3.5/5
H.C. Potter’s Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is a delightful little comedy from classic Hollywood – narratively slight, perhaps, but delightful just the same. Cinematographer James Wong Howe’s long tracking shot that opens the film and introduces us to the Blandings family’s “cramped” apartment is exquisite – it’s the perfect way to set up the plot, especially after the quick succession of ironic clips about how idyllic life is in the hustle and bustle of New York City. Cary Grant is great, as always, as is Myrna Loy, and rounding out the trio leads is Melvyn Douglas with a fantastic performance as friend of the family and the sole voice of reason in the midst of all the shenanigans. I love that Loy is just as unreasonable and over-the-top with her demands as Grant – and there’s a touching moment toward the end where an honest contractor brings the film out of its deepest point of crisis. But the whole endeavor feels a little too slight at the end of the day – the stakes aren’t very high and the narrative is really just a series of building mishaps. A series of very funny building mishaps, but not much to string a feature film around. Still, it’s light, enjoyable entertainment, and you can do worse than to have a few hours with the Blandings.
