On Moonlight Bay DVD with Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Jack Smith (NR) +Movie Reviews

A MELODIC SAIL ON MOONLIGHT BAY

Paul Brogan | Portsmouth, NH United States | 12/12/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By 1951 Doris Day had become one of the most valuable assets at Warner Brothers. She was their number one female box-office draw and as a follow-up to her hugely popular 1950 musical with Gordon MacRae, "Tea for Two" the pair were teamed up again (their 3rd teaming in fact) in the technicolor "On Moonlight Bay".Loosely based on the "Penrod" tales by Booth Tarkington, "Bay" is a nostalgic, lovingly created look at small town Americana, a world that might not have existed quite as it is depicted but a place we'd like to believe really was.Doris Day is a tomboy, more at home on the baseball field or fixing a car than in a dress. The arrival of the boy next door changes some of that, though not all. Her precocious brother Wesley is the devil incarnate. Mom and Dad spend a lot of time scratching their heads in bemused wonderment at their youngsters antics, and the family maid is erascible but likeable. It's all tied up with gorgeous technicolor photography and a lot of lovely music.Some critics have carped that it's Warners version of "Meet Me in St. Louis" but "On Moonlight Bay" can stand on its own merits thanks to a great cast and some genuinely sweet and funny moments.Doris is perfect as Marjorie, effectively balancing the tomboy and blossoming young lady elements of her character and singing in that gorgeous voice that is distinctly her own. Gordon MacRae is stalwart as the object of her affection and it's obvious that the two have a genuine feeling for one another. They remained good friends until his untimely passing. Their rendition of "Till We Meet Again" is outstanding.It's easy to believe that the cast is really a family. Leon Ames and Rosemary DeCamp as the parents are warmly winning. In 1984 I had the pleasure of joining Miss DeCamp and her husband, a retired California Judge at an awards dinner and we talked about this film among others and she glowed as she discussed the on-set atmosphere and interactions of the cast.Bill Gray (of "Father Knows best" fame) is delightful and funny as Wesley, and who could have played the family maid better than Mary Wickes. This was the 1st of 4 on-screen roles opposite Day who was a lifelong friend. In addition Wickes did a very funny guest shot on Day's CBS Television series in 1969."On Moonlight Bay" was such a huge success for Warners that two years later they reteamed most of the cast for an equally popular sequel, "By the Light of the Silvery Moon".Take a sail on Moonlight Bay and you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy the trip."

On Moonlight Bay Is A #1

Chris | Leeds, Utah United States | 04/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Marjorie Winfield(Doris Day) and her family move to a new town so her father George Winfield (Leon Ames) can be living closer to the bank that he works at along with his wife Mrs. Winfield (Rosemary Camp), Wesley Winfield (Billy Gray). Their she meets and falls in love with William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) at first her parents are all for it until they find out that he doesn't support marriage and that he hates banks. Which Mr. Winfield is the president of the Town Bank! So they have a lot of fun with everything fun that they do! Their are a lso a lot of other fun songs that are being sung like Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee, And On Moonlight Bay. This is one Movie Musical that you are for sure to enjoy!"

Innocent romantic classic!

Veronica L. Rivera | Glendale, CA United States | 04/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Outspoken college boy, William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) falls for tomboy Marjorie Winfield (Doris Day) in this fun romantic musical set in a small Indiana town in the early 1900's. After accidentally shooting him and missing in the barn, Marjorie gives up baseball and embarks on a series of romantic adventures with the handsome William.
Their romance is sweet and innocent from beginning to end. They share their first date at the Moonlight Bay amusement park where they enjoy a canoe ride, dance a two-step, win a kewpie doll, and share their first kiss. They sing beautiful songs together and to each other like "Cuddle Up A Little Closer," "Till We Meet Again," and many more.
They also face opposition from Marjorie's father and a near elopement as they find themselves being separated by William's enlistment in the army during WWI.
The nostalgic atmosphere created by the period music, clothes, and sets is unforgettable from the houses to the streets to the old fashioned school house. If you want to get lost in an old-fashioned romance and bring to life the feeling of old town Americana, then this movie is it!!"

Fun, Fun

Barbara Owen | Bremerton, Washington United States | 02/26/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a sequel movie to By The Light Of The Silvery Moon and is really funny. Great for the whole family. Doris Day and Gordon Macrae make a cute pair. The kids will love it too!"

Second only to Meet Me In St. Louis for musical nostalgia

R. Christenson | Pine, CO USA | 06/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you liked Meet Me In Saint Louis and would like more of the same technicolor musical-comedy nostalgia mix, On Moonlight Bay is more of the same (as well as it's sequel, By The Light of the Silvery Moon). In fact, Doris Day's father in these films is played by Leon Ames, the quintessential turn-of-the-century middle-class American father, who also played Judy Garland's father in Meet Me In Saint Louis.

Day plays a teen-age girl, Marjorie Winfield, who's just at the age where she still wants to play baseball, but her father wants her to meet refined young men, who include Gordon MacRae (Oklahoma).

Doris Day displays her talents fully in this feature, both singing and acting, and acting while singing while eating an apple. But in my opinion the show is stolen by her daydreaming little brother Wesley Winfield, a character based on Penrod Schofield from the novels of Booth Tarkington, played very naturally by Billy Gray (later to portray Bud Anderson on Father Knows Best). Wesley get's into a series of misadventures comparable to Tom Sawyer, Dennis the Menace, even Bart Simpson. For instance, caught daydreaming about flying out of his chair at school, he talks his way out of punishment by telling his teacher, Ellen Corby (later to portray Grandma Walton), the plot of a film he'd seen as though it were real, accusing his father of drunkeness and abuse in the process. That's straigh out of Penrod, Chapters 7-10. Wesley get's a big pocket knife and sling shot for his birthday, and gets a chance to play with his neighbor's loaded gun; that's one thing you won't see in modern movies, let alone Doris Day's lovely singing.

Filling out the cast are Rosemary DeCamp (The Story Of Seabiscuit, The Treasure of Lost Canyon, 13 Ghosts) as Mrs. Winfield, and Mary Wickes (Father Dowling Mysteries) as the cook. Both Ellen Corby and Mary Wickes had some of the most distinguished careers as character actresses in movies and TV, both working regularly from the 1930s through the 1990s.

On Moonlight Bay's funny, romantic, entertaining and uplifting throughout; if you don't care for the nostalgia,it's still recommended for the music; and if you don't care for the circa 1917 songs, it's still recommended for the comedy."

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	On Moonlight Bay Actors: Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Jack Smith, Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp Director: Roy Del Ruth Genres: Comedy, Musicals & Performing Arts NR 2007 1hr 35min sical about a family that moves to a small Indiana town and their tomboy daughter who begins a romance with the neighbor across the street, who bears radically unconventional views on love and money.
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