On Moonlight Bay (1951)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This would be a most enjoyable period musical if it weren't for the fact that Penrod has the lion's share of the action. True, some of this material is quite amusing. We like the cleverly directed sequence in the schoolroom with suspense supplied by an iris mask around a roving camera and an amazing bit of special effects work. But unfortunately Penrod out-stays his welcome. There's just too much of him. The script also lets interest suffer by being less taut than its sequel "By the Light of the Silvery Moon". In fact it's so episodic in construction, we can only conclude that the original Tarkington novel is more like a series of inter-related short stories.Now the movie's good points. Doris Day as usual is an absolute delight. She looks great in Technicolor and period costumes too. And she has a full repertoire of nostalgic songs and dances. MacRae also is in pleasant voice. We especially love the sequence in which he kids the title tune — "Must have been written by a guy with a glass of beer in one hand and a rhyming dictionary in the other!" Another scene to anticipate is his confrontation with the carnival sharpie (deftly played by Eddie Marr). Day's first meeting with MacRae is a gem. A pity the fun doesn't continue on this high level right to the fade-out but is sidetracked firstly by Penrod's more involved escapades and secondly by the script's descent into jingoism and bathos.Leading an especially strong support cast, Jack Smith makes a notable contribution to the fun. His work alone as Doris' relentlessly stuffy suitor makes the picture worth seeing. I like his singing too. Oddly, this is the only film I have for him. (Perhaps he was a TV identity).OTHER VIEWS: For pity's sake, here's a re-make of Penrod with Doris Day, glossy Technicolor and A-1 production values. Although she receives top billing, Doris actually takes second place to Penrod (now called Wesley and here band-box packaged without his little friend) and his occasionally bright but often boring family (Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, and Mary Wickes of the running joke swinging doors). Penrod's scrapes rather than Marjorie's occupy center stage. They start off as humorous, but end up tedious. The script is not so much one or two taut plots, but a series of short stories strung very loosely together. Just when you think the proceedings have come to a merciful end, yet another story starts off.Undeterred, the players all act most enthusiastically through this slapstick charade. They play in fact as if their lines and characters were the funniest in the world. (In the early 1950s, funny families reached their zenith of popularity, both in the movies and on television. Compare Paramount's Dear Ruth series in which the Penrod changeling is a teenage Mona Freeman).True, the movie starts off most promisingly. MacRae sings the cornball title song with appropriate irony, but unfortunately this witty excursion is but a side trip from the more routine and often lackluster domestic mishaps to come.It's a shame that Doris has such a comparatively small part, too often playing second fiddle to Billy Gray. She does have some agreeable songs, however, though perhaps not as many as Mr. MacRae. What we do see and hear of her is most attractive.Although the direction is mostly smoothly routine, it does have its stylish moments. Photography, sets and costumes are suitably bright. Production values are breathtakingly glossy.In all, "On Moonlight Bay" would be a charming musical comedy if its makers had tried a recipe with a lot more music and a lot less "comedy". — JHR writing as George Addison.

Despite the Day-MacRae pairing the movie's not exactly a musical, the numbers being few and far between. Instead, the storyline is more like a down-home romantic comedy set in 1917. In fact, young Billy Gray gets as much screen time as Day. That's not to say the results are not generally delightful, especially the first part. But MacRae later disappears for a surprising period, while Day's presence is also intermittent. Somehow I suspect there may be a backstory here, even though the results are consistently entertaining.It's a fine cast, Day never fresher nor lovelier, MacRae as handsome as ever, along with stuffy dad Ames and sweet mom DeCamp. And for comedic effect, it's a surprisingly accomplished Gray as the impish son and Wickes as the sarcastic cook. On the other hand, there's tuneful singer Jack Smith in thankless role as nerdy extra man. It appears he's taking up some slack in MacRae's absence. Nonetheless, the pairing of the leads is almost picture perfect.The plot has daughter Day falling for unconventional neighbor McRae of whom her conventional banker dad (Ames) disapproves. So how can their true love blossom, especially when her mischievous little brother (Gray) is always up to something amusingly disruptive. Somehow, though, you know things will work out.A couple of points to note—catch Mom's pressing Day to enhance her natural attributes with a pair of falsies worn for the big dance. That really surprised me. After all, the 50's were the big airbrushed decade; plus, falsies amount to an ironic comment on the Monroes, Mansfields, and Russells of the decade. Also, having hero MacRae talk down our conventional economy, primarily the role of banks, seems a risky move for the movie's hero in that Cold War period. Then too, unless I missed something, he never recants those sentiments.Despite the occasional edginess, it's still a fun film full of candybox colors and the two charming leads. But fans looking for big production numbers may be disappointed.

On Moonlight Bay is a musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth, it is about the Winfield family in the early part of the 20th century. Banker George Winfield and his family move into a new big house in a small town in Indiana.18 year old tomboy Marjorie (Doris Day) falls for William (Gordon MacRae) the young man next door, with the help of her mother she is transformed into a beautiful young woman.Her father does not approve of William with his radical world view that some young students like him have such as disliking bankers and not believing in marriage. Things change when William signs up to fight in the Great War.The film is a nostalgic look at small time America and a comedic take on inter generational differences. However despite the chemistry between the cast, parts of the story just seemed to grate as well as having similarities to Meet Me in St Louis.

Released in 1951, On Moonlight Bay could be dismissed as homespun hokum and homilies. But its gentle humor and its ability to capture an era (in film if not in reality) makes it worthwhile viewing.Drawn from the writings of Booth Tarkington and set in Indiana during WWI, the film depicts all-American middle America with a simplicity that only hindsight and Hollywood (and Disney) can achieve. But the songs of that era were innocent and vapid (consider I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles). Thank goodness the film is graced with a talented cast that can rise above it all.At this point in their careers, Doris Day and Gordon McCrae were making a name for themselves. Their greatest film successes would follow in a few years. Here we get McCrae jauntily singing light-hearted ditties, not belting out Broadway songs like he would later in Oklahoma and Carousel. He does very well--a perfect complement to Day's lilting vocals.The humor fits the story perfectly. It feels like it came from someone's diary.Lastly, I found the acting of Billy Gray (who plays younger brother Wesley) to be remarkable for his age. His portrayal is mostly comic, but he brings nuance and complexity in his expressions.For a dose of nostalgia and some hummable melodies, I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys kind-hearted entertainment.