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Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
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Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   3,833 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Eric Hodgins (novel)
Norman Panama (written by) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 June 1948 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
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. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 nomination more
User Reviews:
Cary Grant at his best more (64 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Cary Grant ... Jim Blandings

Myrna Loy ... Muriel Blandings

Melvyn Douglas ... Bill Cole
Reginald Denny ... Henry L. Simms
Sharyn Moffett ... Joan Blandings
Connie Marshall ... Betsy Blandings
Louise Beavers ... Gussie
Ian Wolfe ... Smith - a real estate agent
Harry Shannon ... W. D. Tesander
Tito Vuolo ... Mr. Zucca - the steam shovel operator
Nestor Paiva ... Joe Appollonio
Jason Robards Sr. ... John W. Retch (as Jason Robards)
Lurene Tuttle ... Mary
Lex Barker ... Carpenter Foreman
Emory Parnell ... Mr. PeDelford
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Andrews ... Mr. Murphy (uncredited)

Robert Bray ... Workman (uncredited)
Don Brodie ... Charlie, Painter (uncredited)
Cliff Clark ... Jones (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps ... Policeman (uncredited)
Frank Darien ... Judge Quarles (uncredited)
Hal K. Dawson ... Harry Selby (uncredited)
Jack Jahries ... Bit part (uncredited)
Mike Lally ... Hurried diner (uncredited)
Gene Leslie ... Taxi driver (uncredited)
Charles Middleton ... Wrecker (uncredited)
Franklin Parker ... Simpson (uncredited)
Cy Slocum ... Bit part (uncredited)
Ralph Stein ... Proprietor (uncredited)
Dan Tobin ... Bunny Funkhauser (uncredited)
Friedrich von Ledebur ... Workman (uncredited)
Bud Wiser ... Customer (uncredited)

Will Wright ... Eph Hackett (uncredited)
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Directed by
H.C. Potter 
 
Writing credits
Eric Hodgins (novel "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House")

Norman Panama (written by) and
Melvin Frank (written by)

Produced by
Melvin Frank .... producer
Norman Panama .... producer
Dore Schary .... executive producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Leigh Harline 
 
Cinematography by
James Wong Howe 
 
Film Editing by
Harry Marker 
 
Art Direction by
Carroll Clark 
Albert S. D'Agostino 
 
Set Decoration by
Harley Miller 
Darrell Silvera 
 
Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch (gowns)
 
Makeup Department
Gordon Bau .... makeup supervisor
Hazel Rogers .... hair stylist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
James H. Anderson .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Lane .... assistant director
Alex Finlayson .... second assistant director (uncredited)
Joel Freeman .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Clem Portman .... sound
Francis M. Sarver .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Russell A. Cully .... special effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Burke .... camera operator (uncredited)
Jim Kirley .... grip (uncredited)
Gaston Longet .... still photographer (uncredited)
Cliff Shirpser .... assistant camera (uncredited)
 
Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff .... musical director
 
Other crew
Charles Cirillo .... stand-in (as Charley Cirillo)
Dore Schary .... presenter
John Swope .... technical advisor
Dan Cassell .... stand-in: Cary Grant (uncredited)
Ivy Keene .... stand-in (uncredited)
Jean Nash .... stand-in (uncredited)
Reinhard W. Noack .... German version dubbing director (uncredited)
Charlie Phillips .... stand-in (uncredited)
Kay Phillips .... script supervisor (uncredited)
Pete Weissmuller .... stand-in (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
94 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The pairing of Irene Dunne and Cary Grant was a consistent box office winner and director H.C. Potter wanted Dunne for the role of Muriel Blandings. Unfortunately, she was already working on another RKO film, I Remember Mama (1948), and wasn't available for this production. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Mr. Blandings is questioning Mr. Tesander about why he didn't find water, Mrs. Blandings (Myrna Loy) is holding back laughing. more
Quotes:
Jim Blandings: Nothing, Mary. Just a private joke between me and whoever my analyst is going to be. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 15 people found the following review useful.
Cary Grant at his best, 19 October 2003
Author: didi-5 from United Kingdom

This film is a fantastic showcase for Grant's bewildered man of America, and he always did that so well. The Blandings, a 'typical New York family, on about 15,000 a year', decide to leave their four room apartment in the city and buy a 'dream house' in rural Connecticut.

Of course, this being a comedy, you know it won't go smoothly (you get a good clue as well from Melvyn Douglas' laconic narration here and there, as the Blandings' long-suffering lawyer, and Mrs B's high school sweetheart). First the picturesque little home is a wreck, then they start to plan a substitute (the scene where Mr and Mrs B plan what rooms their new house will have is classic), then everything that can go wrong goes wrong ... on top of this, Grant's harrassed advertising executive has to find a slogan for the bete noire of his company, Wham! ham.

My particular favourite scenes involve Myrna Loy, perfect as Mrs B, instructing which colours of paint each room will have; and a little room at the top of the house which regularly traps Grant inside. A highly recommended RKO goodie, this film. Hugely enjoyable.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Favorite scene... lorene-lavora
the room Loy wanted momsabeach
Real Mr Blandings Houses Were Built Across the US ghirkyn
Good, but not as good as the book sixpetite
How much was $30,000 back then? tonyhamm
Remake of this movie starring Ice Cube? boongieman
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