Lullaby of Broadway

source: Lullaby of Broadway

Trailer—Lullaby of Broadway

Light entertainment at its best, a great guilty pleasure for your pc. This film boasts surprisingly strong performances by a solid cast: let's say it, a cast humble enough to throw themselves into an odd sort of film: part melodrama, part musical, part fashion show for its star. Radiating joie-de-vivre, out-singing anyone of her time, serious one moment then tongue-in-cheek the next, Day is a star, an under-rated one these days. Gene Nelson's dancing is important to see if only to better understand Fred Astaire's. The Astaire difference was this: talent, yes, Nelson had it as well, but not the ability to bring us to the brink of something endless through his motions: to make you know he was on the edge of something vast and mysterious; to suggest a whole unseen world by dancing in this one. Bravo, Fred!

After the opening credits run while the title tune plays, Doris Day leaps onto the screen singing "It Was Just One of Those Things," tap dancing in a tux. Her energy level never wavers as she belts out songs from the American canon, by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Harry Warren. "Somebody Loves Me" is a real show stopper, as Day and Gene Nelson sail across the screen with a pair of glass doors as their tap dancing prop. Given that many Hollywood musicals have nonsensical story lines, this one works rather well, with the comical S.Z. Sakall, Billy DeWolfe, and Anne Triola trying to protect Day from the knowledge that her wealthy and successful mother is really a down-and-out alcoholic. Favorite line: "The young at heart never grow old." That certainly describes Doris Day, whose heart has remained as golden as her smile, which lights up the silver screen whenever the camera is on it.

After the opening credits run while the title tune plays, Doris Day leaps onto the screen singing "It Was Just One of Those Things," tap dancing in a tux. Her energy level never wavers as she belts out songs from the American canon, by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Harry Warren. "Somebody Loves Me" is a real show stopper, as Day and Gene Nelson sail across the screen with a pair of glass doors as their tap dancing prop. Given that many Hollywood musicals have nonsensical story lines, this one works rather well, with the comical S.Z. Sakall, Billy DeWolfe, and Anne Triola trying to protect Day from the knowledge that her wealthy and successful mother is really a down-and-out alcoholic. Favorite line: "The young at heart never grow old." That certainly describes Doris Day, whose heart has remained as golden as her smile, which lights up the silver screen whenever the camera is on it.

I just loved this movie. I loved it so much that I was able to choreograph a tap dance piece to Zing With the Strings of My Heart. I took it to many competitions, and won numerous gold and first place trophies and medals. This movie deserves a 10 for excellent!

Overstuffed Warner Bros. vehicle for Doris Day, here playing a nightclub singer who travels from England to New York to be reunited with her mom, a former Broadway star who has fallen on hard times; meanwhile, an elderly B-way producer hires Day for his new show, causing rumors that he's her lover! Since the many musical numbers consist of musty oldies (even for 1951) and the plot is a drag, that only leaves the stars to carry this second-biller, and Day, Gladys Cooper, S.Z. Sakall and Billy de Wolfe are all fun. Gene Nelson is off-putting as Day's romantic lead (he harbors a strangely creepy side which was probably unintentional), although his tap-dance with Doris up a steep flight of steps is breathtaking. An adequate time-filler, and Doris sparkles as usual. ** from ****

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!

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?