Simply Perfect

Good start, but then it gets ruined

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Get ready for a serious amount of corn and sugar; On Moonlight Bay is ridiculously corny and guaranteed to give you a cavity. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae team up in this Americana flick that tries to be another Meet Me in St. Louis but fails. Doris belongs to an all-American family, led by Leon Ames and Rosemary DeCamp. They move to rural Indiana during WWI, but when radical thinker Gordon MacRae starts courting the proper Doris, tensions mount. And by tensions, I mean some heated arguments about morals and values followed by singing and dancing and grins from ear to ear. On Moonlight Bay is one of the silly 1950s flicks that give silly 1950s flicks a bad name. I remember repeatedly leaving the room to get more popcorn without pressing pause. And, unfortunately for Doris Day fans who insist on watching every movie she ever made, Hollywood made a sequel two years later. I can't steer you away from this movie if you're determined. You've probably seen thirty or so of her movies and are looking to make it an even thirty-nine. On the off-chance you rented On Moonlight Bay for a different reason, send it back to Netflix and pick something else for the weekend, like The Pajama Game.

The 1910's may have not had the comforts of today, but they sure had an innocent sense of fun. In the days before World War I got the United States involved, there certainly were plenty of issues, but what appears to be the truth is that an innocent sense of living had society in the thought that hard work and clean living lead to a decent life. A naive view to be sure, but it is a nice fantasy.The team of Doris Day and Gordan MacRae were the 1950's answer to Mickey and Judy, and the lovely innocence of their films still holds a promise for happiness and joy. Day is a sweet but tomboyish teenage girl, falling in love with the boy next door and dealing with family issues no more serious than a misunderstanding caused by the prankish younger brother, Billy Gray, who is actually very well meaning if still immature.Leon Ames, Judy's father in MGM's "Meet Me in St. Louis" and Rosemary DeCamp, Cagney's mother in "Yankee Doodle Dandy", are typical classic American parents, while Mary Wicked is delightfully funny as the wise- cracking housekeeper. She hot so much praise for this film that her role in the sequel "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" was greatly expanded. Esther Dale has an amusing cameo as Ames' imperious aunt who has a surprising zest for life.Certainly by the early 1950's these simple storied had been done over and over, but some of them were too good to be dismissed. With Doris Day having taken over Bette Davis's spot as queen of Warner Brothers, she seemed to be able to do no wrong. As top female box office champ for 15 years, she had a career on film that often seemed to follow the same formula, but her continued popularity has not dwindled.

I did see this film many years ago but bought it recently as I'm collecting the work of my favourite singer, Gordon MacRae. I'm also a huge fan of Doris Day but none of their five films for Warner Bros have ever had a vocal CD issued. I know originally it was because Doris recorded for Columbia and MacRae for Capitol Records. Maybe someone will eventually because these wonderful duets can only be heard by watching the movies. Even after 60 years, I really enjoyed watching On Moonlight Bay again, having seen it many years ago. OK, it's dated, but as the story takes place in 1917, it's not really important. You have to swallow belief a bit from the start because playing teenagers, Doris is about eight years too old and Gordon ten and there are a couple of things that are not acceptable these days like Gordon's fur coat and giving a multi-function knife to a little boy for a present. Still, they kind of get away with it as they both ooze charm and have those wonderful voices. Great supporting actors, Ellen Corby as the school teacher, Mary Wickes as the maid, Leon Ames and Rosemary DeCamp as the parents, but its little Billy Gray who steals the picture as Doris' little brother. A great family film, in glorious colour, that I'm sure many people would still enjoy watching on a cold Sunday afternoon.

Its not often I give a film 10 of out of 10 but Doris Day movies consistently rate that high for me. If you are in a depressed or foul mood, her smiles, her singing, and the cast members around her always can lift you to another place. This is much like a Technicolor Judy Garland film in a lot of ways, with homespun family values and courting. At first, I had a problem with the leads, who seemed too old, playing teenagers. The actors grow on you, especially Doris. The actor playing her annoying kid brother is terrific. The parents are well portrayed and protective. The housekeeper is a wiley classic. Even the family dog gets in the act in several scenes. I recommend the film heartily especially if you want to smile and sing along. Doris Day is and has always been a national treasure. I am very glad I got a chance to spend the afternoon with her in this film.