11 Comments

  1. Reginald Denny! I forgot Reginald Denny was in this.

    Pardon my outburst, but it has been a long time since I sampled the delights of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. I’ve been watching too much HGTV. Thanks for a much needed reminder, and good luck on the latest move.

  2. I adore this movie. Like you said, there’s much to love about it, including the fab script and the terrific performances.

    I liked what you said about the editing and how the movie moves quite quickly. There’s no dwelling on any one things – there’s too many other things waiting to go wrong!

    Hope all is going well with your move, which is a dreadful chore indeed.

    • Yes, it’s really amazing pacing–not screwball quickness because there needs to be sufficient time to take in their pain and stress, but fast enough that you get the chaos. Thank you! I’m almost done with the boxes, so just a few more things to do.

  3. Yay-thank you for the carefully chosen photos and well-written prose about this gem of a comedy! I saw it many years ago and then saw “The Money Pit” within a y at or two after that. While I enjoyed “The Money Pit”, I preferred “Mr. Blandings” due to my penchant for Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. I also love Louise Beavers—it’s nice to see her working with Loy again as they were fun to watch together 7 years earlier in “Shadow of the Thin Man”!

    Good luck on your move-hope you give yourself enough time to take breaks. I moved from a two bedroom townhouse last year, and packed over 100 boxes! I’m still not over it! LOL!

    • Thank you! Yes, I love those two together so much. Hard to get over the fact that there are multiple films with Grant & Loy, isn’t it?:) We’re so lucky. I have a soft spot for the Money Pit, mainly because Hanks’s laughing breakdown is one of my favorite moments in all of film. And Bosco and Stapleton are hilarious in it. But it could use some editing, unlike Blandings, which is so economically written. And Loy is so much more fun than Long (though it is one of her best of non-Cheers work). Thank you for the good wishes on the move. I should have counted the boxes; you are brave to have done it!

  4. This is a fine, interesting article. I enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to reading more of your articles in the future.

    By the way, I would like to invite you to join my blogathon, “The Great Breening Blogathon:” https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com/2017/09/07/extra-the-great-breening-blogathon/. It is celebrating the life and work of Joseph Breen, the enforcer of the Motion Picture Production Code between 1934 and 1954. As we honor his birthday, which is on October 14, we will be discussing and analyzing the Code era, breening films from other eras, and writing about our own ideas for classic movies. One doesn’t have to agree with the Code and Mr. Breen to enjoy that! I hope you will do me the honor of joining. We could really use your talent!

    Yours Hopefully,

    Tiffany Brannan

      • Dear Leah,

        Thank you for replying. I do hope you’ll be able to participate, but I know that October is going to be a very busy month for a lot of people. I’m glad you like my topic. I look forward to hearing from you!

        Yours Hopefully,

        Tiffany Brannan

  5. We agree on best scene in a great comedy – Perfect Wife Myrna going off on Cary. She even heckles the dimple in his chin! That Cary could be the harried every man while also saving Ingrid Bergman from Nazis is just more testament to his greatness. And I love how blithely oblivious Muriel is through much of the movie – quite unlike most of Myrna’s roles!

    • He’s so brilliant. And you’re right, she is oblivious, though there is some of that sharp wit we’re used to:). Both she and he are so oblivious about any practical concerns that it’s hilarious to watch. Two of my favorite actors.

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