Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (DVD)

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The film was directed by H.C. Potter ("Mr. Lucky," "The Farmer's Daughter," "The Time of Your Life") from a best-selling novel by Eric Hodgins. Not everything in the movie works, of course. The film's pacing, for instance, especially in the beginning, seems tepid and slow, and the apartment environs seem almost claustrophobic, but both elements are intended to establish the constrictive atmosphere of city living. Additionally, Blandings developing a jealousy about his wife and best friend overcomplicates what is essentially a very modest plot, but it was probably in the book and does no harm. Moreover, the Southern California countryside that attempts to fill in for Connecticut is slightly disadvantageous, but this, too, is of little consequence. The film's good humor and stubbornly upbeat cheerfulness prevail.

Video:
Warner Bros. apparently found an excellent print of the film in their vaults, because while it does not appear to be a restored edition, it is very clean. The Academy standard, 1.33:1 ratio, black-and-white reproduction is not as strongly contrasted as it probably would have been when new, and there are occasional tiny age flecks noticeable, but otherwise the picture is quite good, if, as I say, a little faded. Some minor line flutters can be seen in things like window shutters and checkered clothing, and a very light grain shows up in broad white areas of the screen, but it's nothing of concern.

Audio:
The film's sound is probably close to what would have been heard in theaters of its day, here reproduced via Dolby Digital 1.0 monaural. It is commendably clear, with almost no background noise unless turned up to unnecessarily high volume. The dynamic and frequency ranges are limited, as expected, but the all-important midrange is well defined and thankfully free of the hardness that sometimes accompanies older soundtracks.

Extras:
I was surprised that WB executives were able to find as many bonus items as they did to complement the movie. First, there are two radio broadcasts of the show, one for the Lux Radio Theater (October 10, 1949) with Grant and Irene Dunne, and a second for the Screen Directors Playhouse (June 9, 1950) with Grant and Betsy Drake. Next, there's a vintage cartoon, "The House of Tomorrow," that contains a couple of cute gags. And then there's a Cary Grant trailer gallery containing trailers for ten of Grant's films: "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," "North By Northwest," "Night and Day," "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," "Bringing Up Baby," "My Favorite Wife," "Destination Tokyo," "Gunga Din," "Arsenic and Old Lace," and "The Philadelphia Story." The extras conclude with twenty-five scene selections; English as the only spoken language; and English, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Parting Thoughts:
I hope I've made it obvious that I like "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" a lot. I liked it the first time I saw it on TV in the 1950s and again this latest time I watched it on DVD. It is not a film classic, to be sure, but it is lighthearted, throwaway fun that bears up well to repeat viewing.

The movie may be purchased on its own or in a Warner Brothers box set, "The Cary Grant Signature Collection," with four other Grant features: "Destination Tokyo," "Night and Day," "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," and "My Favorite Wife." None of these may be counted among Grant's very best films, but they do show off his range of talents.

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