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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Movie Reviewed: On the Moonlight Bay, starring Doris Day

Movie Reviewed: On the Moonlight Bay, starring Doris Day

It is a wonderful life at the Moon Light Bay

I am a big fan of Doris Day, but I can’t help but remember MGM’s stellar classic “Meet Me in St. Louis” starring Judy Garland. Similarities are stunning; the parents of Marjorie Winfield (Doris Day) in this movie look and act similar to parents in “Meet Me in St Louis.” The story is very similar and some critics suggested that this is Warner Brothers version of MGM’s Christmas classic. But anyone who likes Doris Day and the musicals would love this movie. In fact this movie was such a hit that the studio filmed another direct sequel “By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)” with all the actors playing the same characters.

The story is about the Winfield family who move into a small town in Indiana. Marjorie Winfield, the daughter of the family begins to romance William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) who lives across the street. Tomboy Marjorie slowly transforms herself into a beautiful young lady. Although Doris Day and Gordon MacRae are little old for the roles they play but their romance picks up and both display their vocal abilities in a number of songs. Jack C. Smith plays the role of Doris' persistent suitor who won't take no for an answer. Ellen Corby is a wonderful schoolteacher who tries to straighten the misbehaving Billy Gray, the brother of Doris Day and Mary Wickes as a maid who is constantly dropping the silverware. This is an outstanding movie despite the fact it has strong resemblance to “Meet Me in St. Louis.” I highly recommend this musical to all the fans of Doris Day.

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