Customer Reviews

By the Light of the Silvery Moon [VHS]

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the annual Quigley Poll of the top ten box-office attractions in America conducted at the end of 1952, Doris Day was determined to be the top money-making female star in films. "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", released in 1953, was her first film release after achieving that honor. "Moon" was a deserved success and certainly worthy of Day's position within the industry at that time.
"By the Light of the Silvery Moon" is the tuneful follow-up to the very popular 1951 hit for Warner Brothers, "On Moonlight Bay". Like its predecessor, it recalls another time and place in America, directly after World War I, bathing it in a nostalgic warmth and glow in stunning technicolor and reassembling most of the cast from the earlier film.
The characters and story are very loosely based on the "Penrod" series of stories written by Booth Tarkington.
Marjorie and Bill, the sweethearts of the piece, are played by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, in their 5th and final on-screen pairing. They harmonize beautifully and play their scenes with genuine and totally unaffected warmth and believability. Watching Day, it's easy to see why see held the lofty position within the industry that she held for so long. Her natural likeability and never cloying manner are soothing and when she sings, as she does frequently, one is transported to a safe and comfortable haven.
The songs include the title tune, "If You Were the Only Girl in the World" and "Ain't We Got Fun" to name but a few.
The remaining members of Marjorie's family are back from the earlier effort and seem to be more a family than ever before. Leon Ames is part bluster/part patriarch, while Rosemary DeCamp, as usual, is better than much of the material Hollywood generally gave her to work with. Billy Gray is appropriately rowdy but skillfully avoiding the obnoxious elements as Wesley and Mary Wickes, as she is prone to do, shines in every scene she plays, a natural treasure as one of the most unique character actresses in film history.
If you look quickly in the beautifully staged skating sequence near the film's conclusion, you'll spot Merv Griffin talking through a megaphone and urging everyone to skate with their sweetheart. Doris Day was responsible for getting Griffin a contract at Warners, which launched his career. In 1970, she made her first ever talk show appearance on his program.
"By the Light of the Silvery Moon" is as substantial as a Hallmark Card brought to life but thanks to a fine cast headed by Day, who smoothly mixes the various facets of her character, some great tunes, a lightweight plot that never gets in the way of the music and some fine Warner Brothers production values, it works.
By the final credits you care so much about these characters that you almost wish Warner Brothers had done one more chapter to the story. The light in this moon certainly becomes everyone involved.

I loved this movie, almost as much as Calamity Jane. If you like good moral values and humor, like it used to be. Then this is the movie for you. It's how life should be. You can have fun dreaming! Doris' voice is so beautiful it will tear your heart out. But like I said I am bias. So you have probally wasted your time reading this. Sorry!!!

Though I loved the first movie "On Moonlight Bay," I have to admit that I loved this sequel even more. Gordon MacRae looks awfully handsome and his gorgeous voice just makes you fall in love with him. Doris Day looks even prettier than in the first movie with her blond hair all done up. There's so much chemistry between MacRae and Day that their romance bursts with believability.
The musical numbers are adorable and fun, you literally feel like you've stepped right into their world and become part of the Winfield clan. Like the first movie, though, once you get to the end, you'll be sorry it's over! Highly recommended!

Following the huge box office success of ON MOONLIGHT BAY, plans were immediately made for a sequel, reuniting all the key cast members and using the continuing 'Penrod' stories as the plotline.

Marjorie (Doris Day) is eagerly awaiting the return of Bill Sherman (Gordon MacRae) following the end of WWI, though their romance seems to have cooled. Bill now partially regrets proposing so hurridly and now wants to wait until his financial situation is more stable.

All kinds of funny subplots occur throughout the film, the highlight being Wesley (Billy Gray) thinking his father (Leon Ames) is having an affair with a visiting French movie star (Maria Palmer)! Also on hand are Rosemary DeCamp as the patient mother, and Mary Wickes as wisecracking housekeeper Stella.

Doris Day and Gordon MacRae sing the Title Song and "Ain't We Got Fun?", whilst Day has a ball with the rousing "King Chanticleer".

A just about-perfect sequel.

This was a great movie! Our whole family enjoyed watching it. The antics of Doris's little brother were hilarious! The scene where she fixes the car on their way home from a dance, and her fiance takes credit for it was priceless. I liked the story because it accurately portrayed the everyday trials and tribulations of each of the characters, i.e., the mother, father, daughter, son, beau, boyfriend...even the housekeeper. In spite of all the miscommunications, misunderstandings, anger, etc., forgivness reigns, and love wins out. If you like traditional values and comedy, you'll love this movie.

THIS IS PURE CLEAN FUN, IT IS CUTE AND DORIS DAY AND GORDON MACRAE MAKE A CUTE PAIR. IT IS A GREAT FAMILY FILM THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD. WORTH OWNING.

They don't make 'em like this anymore. Adapted from the Penrod series by Booth Tarkington, the film stars Doris Day and Gordon McCrae with a fine supporting cast.

In actuality the film is stolen by Billy Gray as Doris' younger brother Wesley. Gray (who later as a teenager played Bud on the TV hit FATHER KNOWS BEST) is simply perfect in his performance. It has never received the attention it deserves and compares with the best of more famous child actor efforts. His scenes with Maria Palmer (Wesley's teacher) are classics.

The songs are fine and the plot ambles along amiably with something for everyone. Family fare at its' best. Pop some popcorn, plop in the video and enjoy!

By The Light of the Silvery Moon is the sequel to On Moonlight Bay, and virtually as good. Both movies are an effective blend of comedy, music, and nostalgia. All the same characters are here, Doris Day as Marjorie Winfield, Leon Ames and Rosemary De Camp as her parents, Billy Gray her little brother Wesley -- the character based on Penrod Schofield of Booth Tarkington's books -- Mary Wickes as the cook, and of course Gordon MacRae as her fiancee just returned from fighting World War One.

This one involves Wesley in a scheme to rescue their thanksgiving turkey by substituting one stolen from his father's boss, and Wesley delivering what appears to be a love letter to an actress he imagines is some sort of spy trying to seduce his father.

Outstanding among the musical numbers is Gordon MacRae's rendition of "Not My Girl," with a song & dance performance almost comparable to Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain." Of course MacRae's dancing isn't as perfect as Kelly's, but here he makes an impressive effort. There's also an entertaining ice-skating finale.

In terms of comedy and music, I think this one is not quite as good as On Moonlight Bay, but it looks like they spent more on production, so overall it's virtually as good. If the first movie's a '10' then this one's a '9.9' so they both get five stars here.

This is the sequel to the film On Moonlight Bay (1951) and the entire main cast of the first film returns to entertain you. Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, Billy Gray and Mary Wickes. Everything is still the same. Same house. The front door window has been fixed. Gordon MacRae will be coming home from the war soon. Doris thinks she is going to get married to him as soon as he is back in town, but what she does not realize is that the war has given Gordon a much more mature look at life.
The cute romance is still there, but will these two ever get married?
Look quick for a young Merv Griffin at the ice-skating pond.

I saw this movie for the first time when my music teacher lent it to me. It's more of a Christmas movie, but it's a wonderful love story. The music was wonderful. I was disappointed at the end. I was expecting them to get married. The two leads sre played by Doris Day and Gordon MacRae (he did wonderful in Oklahoma! and Carousel) They can also both be seen together in On Moonlight Bay and Tea For Two.