Friday, March 04, 2011

Classic Hollywood Reviews: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

I must be on a Cary Grant kick right now. A couple weeks ago, Eric and I pulled out this 1948 Cary Grant flick. I love that it co-stars Myrna Loy, one of my favorite actresses thanks to the Thin Man series. In Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Jim and Muriel Blandings decide their apartment is impossibly small and rather than be content there, they are going to build a dream house in Connecticut. The only problem is they'd never heard of Dave Ramsey and his financial principles. They find that building the house is much more trouble than they anticipated, not to mention over the top financially.

The movie is not the typical quick repartee comedy...but if you stick with it, and understand all the mistakes the couple makes, it is a fun movie. Just don't take any financial advice from this couple!

I personally like the attorney who plays narrator and breath of ignored reality to the couple. He can't help it that Mr. Blandings refuses to take his advice -- at any turn.

And here's a fun piece of trivia for you from IMDb: The house "Blandings' Way" really exists on Indian Hill Road in New Milford, Connecticut. It's a beautiful huge white art deco/colonial house that has many of the actual rooms discussed in the movie - such as a room to cut flowers. Also less than a mile away on Long Mountain Road is executive producer of the movie and MGM head Dore Schary's old country home.

2 comments:

Katers said...

I love this movie, it's one of my favorite Cary Grant movies. So happy to see you review it and mentioned on my twitterfeed this morning. It's made my day.

And you're correct.. I don't think Dave Ramsey would have good things to say to them. hehe

Anne Mateer said...

Such a great one! But of course there isn't a Cary Grant movie I don't like. :)

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