blandings live in New York in a tiny apartment. They decide to move to the country and find that buying and building and living in their own home is easier said than done.

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Plot Keywords:

dilapidated house | house | family relationships | connecticut | remodeling | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bygg og bli gær'n

Filming Locations:

Administration Building, Malibu Creek State Park - 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Has had three remakes (in order of release): Hollywood's "The Money Pit (1986) starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, Sweden's "Drömkåken (1993)" starring Björn Skifs and Suzanne Reuter, and Hollywood's "Are We Done Yet (2007)" starring Ice Cube and Nia Long.

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Goofs

When Betsy cuts the classified ad from the paper, she says "It's just sixteen words" then proceeds to read "Forced to sell farm dwelling original beams barn apple orchard trout stream seclusion superb view will sacrifice". Seventeen words.

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Quotes

Joan Blandings: Oh look. Mother's diary. It's slightly torrid.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown on an architect's blueprints.

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Connections

Referenced in The Curse of Lizzie Borden 2: Prom Night (2008)

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Soundtracks

Home on the Range
(uncredited)
Written by Brewster M. Higley
Sung by Cary Grant and then Myrna Loy as they shower

User Reviews

A house in Connecticut

Manhattan apartment dwellers have to put up with all kinds of inconveniences. The worst one is the lack of closet space! Some people who eat out all the time use their ranges and dishwashers as storage places because the closets are already full!

Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, a great comedy writing team from that era, saw the potential in Eric Hodgins novel, whose hero, Jim Blandings, can't stand the cramped apartment where he and his wife Muriel, and two daughters, must share.

Jim Blandings, a Madison Ave. executive, has had it! When he sees an ad for Connecticut living, he decides to take a look. Obviously, a first time owner, Jim is duped by the real estate man into buying the dilapidated house he is taken to inspect by an unscrupulous agent. This is only the beginning of his problems.

Whatever could be wrong, goes wrong. The architect is asked to come out with a plan that doesn't work for the new house, after the original one is razed. As one problem leads to another, more money is necessary, and whatever was going to be the original cost, ends up in an inflated price that Jim could not really afford.

The film is fun because of the three principals in it. Cary Grant was an actor who clearly understood the character he was playing and makes the most out of Jim Blandings. Myrna Loy, was a delightful actress who was always effective playing opposite Mr. Grant. The third character, Bill Cole, an old boyfriend of Myrna, turned lawyer for the Blandings, is suave and debonair, the way Melvin Douglas portrayed him. One of the Blandings girls, Joan, is played by Sharyn Moffett, who bore an uncanny resemblance to Eva Marie Saint. The great Louise Beavers plays Gussie, but doesn't have much to do.

The film is lovingly photographed by James Wong Howe, who clearly knew what to do to make this film appear much better. The direction of H.C. Potter is light and he succeeded in this film that will delight fans of classic comedies.