Lullaby of Broadway (1951)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This is not one of the great film musicals, but it's quite good. Certainly there's an abundance of great songs, such as "Somebody Loves Me" and the title song. The color photography is great and the sets are very good.Despite the quality of her voice, I always preferred Doris Day in dramas and some of the romantic comedies of later years. She wasn't as polished her in terms of acting as she later became, but she did well. I was quite impressed with her dancing in this film, particularly the closing number on the steps.Gene Nelson, her co-star here, never really hit the big time in terms of acting or dancing. His dancing is quite good, but after a while I began to feel it was more flash and less finesse than you might see from, for example, Astaire or Kelly. And, somehow he just didn't appeal to me as a leading man. Not bad; not great.S.Z. Sakall is around as the older man who appears to be having an affair with young Doris Day. He's always fun to watch, though he almost always had only one character.I always thought Billy De Wolfe was quite a funny supporting actor who never got his fair share of films. Ah well. I enjoy him when I do run across him. Florence Bates is a very good character actress and has some good supporting scenes here.While there's not a lot to stand up and cheer about this film, neither is there much to complain about. Very middle of the road musical that's worth a watch if you are into musicals or Doris Day.

An absolute tremendous Doris Day-Gene Nelson musical. Why? There is a great plot here which was similar in a musical way to "Lady for A Day," which later became a Bette Davis-Ann Margret-Glenn Ford remake of "Pocketful of Miracles." Besides the wonderful plot of washed up boozy actress (Gladys George) having her daughter live abroad while she is a chanteuse at a broken singing lounge. Of course, the mayhem begins when Day plans a surprise visit and goes to the house where her mother has said she has lived all these years.The house is inhabited by S.Z. Sakall a Broadway producer, who knew George in her day, and is penny pinching, ever suspicious wife, Florence Bates. Billy De Wolfe and Anne Triola, both formerly of the stage and a friend to the George character, are valets there so that's how George was able to give out the address.The hilarity starts when Sakall starts taking out Day, creating a jealous Nelson and infuriating Bates, the latter suing for divorce naming Day as the correspondent!While all this is occurring, love blossoms between Nelson and Day, and they get involved in a forthcoming show-"Lullaby of Broadway."Day sings hit songs of the period and Nelson, of course, dances up a storm in this lively, entertaining wonderful film.

If you can leave reality at the door, you're going to enjoy LULLABY OF Broadway. Doris returns from Europe hoping to surprise her mother who she thinks is a big Broadway star. She actually has fallen on bad times and is singing in a dive the the Village. When Doris arrives to her mothers supposedly grand home, the staff covers and says her mother is on tour. Instead of fretting, why doesn't she just ask what show and what city she is in? Then, of course, there would be no plot which is almost plot less anyway. Another "leave reality at the door" is when Gene Nelson at a gala says to Doris, "Hey, let's do that number we've been rehearsing" Then is seconds the full chorus and costumes and scenery appear!!! What?? Aside from that I really enjoyed this movie. Great numbers and wonderful acting by all. Too bad the story wasn't as good as the other aspects. This is part of the Doris Day collection and is certainly worth a look, implausible as it is. But then aren't all musicals?

Another of my most enjoyable movie musicals with my favorite star, Doris Day, singing and dancing with Gene Nelson. I'll never forget the tap dance they did together going up a staircase-fantastic! An excellent cast includes Gladys George, and two of the funniest men around in the 50s: cute S.Z. Sakall and that buggy-eyed looney Billy DeWolfe who will tickle your funnybone. Sakall played in most of Doris' musicals and he is a character to remember! Whatever happened to Gene Nelson? He was surely a fine dancer!