Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

79% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(7,391 ratings)

Fed up with crowded big-city living, advertising executive Mr. Blandings (Cary Grant) decides to seek out a big, roomy house in the country. Armed with more enthusiasm than common sense, Blandings causes many a headache for his lawyer/business manager Melvyn Douglas, who tries to keep the costs… More Fed up with crowded big-city living, advertising executive Mr. Blandings (Cary Grant) decides to seek out a big, roomy house in the country. Armed with more enthusiasm than common sense, Blandings causes many a headache for his lawyer/business manager Melvyn Douglas, who tries to keep the costs within a reasonable amount. Alas, Blandings bulls ahead on his own, first purchasing an estate on the verge of collapse, then opting to build his dream house from scratch. An unpleasant legal squabble over the fact that Blandings purchased his new property without checking with the prior owners throws even more good money after bad. The construction of the new Blandings digs is slowed down to a walk by doors and windows that don't fit, plumbing that fails to function, doorknobs that break upon contact with human flesh, temperamental workmen, and various and sundry other homeowners' nightmares (if all this sounds like the much-later Tom Hanks/Shelley Long comedy The Money Pit, it only shows to go how little has changed in forty years--except, of course, for the costs of things). Attempting to keep a level head throughout the proceedings is Mrs. Blandings (Myrna Loy), though even she is guilty of pretensions and excess, especially in the classic "choice of colors" scene. The humor in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House springs so naturally from the central situation that it seems intrusive when the scriptwriters throw in an arbitrary French-farce scene wherein Blandings suspects that his wife and his lawyer are fooling around (a plot point that the original Eric Hodgins novel did just fine without). One of the best bits comes near the end, when Louise Beavers, the Blandings' cook, saves the day for everyone by ad libbing "If you ain't eating Wham, you ain't eating Ham." Why should we spoil your enjoyment by explaining that line? Now you'll have to see the picture. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: H.C. Potter
Written By: Melvin Frank, Norman Panama, Eric Hodgins
Genres: Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 25, 1948 Limited
On DVD: Jun 1, 2004
Studio: RKO

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Those in the middle-aged demographic might find this middlebrow comedy more pleasing than others.
Mark Athitakis, Filmcritic.com
best appreciated as a sort of adult version of teenage hygiene films from the '40s and '50s
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Grant is at the top of his form. He's funny and urbane, the movie is perceptive and witty, and the whole thing is a welcome treat on DVD.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The incredibly handsome, photogenic, movie-star image seems to disappear as Grant becomes simply the harassed Everyman.
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Much of the Blandings’ dissatisfaction is of their own making, as they discover that realtors can be shrewd, mortgages can be complicated, and everything costs twice as much as you initially expect it to.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
[Grant] has perfect comic timing and an amazing ability to contort his body in hilarious bits of physical comedy.
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies
Mr. Grant builds my dream movie!
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Remains perhaps the most effective of Grant's domesticated films.

Read all 8 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Ken S

Great chemistry between the cast members keeps Mr. Blandings from being a real bore. It's got it's moments, but it's nothing to flip for.
AJ V

Grant and Loy make a great team in this hilarious comedy. I love it, and I recommend you see it too.
First L

Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House builds heavily on it's predecessors (Jack Benny's "George Washington Slept Here" for one, and W.C. Fields movies in general, for another), while at the same time, inspiring future "do-it-yourselfers-gone-wrong" movies… More
Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House builds heavily on it's predecessors (Jack Benny's "George Washington Slept Here" for one, and W.C. Fields movies in general, for another), while at the same time, inspiring future "do-it-yourselfers-gone-wrong" movies ("The Money Pit" for one and "Are We Done Yet?" for another) and yet, it has something going for it that those other don't: Cary Grant. Sure, it may be a little difficult to picture the erudite Grant as the henpecked, middle class husband and father of two, but this is a Hollywood picture afterall, and we naturally suspend our disbelief when it comes to such matters. Then again, if I were married to Myrna Loy, I probably wouldn't mind being henpecked either. Mr. Blandings, sick of living life in a cramped New York apartment, decides to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and move to a little home out in the country. Unfortunately, he buys his home with his heart, not his head, and winds up with dilapidated, ramshackle house that, in the long run is cheaper to tear down and build over. And that's just the start of his problems. Mr. Blandings isn't rocket science, it's a cute comedy very much in the same vein as other cute comedies of the 40s and 50s, overall a very enjoyable classic.
jay n

a riot!!!
moon r

fun. and that's why you're NOT wasting your time watching these things...so watch and enjoy yourself
xGary X

A rather slight and lightweight piece of fluff, this feelgood comedy is the kind of thing that lives or dies on the likeability and charm of it's leads. In this, case Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. No problems there then. Remade in the 80s as The Money Pit, which is crap for the same… More
A rather slight and lightweight piece of fluff, this feelgood comedy is the kind of thing that lives or dies on the likeability and charm of it's leads. In this, case Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. No problems there then. Remade in the 80s as The Money Pit, which is crap for the same reason.
Lanning :

The only Cary Grant movie that I would ever consider for five stars. This is the only Cary Grant movie I've ever owned. A VHS version. I wore it out. Dare I say that I've prefaced a flixster review with "Dare I say" before? Okay, flixsters, forget the… More
The only Cary Grant movie that I would ever consider for five stars. This is the only Cary Grant movie I've ever owned. A VHS version. I wore it out. Dare I say that I've prefaced a flixster review with "Dare I say" before? Okay, flixsters, forget the dare-I-say stuff. I, flat out, am not a Cary Grant fan. For me, he's primarily personality, not acting ablity. The proverbial "cult of personality" has steered Hollywood's course, for better or worse, in the past, the present, and--dare I say!!!--will also do so in the future. If pushed to the wall, the reason why I revere this movie is because of the breathtaking comedic magneticism between Myrna Loy and Grant. Without any lesser personality than Loy to play opposite Grant, this movie would be one to which I'd be hard-pressed to give a five-star rating.
monty h

Following the success of their first pairing, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Cary Grant and Myrna Loy re-team for the highly entertaining comedy, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Fed up with city living, New Yorkers Jim and Muriel Blandings find a house in serene Connecticut.… More
Following the success of their first pairing, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Cary Grant and Myrna Loy re-team for the highly entertaining comedy, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Fed up with city living, New Yorkers Jim and Muriel Blandings find a house in serene Connecticut. Trouble is the house needs a lot of work and the family goes through all kinds of mishaps and failures trying to turn it into their dream home. Grant and Loy once again make for a wonderful pair, with Grant as Jim being constantly frustrated at all the problems the house seems to provide, not too mention the rising costs of repairs. And Jim also has to deal with family friend Bill Cole (all charm by Melvyn Douglas) who also use to be Muriel's ex-boyfriend. And Jim is also dealing with a deadline he has to make for his ad agency. It's their maid Gussie (a terrific Louise Beavers) who comes up with the new campaign slogan. Mr. Blandings is a very good movie with excellent performances from the entire cast. It will remind you of the 1942 film, George Washington Slept Here with Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan. If you enjoyed that film, then you will like this one as well. Pay close attention to the classic scene where Muriel is trying to show the painters what colors to use. One of the best classic comedies of yesteryear.
cody f

The Money Pitt set in 1940's. It's good,but not near as good as other Cary Grant comidies. The movie looked good,but I think the problem was in the direction. With a great script and all around flawless group of actors this film should be at least a 4 star film, and would be… More
The Money Pitt set in 1940's. It's good,but not near as good as other Cary Grant comidies. The movie looked good,but I think the problem was in the direction. With a great script and all around flawless group of actors this film should be at least a 4 star film, and would be if Capra,Hawks, or Lubitsch would have been directing. The film gets 3.5 because Grant,Loy, and Douglas are oozing with charm and they just make this fun to watch and I did laugh out loud a couple of times.
Moe E

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House to me was (forgive the pun) rather bland. Maybe I just couldn't buy into Cary Grant as a successful, yet financially inept, ad executive. Or, that I'd been tainted by Tom Hanks and Shelley Long in the very similar 1986 stinker, The Money… More
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House to me was (forgive the pun) rather bland. Maybe I just couldn't buy into Cary Grant as a successful, yet financially inept, ad executive. Or, that I'd been tainted by Tom Hanks and Shelley Long in the very similar 1986 stinker, The Money Pit. Myrna Loy, as Mrs. Blandings, seemed a bit underused. While Melvyn Douglas, as the Blandings' attorney and sole voice of reason, was given all the best lines. Overall, a tad disappointing...
Sunil J

Classically delightful!
Anthony V

One of my favorites.

Read all 12 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Cary Grant as Jim Blandings

            Louise Beavers as Gussie

            Myrna Loy as Muriel Blandings

            Melvyn Douglas as Bill Cole

            Reginald Denny as Henry Simms

            Jason Robards Sr. as John Retch

            Lex Barker as Carpenter Foreman

            Connie Marshall as Betsy Blandings

            Sharyn Moffett as Joan Blandings

            Nestor Paiva as Joe Appolionion

            Emory Parnell as Mr. Delford

            Harry Shannon as W.D. Tesander

            Lurene Tuttle as Mary

            Tito Vuolo as Mr. Zucca

            Stanley Andrews as Murphy

            Robert Bray
            
            Don Brodie as Charlie

            Cliff Clark as Jones

            Kernan Cripps as Cop

            Frank Darien as Judge Quarles

            Hal K. Dawson as Mr. Selby

            Friedrich von Ledebur as Workman

            Charles B. Middleton as Wrecker

            Franklin Parker as Simpson

            Dan Tobin as Bunny Funkhauser

            Ian Wolfe as Smith

            Will Wright as Eph Hackett

            Michael Lally
            
            Jack Jahries as Elevator Operator

            Cy Slocum as Man

            Ralph Stein as Proprietor

            Bud Wiser as Customer
See full cast

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