By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

Irving Elinson (written by)
Robert O'Brien (written by)

Release Date:

15 February 1954 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

IT'S BRIGHT AND ROMANTIC! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

The trials and tribulations of the Winfield family in small town Indiana as Marjorie Winfield's boyfriend...

Plot Keywords:

Little Brother | Imagination | Suitor | Tomboy | Small Town Life

Cast

Doris Day	...	Marjorie Winfield
Gordon MacRae	...	Bill Sherman
Leon Ames	...	George Winfield
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Alice Winfield
Billy Gray	...	Wesley Winfield
Mary Wickes	...	Stella
Russell Arms	...	Chester Finley
Maria Palmer	...	Renee LaRue
Howard Wendell	...	John Harris
Walter 'PeeWee' Flannery	...	PeeWee Harris (as Walter Flannery)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #16065) | UK:U

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Selections from the film score were featured on a 'Doris Day (I)' 10-inch LP for Columbia which crested in third place on the "Billboard" popular albums chart.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When "Gregory" the turkey flies into the dining room from the kitchen during Thanksgiving dinner, the crew member who threw him into the room can be seen as the door swings shut.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Stella: Hello, Mr. Winfield.
Father Winfield: Good afternoon.
Stella: [to the camera] That's Mr. Winfield. Vice President of our first National Bank, Chairman of the Civic Betterment League, and twice winner of the Elks picnic potato sack race.

Movie Connections:

Follows On Moonlight Bay (1951)

Soundtrack:

Moonlight Bay

Wonderful followup film

This is the second of two movies about the same characters. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae play young newlyweds who are separated by WWI in this turn of the century inspired by the stories of Booth Tarkington. The story is told from her point of view and her home life with her mother, father and bratty brother are central to the film. Of the family members, the most memorable is Billy Gray ("Bud" from FATHER KNOWS BEST), as he is a terrible little brat that is a lot like Dennis the Menace and the Problem Child all rolled up into one.

While this film is so similar to the first that you might just mix them up in your mind after you see them, the movies are so pleasant and fun that you really don't mind. A wonderful romantic slice of life movie with a wonderful blend of comedy and heart.