It's a Great Life
Cast & Crew
Frank Strayer
Penny Singleton
Arthur Lake
Larry Simms
Daisy
Hugh Herbert
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
The Bumstead household is in turmoil as wife and mother Blondie is trying to feed her daughter Cookie in the kitchen while the family dog Daisy and her pups race through the house, two workmen are waxing floors in the front of the house, and son Baby Dumpling and his pal, Alvin Fuddle, are hosting their neighborhood gang in the backyard. Dagwood, the head of the household, blissfully snoozes through the discord until Blondie awakens him and he receives a phone call from J. C. Dithers, his real estate developer boss, instructing him to buy a house. Unable to hear over the roar of the floor waxing machines, Dagwood thinks that Dithers has ordered him to buy a horse, and proceeds to the address to purchase the animal. Dagwood and his new acquisition arrive at the office just as Dithers is being examined by a panel of insurance doctors. Upon learning of Dagwood's mistake, Dithers' blood pressure skyrockets and he throws Dagwood out of his office. When Dagwood tries to return the animal to its original owner, the man tells him he has already cashed the check. Wearily, Dagwood leads Reggie, the horse, home and ties him outside the house while he tries to explain to Blondie that he has brought home a house guest. When Reggie wanders into the house, Blondie is horrified to learn that Dagwood paid two hundred dollars for the beast. After promising Blondie that he will sell the horse, Dagwood leads Reggie out to the backyard and improvises a stable for him. The next morning, as Dagwood runs for his bus, Reggie follows, causing him to miss his ride to work. When Blondie suggests that he ride Reggie to work, Dagwood, who has never ridden a horse, mounts Reggie backwards and proceeds to the office. Dagwood and Reggie arrive just as Dithers is in the process of closing an important real estate deal with Timothy Brewster, an eccentric millionaire who loves horses. After Reggie, who has followed Dagwood up the stairs, walks into Dithers' office, Brewster ends all discussion about the deal and devotes his attention to the horse. When Collender Martin, Dithers' business rival, unexpectedly arrives, he tries to court Brewster. As Brewster leaves the office, he invites Reggie's owner to a fox hunt at his estate the next morning. Determined to take advantage of the situation, Martin hurries to the Bumstead house and purchases Reggie from Blondie. That night, the Bumsteads are surprised by a midnight visit from Dithers, who has come to praise Dagwood's ingenuity in interesting Brewster in his horse. Just as Dagwood informs Dithers that Reggie has been sold to his competitor, the horse wanders back home and is joyously welcomed by the Bumsteads and Dithers. Soon after, Martin arrives, looking for his horse, and Blondie tears up the check that he has given her. The next morning, Dithers and Dagwood take Reggie to the Brewsters', and Martin, brandishing his bill of sale for Reggie, appears and gives the horse to Brewster. As a souvenir of his time with Reggie, Dagwood, dressed for the hunt, poses for a photograph while mounted on the horse's back. At that moment, Reggie rears up and gallops away furiously to join the pack. After a mad ride, Dagwood finds the fox trapped in a tree and thinking that it is a dog, releases him, gathers the animal in his arms and rides to the house, where he is proclaimed the victor of the hunt. Brewster is so impressed by Dagwood's horsemanship that he closes the deal with Dithers. Reggie and Daisy then say goodbye to one another and Reggie gallops off to join his new owner.
Director
Frank Strayer
Cast
Penny Singleton
Arthur Lake
Larry Simms
Daisy
Hugh Herbert
Jonathan Hale
Danny Mummert
Alan Dinehart
Douglas Leavitt
Irving Bacon
Marjorie Ann Mutchie
Si Jenks
Ray Walker
Dickie Dillon
George Nokes
Fred Chapman
Buz Buckley
John Kelly
Dink Trout
Jack Lowe
Emory Parnell
Hal Price
Douglass Drake
Alec Craig
Hal Taliaferro
Edward Fielding
Stanley Andrews
Mary Jane Carey
David Newell
John Rice
Stanley Brown
Frank Sully
Douglas Wood
Andrew Tombes
Crew
Rex Bailey
Lionel Banks
Al Clark
Karen De Wolf
John Goodrich
Walter Holscher
Joseph Kish
Connie Lee
L. W. O'connell
M. W. Stoloff
Frank Strayer
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Blondie Buys a Horse. The above-listed onscreen credits May have been altered for re-release by King Features Syndicate. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, this was Hugh Herbert's first assigment under his term contract at Columbia. For additional information on the series, please consult the Series Index and see the entry for Blondie! in AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.0391.
