Simply Perfect

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

If you were that one person in the world who enjoyed watching On Moonlight Bay, you'll be glad to hear they made a sequel! By the Light of the Silvery Moon continues the romance between Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, as well as Doris's family dynamics, led by Leon Ames and Rosemary DeCamp.Just as in the first movie, the title song is the main one plugged throughout the film, with a few very silly songs sprinkled in-between. It has just as watery a romance as the first movie had, and you'll find yourself groaning several times throughout Doris and Gordon's corny, campy scenes. It just goes to show you that two stars with beautiful smiles and beautiful voices can be shepherded into several lousy movies together. It's too bad, really, that none of their five onscreen pairings were very good. You're better off watching Oklahoma! and Romance on the High Seas instead for a fun, but separate, Doris and Gordon marathon.

If Day and McRae don't make the perfect G-rated all-American couple, I don't know who does. It's a generally delightful 100-minutes, though I could have used more of their glowing close ups—they do light up the screen. Musical highlights include the classic title tune and "Ain't We Got Fun"; plus, the just for fun "King Chanticleer" with its clever staging and the delightful "Be My Little Honey Bee". Of course there has to be a story line to hang the musical hats on. Here it's a love note that's mistakenly attributed to Day's father that undermines family solidarity. It's a little heavier than I like, but guess what happens by the end. Anyway, pesky little Billy Gray gets a lot of screen time along with his pet turkey. However, TV's "Father Knows Best" will soon civilize him and maybe his squawky turkey too. But pity poor Russell Arms as the inept extra man. But not to worry, he'll get a good singing role on TV's popular "Your Hit Parade". Then furnishing some bite amidst the happy people is wisecracking Mary Wickes as the cook. She also gets to break the proverbial "fourth wall" by speaking directly to viewers in a movie prologue.Anyway, even playing a tomboy Day has never been sunnier, whether fixing stubborn car engines or waltzing across a ballroom. Nor has small town America and its communal events appeared more ideal. In short, it's Technicolor 1950's America in fine musical form.

A turkey named George threatens to steal the scene here in this Thanksgiving holiday musical which is a follow up to the earlier made "On Moonlight Bay", based upon Booth Tarkington's Penrod stories, itself a remake of a few movies which Warner Brothers made in the 1930's. It is also one of those rare movie sequels which is even better than the original. The film starts off in fine form with that delightful wisecracker, Mary Wickes, narrating directly to the audience who everybody is (just in case you forgot or hadn't seen "On Moonlight Bay"), but telling the audience not to be so nosy when it comes to revealing her own identity. It's just after the end of the first World War and soldier Gordon MacRae is on his way back (with a song on the train of course...) to claim his girl Doris Day from the nerdy neighbor who safeguarded her while MacRae was away.Brother Billy Gray is a detective in training trying to save turkey George from the wrath of the Henry VIII like butcher while parents Leon Ames and Rosemary De Camp prepare for their 20th anniversary. A misunderstanding concerning a visiting actress has Day, Gray and Wickes in a tizzy (treating Ames like a pariah rather than a patriarch) and town gossip (started by telegraph office operator Minerva Urecal) is spreading, leading to the ice-skating scene finale where the entire cast joins together in singing the title song.Innocuous fun, this gives the beloved Wickes one of her best roles and endeared her to audiences even more who had loved her ever since she told Monty Woolley off in "The Man Who Came to Dinner". Day is combination tomboy (initially seen in overalls fixing a car) and lady (she certainly knows how to tone down her feistiness while singing a love song with MacRae), then bombastic in the outrageous on-stage set "King Chantacleer", a campy production number set in a hay-stacked barn with chorus boys dressed up as a variety of foul.Day and MacRae get to help Wickes and DeCamp prepare for Thanksgiving dinner while singing "Ain't We Got Fun?", giving Wickes an amusing moment where she tangos with MacRae, and MacRae serenades passerbys while singing "Just One Girl", his declaration of love for Ms. Do-Da Day. Another musical highlight is the sappy sweet "Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee", a ditty which may gag some listeners with its hokey lyrics, but is funny and amusing for people who appreciate all styles of music.Winter never looked so pretty with its Norman Rockwell like photography, and nostalgic viewers may long for a simpler time with sleigh rides, old fashioned Thanksgivings and Ice Skating on ponds with all your neighbors (no matter what their age) on skates. Day and MacRae, in their last screen appearance together, are as classic a screen couple as Fred and Ginger, Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson and Betty Grable and Dan Dailey, and really should get more credit and appreciation in the historic annals of the movie musical.

I happen to be a fan of Doris Day's so I tend to watch anything of hers I can manage to snag on television or rent from the video store. When I saw this, I was not disappointed. It was cute, funny and some of the songs in the movie were great (like Be My Baby Bumblebee..haha). Gordon McRae, as always, has a wonderful voice and it was nice to see him paired up w/ Doris. Billy Gray as Welsey made me chuckle with the turkey scene..and Mary Wickes as Stella the housekeeper even threw in a few lines that made me chuckle as well. I love watching it any time of the year, but it happens to air around the holidays more..which actually appeals to me. It's nice to be able to relate to a movie especially when it is based around the same time of the year that you are experiencing at that moment. If you have a chance to see it, I would definitely recommend it.