Blondie Meets the Boss

"Blondie Meets the Boss" is the second of two dozen Blondie and Dagwood films. It's pleasant enough viewing but the darker tone of the film makes it among my least favorite I've seen so far.

The story begins with the Bumstead family about to go on vacation. However, Mr. Dithers informs Dagwood he cannot go and he MUST complete some business deal. Well, not surprisingly, Dagwood is angry and he quits his job then and there. When he returns home, he tells the wife...and she goes to talk to Mr. Dithers. Surprisingly, he offers her Dagwood's job 'to teach him a lesson'.

At the same time, Dagwood listens to his idiotic neighbor and takes a fishing trip (leaving Baby Dumpling with his aunt). However, the neighbor is a real Cassanova and the trip includes women...and these are two married men. Dagwood soon leaves...he's just not the cheating kid of guy. But photos taken during this brief outing come back to haunt him when Blondie finds them and thinks the worst.

I didn't particularly like the idea of this sweet and loving couple planning on getting a divorce. It seemed untrue to the characters. Still, the film is entertaining and Baby Dumpling has a few good lines here and there. Pleasant but a tad disappointing.

Dagwood! Dagwood! Watch out!! That feather in Blondie's 1930's hat is going to stab you!

Great entry in the popular series. The laughs seldom let up, nor does the action. Expert comedic timing from director Strayer along with versatile cast. Seems Dagwood 'quits'-- oops, I mean 'resigns'-- his job when he doesn't get his awaited vacation. So who does Dithers hire in his place. Why Blondie, of course, which angers breadwinner daddy. Now they're going separate ways, while things aren't helped by romantic mix-ups, especially when Dad goes fishing and Mom gets her own office. But, oh my gosh, will they ever get back together. And what will Baby Dumpling and Daisy do now. Stay tuned.

I wish I knew how off-camera coaches got dog Daisy and 4-year old Dumpling (Simms) to perform as well as they do. Check out how expertly each brings off their various tricks. I hope Daisy got extra kibbles. Then too, check out the nostalgic jitterbug contest defying gravity's laws. I hope the youngsters got extra bottles of Pepsi. Anyway, an addled Dagwood and a nonplussed Blondie keep the chuckles coming, showing why Lake and Singleton remain a truly inspired pairing. In my view, there's more comedy delight here than in most star-studded efforts of the 1950's, especially. Meanwhile, postmen, Look Out! The one man stampede is coming your way.

I know there was another Blondie movie called "Blondie Takes A Vacation". It was pretty weird watching them about to do just that, but then it turned into something completely different. This movie features Dagwood accidentally resigning so while trying to get his job back, Blondie ends up getting his job instead! There's actually a pretty big subplot about how Dagwood accidentally holds a woman in a boat. It turns out this is mostly pointless because he kisses her later anyway. It was interesting to be introduced to all of these movies through Leonard Maltin's movie guide.

Of course, now it's in a separate guide. They actually got a lot done on the first sequel. They even make jokes about Dagwood running over the mailman. That's just the second movie out of twenty-seven! The funniest part was easily when Blondie got mad and then it showed stock footage of random stuff blowing up! I thought their neighbor was named Herb, but here he's called Marvin. Well, they've probably changed a lot in the seventy years since this movie! ***

Dagwood resigns from the Dithers Construction company when Dithers wants him to postpone his long awaited vacation to close a business deal. Blondie goes to Mr. Dithers to get Dagwood his job back, but he gives her Dagwood's job thinking it would be a good joke to play on Dagwood, who is now taking Blondie's role of housekeeper. Fustrated, Dagwood goes fishing with his neighbor Marvin Williams, who really goes out to escape his nagging wife and meet girls. One of these girls, Francine Rogers, falls for Dagwood, but he darts back for home. The next day Blondie finds a camera belonging to Francine (which has an uncompromising, but innocent photo of Dagwood and Francine) and decides to have the pictures developed, but first has to close a deal with Philpot (a nightclub owner) where Blondie's sister Dot is in a jitterbug contest with Freddie Turner, and Francine works as a singer, who Dagwood has come to explain the loss of her camera. The fireworks fly (literaly). One of the best entries in the series with slapstick galore (Dagwood's jitterbugging, Daisy "dancing", etc.) and overall brilliance from every angle. The script is able to seamlessly combine all the different stories for the various characters and have them come together at the end. Simms has plenty of smart one liners which are said expertly by the four year old. Rating, 10.

Dagwood has a much needed vacation coming up, but Mr. Dithers has other plans for Dag. He has to leave town, and wants Dagwood to run the office for him. But Dagwood says he'll resign first. Dithers quickly accepts his resignation. Now Dags has to find a way to tell Blondie. He,does, so Blondie decides to talk to Dithers. Dagwood is very upset, and takes advice from his neighbor, and goes fishing with him. Turns out his neighbor "goes fishing" only to meet his girlfriend. And he has a girl for Dagwood. Eventually, Dagwood goes back home around 2am. Blondie found out about her neighbor's so called fishing trip, and tells Dagwood if she ever found out the he had another girl, she might feel compelled to kill. By drowning Baby Dumpling and offing her self. So Blondie had a very dark side to her that shocked me. This isn't a spoiler, I don't think. I just wanted to reveal Blondie psychotic side.