Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
COME ON ALONG AND LISTEN TO........, January 4, 2002
The 1951 Warner Brothers release, "Lullaby of Broadway" was a big success at the box-office. Warners had taken the hit song from one of their big 1930's extravaganzas, dressed it all in pretty technicolor, given it a typical back-stage storyline and filled it with a lot of talented and gifted performers. It was a surefire recipe for success and it succeeded admirably.
From the opening frames when star Doris Day, donned in a tux, ala Eleanor Powell, sings and dances her way delightfully through Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things", the audience is whisked away on a melodic journey. The songs come fast and furious thereby capably keeping the audience from realizing they'd seen the story done before and that the chemistry between Miss Day and co-star Gene Nelson is more like that between a brother and a sister than two sweethearts.
Doris Day arrives in America to visit her mother who she has been led to believe is a great American star. The plot deals with the efforts of those around her in preventing her from realizing the truth. In the meantime Doris meets talented dancer Nelson, they fall in love, and by the end of the picture Day is rendering the ultimate version of the title tune in a lavish number that'll leave a smile on everyones' face.
After only three years of making films, Doris Day easily proves why her rise to superstardom was accompished so quickly. While there is little to challenge her thespian skills, she makes the most of the opportunities presented and is completely winning and natural. It's during the musical sequences that she shows why she was Warner Brothers best musical asset in the late 40's and early 50's. No one else could come close.
Gene Nelson is a very talented and athletic dancer. His "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart" is a kockout. He and Miss Day make a great dancing pair, in particular doing "You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me" and a new song composed for the picture, "I Love The Way You Say Goodnight". As previously noted however, the chemistry Day had with other Warner co-stars such as Gordon MacRae and even Jack Carson, seems to be missing. It throws the picture ever so slightly off balance.
S.Z. Sakall and Florence Bates are a delight in supporting roles, as are Billy DeWolfe and Anne Triola, as musical "staff" to Sakall and Bates. Gladys George, a notable dramatic actress in the 1930's, provides a moving and powerful portrayal as Day's mother and they have a scene together that is extremely effective.
While I don't think it quite measures up to some of Day's other Warners pictures, "Lullaby of Broadway" is nevertheless a tuneful formula picture, blessed with some fine talent and if you're not tapping your feet during Day's snappy rendition of the title tune, then you need to check for a pulse. This is one lullaby that won't put you to sleep.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Watching this is beginning to be a habit with me!!, December 28, 2004
Doris Day is my all time favorite
actress.
Her wonderful dancing, her beautiful voice, and her spectacular acting talent!
This movie is about Melinda Howard (Day) she is coming over on a boat to New York to suprise her mother who is supposed to be famous on broadway and who she hasn't seen in years. On the boat, she meets Tom Farnam who starts playing up the minute he sees her. But she gives him the brush off.
So, she forgets about him, and arrives in New York.
However when she comes to the fancy house that her mother puts on all her letters, she is suprised to find a strange man (Cuddles) and his wife living there. And the butler sure is suprised when she comes bursting in asking for her mother!
But suddenly, the butler (Billy Dewolfe), realizes who the girl is. Because you see, the butler Lefty, is a friend of her mother, who WAS famous on broadway,but really, now, is tough on luck, and sings at a bar! Both her and Lefty, have done everythong in there power to keep this news from Melinda, and our doing a swell job of it.
They merely tell her that she has rented the house, and is on tour. Which she believes.
So, she decides to wait. After all, she says, I haven't saved up all this money to come to just leave!
So she waits.
And who enters the picture again? Tom Farnam (Gene Nelson).
And soon he and Day fall in love.
But not without troubles, which I will not spoil for you!
This movie includes wonderful dance sequences by Day and Nelson.
Also splendid songs. Overall, this is a wonderful movie, and I recommend it highly!!
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST SEE IF YOU'RE A DORIS DAY FAN!!!!, August 17, 1999
By A Customer
Doris Day is enchanting as Melinda Howard, in this 1950s classic. The songs will have you're toes tapping! This movie is touching, romantic, funny, and most of all entertaining. It is sure to delight both young and old alike. If you are fan of Doris Day, or even if you're not, Lullaby of Broadway, is a must for any movie collection!!!
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