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!

In a different perspective of the plot for Lady For A Day, Warner Brothers gave Doris Day one of her best musical films in Lullaby Of Broadway. They even tributed Busby Berkeley somewhat in the finale number.

The story involves Doris as a young performer who has spent her childhood in the United Kingdom with money sent to her by her mother who she believes is a famous Broadway star. That's in the past tense unfortunately mom who is played by Gladys George now sings in a cheap cabaret in the seamier parts of Greenwich Village.

But Doris is such a good kid that everyone tries to keep the illusion going from former vaudeville colleagues Billy DeWolfe and Anne Triola to S.Z. Sakall whom they now work for as butler and maid. She even gets involved with rising new Broadway performer Gene Nelson. But she also innocently almost breaks up S.Z. Sakall's marriage to Florence Bates. Now there's a couple to contemplate about.

In her memoirs Doris Day said that S.Z. Sakall in real life was the same lovable uncle type that he played so well in films. And yes no one could resist pinching those cheeks either.

Gene Nelson sad to say came along just a half generation too late to become a major film star. He had the moves and he had the talent, possibly he was not a creative individual in the way that Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly was. I think he was in their league as a performer and he'd be as known as they are today if he had that creative talent that they did which is why they've become the legends they are. Maybe Nelson never got the chance they did. Anyway this was his only lead in a major motion picture and it didn't make him a star because musicals were on the downside.

Gladys George has only a few scenes, but she really makes them count when she's on screen. One of her more memorable characters in earlier years was the Texas Guinan like performer in The Roaring Twenties who carries a torch for James Cagney. When that film ends she's singing in a dive and her character could be an extension of Panama whom she played in The Roaring Twenties.

As often as not for Doris Day films Warner Brothers reached into their trunk catalog and in this case got the title song and another standard written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me. Here though they outdid themselves for Doris and Gene using stuff like Somebody Loves Me and Just One Of Those Things. When you've got George Gershwin and Cole Porter contributing to the score the rest doesn't even matter.

Watching the finale number which is the title song, sung by Doris and danced by Gene Nelson and a chorus it plays very similar to the choreographic sequences in Golddiggers of 1935 where Lullaby Of Broadway was introduced. No kaleidoscopic overhead shots that characterized those old Warner Brothers musicals from the Thirties are here, but in all other respects they seem to have copied Mr. Berkeley well.

Lullaby Of Broadway has a nice backstage plot, it's a throwback to their musicals of the Depression in many respects and it provides Doris Day with many opportunities to display singing and dancing talents. And it holds up well today.

I saw this when I was a small boy, when it was revived in a neighborhood theatre, and then many years later on TV. Finally, with the advent of the VCR, I purchased this entertaining musical.

This is probably the picture that caused me fall in love with Doris Day. That personality! That smile! That Voice! From the opening number, "Just One of Those Things," to the last spectacular song and dance of "Lullaby of Broadway," this is a delight.

I especially enjoyed Doris' scenes with Gladys George (not "Cooper") as someone else reported. "It's tough being a mother. I need a couple more rehearsals." She was wonderful as Jessica Howard, has-been star of Broadway, now singing in a Greenwich Village dive.

Gene Nelson was mischievous as the lecherous dancer who chases Miss Day and Billy DeWolfe was inappropriately prissy as the "boyfriend" of Ann Triola. Of course, I always enjoy watching S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall. This was his third time appearing with Miss Day.

Doris looked fantastic in Technicolor and the many closeups they gave her underscored her natural beauty, even though her freckles were covered up. She sang very nicely and danced up a storm with Gene Nelson, something that if done today, would get Oscar nominations. I especially enjoyed "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" and "I Love The Way You Say Goodnight." I was disappointed that Miss Day didn't have a ballad in this picture. What an oversight!

Day and her ilk made it look too easy, even though a LOT of work went into making these films.

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?

'Lullaby of Broadway' had a lot of promise. Gene Nelson, a very talented dancer, Doris Day (my main reason for seeing it), a singer and actress personally can't get enough of, a fantastic poster, Technicolor and the involvement of veterans like SZ Sakall, Gladys George and Florence Bates.

While 'Lullaby of Broadway' could have been better overall as a film, none of the above disappoint. Three things let it down. The story is silly and uninspired, livened up by the songs and most of the staging of them. Some of it feels under-directed in some non-musical scenes and even in a couple of numbers, especially "You're Dependable", which needed a good deal of reigning in but instead makes Billy De Wolfe and Anne Triola to over-compensate.

De Wolfe and Triola do resort to mugging often, and it grates rather than entertains with some of the vaudevillian humour feeling 30+ years out of date. Triola is especially hammy, a very large slice of ham where subtlety completely eludes her.

However, the Technicolor is just glorious, with gorgeous colours. The clothes are also a feast for the eye. 'Lullaby of Broadway' benefits too from very memorable songs, particularly the title song, "Zip! Went the Strings of My Heart" and "Just One of Those Things". Most are choreographed well, with a breath-taking routine for "Zip! Went the Strings of My Heart" that is one of the best routines ever seen in any musical with Doris Day.

The script is light and fluffy but also amiable and witty, while there is enough zippy pacing to make up for the mostly underwhelming story.

Day captivates in her acting, which is natural and fresh, and especially her sublime singing. Nelson is an effectively likable leading man and proves himself a fine dancer. SZ Sakall plays his usual role but does it well, charming, cuddly and never irritating, while Florence Bates and Gladys George bring both humour and class to their supporting roles (although George also has a few scenes she has some memorably funny and truthful lines).

In conclusion, good if not great fun. 7/10 Bethany Cox