Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House - 1948 - Cary Grant, Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas

This is a film so souffle light that it practically floats off your tv and out the door - but is nonetheless a clever, artful look at life in the 40's. There are not a great many films of the time that attempt a contemporary look at a family, giving good time to both the children and the parents, and I applaud the film for that.
The older Blandings child (Betsy) is played by Connie Marshall, who was quite an up and coming thing herself. She had shot to fame in 'Sunday Dinner for a Soldier' and was best known for 'Dragonwyck',
Mother Wore Tights' and 'Daisy Kenyon' (starring that well known crackpot Joan Crawford). She has this interesting sad eyed mournful thing about her that works really well in this film juxtaposed with Cary Grant's extraordinary sense of the ridiculous.The scene between the two of them at the breakfast table about the Disintegration of Society is a complete cack.

image from www.aveleyman.com

A couple of other not-so-famous people in this film who became famous (or had famous kids) are:

Lex Barker (best known for Tarzan) also makes an appearance in this film. It seems to be fairly apparent that someone has him in mind for greater things. But look, honestly, I don't know how I feel about Lex Barker, given that I have read Cheryl Crane's autobiography. I don't think I am going to put a picture of him up here - it would be like putting Rolf Harris' picture up.

And - Jason Robards - father of the much more famous Jason Robards Jr. He plays Mr Retch - the Project Manager. One suspects, along with the interior designer Bunny Funkhauser, that he had a larger role in the early cuts of the film.

Oh, to be be a young man thinking he had a role in a Cary Grant film, only to find that he had been completely left on the cutting room floor - but for his name. Here's to Bunny Funkhauser.

Poor Bunny
image from:http://www.arts-stew.com/movies/mr-blandings-builds-his-dream-house/

The thing that makes this film so awesome is the standout comedic timing of its three stars. Watch it for that. Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are a comedy duo made in heaven, and Melvyn Douglas's wry observation of their many mishaps made me pretty much want to marry him on the spot as a teenager. Seriously, all credit to him - this was in the middle of a Cary Grant Film. One would assume there would be eyes on no one else by Grant.

They were wrong.

image from: http://immortalephemera.com/35267/melvyn-douglas

The other wacky thing that did not make the cut of the review - Melvyn Douglas has himself a famous granddaughter - Illeana Douglas.

image from: http://www.emmys.com/

Best known for her filmic and personal relationship with Martin Scorsese, Illeana has starred in such films as Cape Fear, New York Storie, To Die For, Ghost World & perhaps is best know for Grace of My Heart. She has spoken of growing up, and visiting her grandfather whilst his film friends were around, people like Myrna Loy and political figures like Gloria Steinem. What an extraordinary time that must have been.

Go check out this lovely lovely film. Even if to watch it again after not having seen it in years. It's worth it.