Mr Blandings Builds His Dream Garden (photo) 1948 style

[sweep]

We have all seen the iconic 1948 film, "Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House" with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. For those of you who have not it is the story of a New York ad agency writer who lives in a cramped NY apartment with his wife and kids and dreams of living out in the country so he ends up buying a run down Connecticut farm...and well, I'll let you see the film.

I ran across this photo the other day of a 1948 cover of New Yorker magazine that could have been Jim Blandings working out in his garden if there was a sequel to the movie.

Jim would of course have bought the state of the art new Gravely tractor and Myrna Loy in the background appears ready to lay some wise advice that Jim without a doubt will ignore leading to bad consequences.

The neighbor farmer working the horses is probably thinking what in the heck is this NY city dweller doing out in those expensive, latest style work clothes, pipe in mouth, puttering around in his garden.

See the movie on DVD if you have not. It is a film classic.

 

[KennyG]

I can't watch that movie anymore. After being through a few renovations, it hits too close to home. Same with the Tom Hanks movie "Money Pit".

 

[RoyJackson]

See the movie on DVD if you have not. It is a film classic.

Yep...one from Cary Grant's best era...(my personal favorite is "Arsenic and Old Lace").
"Mr. Blandings..." is on TMC now and then, BTW.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

"Mr. Blandings..." is on TMC now and then, BTW.

Yep, I saw part of it once...

 

[dodge man]

Yep, great movie, I've probably watched it 3 times.

 

[JDgreen227]

Never saw the movie, but have the book, read it again recently during the past year. The man was a real optimist, even back then when he had good reason to be. I would love to see a modern, updated version of the story !!!!

 

[RoyJackson]

Never saw the movie, but have the book, read it again recently during the past year. The man was a real optimist, even back then when he had good reason to be. I would love to see a modern, updated version of the story !!!!

"The Money Pit" with Tom Hanks (about 10 or so years back) was pretty close to a remake.

 

[sweep]

Never saw the movie, but have the book, read it again recently during the past year. The man was a real optimist, even back then when he had good reason to be. I would love to see a modern, updated version of the story !!!!

A sequel to the movie was planned and written, called "Blandings Way" but they could not get the Grant/Loy crew back together and it was shelved. Too bad.

BTW: The house in the picture was actually built. Here is what it looks like today. It is the administration headquarters for a park.

IN the movie:

 

[300UGUY]

I can't watch that movie anymore. After being through a few renovations, it hits too close to home. Same with the Tom Hanks movie "Money Pit".

I feel your pain, brother. I bought a rural, run down house, and 25 years later, I am still working on it.