I can’t remember whether Chic Young’s comic strip Blondie was funny, but it arose at a time of high originality for comic strips—Dick Tracy and Li’l Abner were there too—and managed to be popular. Blondie (1938), the first in a series of movies adapted from the strip, is funny—a curio strictly out for laughs. Everything from the purchase, despite money problems, of furniture to Dagwood’s alleged unfaithfulness to Blondie brings about zany contretemps.

Dagwood (Arthur Lake) is too dumb to be very likable. Blondie (Penny Singleton) can be a nag, but is good-natured. Singleton has more charm than Lake, although neither overplays the assigned character. Not that every joke works, but congrats to screenwriter Richard Flournoy; and, yes, director Frank Strayer.

I saw this lark on Tubi.