Escale à Broadway

If you love Fifties movie-musicals that stress music over story, "Lullaby of Broadway" is the prototype. It takes moviemaking back to the Astaire-Rogers films, which highlighted dancing, music, and wisecracking dialogue. "Lullaby" isn't quite "Top Hat", but it does represent a trend where old, sentimental hit tunes are given updated arrangements and settings.

In her autobiography, "Doris Day: Her Own Story" (published in 1976), the actress describes her early years as a contract player for Jack Warner and the heated disputes she had with the autocratic movie czar over miscasting and bad scripts. But in "Lullaby," there is virtually no script to complain about. It's mainly a revue. But what a revue! From Ray Heindorf's jazzy rendition of the old title tune (from "Gold Diggers of 1935") over the opening credits to the end, this movie clicks along in high gear from one showstopper to the next.

Day also recalled in her memoirs that "Lullaby" contained, by far, the toughest dance routines of any film she ever made. One especially challenging scene called for her to perform an intricate series of steps on a huge staircase while weighed down in a gold-lame dress. At first, she balked, warning the crew to have an ambulance waiting after the first take. With encouragement from the director David Butler and others, however, she managed to complete the number.

"Lullaby of Broadway" is not the best of the Day/Warners musicals--that distinction goes to "Calamity Jane" (1953)--but it's as good as the rest. With Gene Nelson as Day's love interest, Billy De Wolfe as a vaudevillian-turned-valet, and S. Z. Sakall as a Broadway "angel."

I was only familiar with Doris Day from her later romantic comedies of the late 50's and 60's, many with Rock Hudson. I also was a fan of her T.V. Show and her great Hitchcock movie with Jimmy Stewart, "The Man Who Knew Too Much." This was the first of her early movies that I have seen, and she is simply sunshine in a bottle. She seems to be enjoying every minute of every scene. Her joy is infectious. It is hard to watch the film and not respond to her by cheering up, no matter how your day may be going. Her supporting cast are also delightful and seem to be enjoying themselves. It was great to see Gladys George repeating her "Shantytown" song which she sang to James Cagney in "Twentieth Century" 13 years before. Billy De Wolfe is total gay delight as butler. He explains that he is really an actor, but took the butler job because of a "crazy, mad desire to keep from starving." Anne Triola compliments him perfectly as his maid/fiancé and they do an hilarious duet together. S.Z. Sakill steals the show as the flirtatious Broadway angel who is using his wife's money behind her back to invest in shows so he can oogle the actresses. Finally, there's Gene Nelson as Doris Day's song and dance partner. I have never seen him before, but he is quite a good dancer. At the beginning a fan tells him that he's the best dancer in the world. "It's you and me against Fred Astaire," he says. He does dance in Fred Astaire's style and is about as close to Astaire as anybody is likely to get. Typically, the male leads in musicals are the biggest problems, unless,they're Fred Astaire, Gene Kelley, or James Cagney, they're usually good dancers who can't act or good actors who can't really dance. Here, we seem to have somebody who can do both. The double plot has a) Doris Day coming back to New York to see her mother who she thinks is a big star, but is only an alcoholic cabaret singer, and b)some Broadway entertainers trying to entice S.Z. Sakill to invest his wife's money in a Broadway show. Not too original, but great one liners keep it moving cheerfully along between about a dozen small scale musical numbers. The director wisely understood that with Doris Day singing, you don't need Busby Berkeley super-sets or super choruses. This is a must for Doris Day fans and a wide toothy smile for everybody else.

Another of my most enjoyable movie musicals with my favorite star, Doris Day, singing and dancing with Gene Nelson. I'll never forget the tap dance they did together going up a staircase-fantastic! An excellent cast includes Gladys George, and two of the funniest men around in the 50s: cute S.Z. Sakall and that buggy-eyed looney Billy DeWolfe who will tickle your funnybone. Sakall played in most of Doris' musicals and he is a character to remember! Whatever happened to Gene Nelson? He was surely a fine dancer!

After living in England, bubbly American singer-dancer Doris Day (as Melinda Howard) sails for New York. Aboard ship, Ms. Day meets likewise inclined Gene Nelson (as Tom Farnham), a Broadway star, homeward bound. The two are mutually attracted, but Day finds Mr. Nelson too forward. Day expects to return to her mother's mansion, but the house had been sold to blustery German brewer S.Z. Sakall (as Adolph Hubbell). A former Broadway star, Day's mother Gladys George (as Jessica Howard) has hit the skids, and is trying to lay off the sauce. Butler Billy De Wolfe (as Lefty Mack) tries to hide the truth from Day...

"Lullaby of Broadway" wisely brings Gene Nelson back for more singing and dancing with Doris Day. They had created momentary magic in a previous minor picture, "Tea for Two" (1950). Jumping on a piano and dancing incredibly with Day on a staircase, Nelson moves up to leading man, herein. While the co-stars are wonderful, the production has the appearance of quickly being thrown together, with familiar songs and reheated story lines. Strangely, Nelson's singing is dubbed. However, Day and Nelson are marvelous. One wonders what they would do at MGM, if afforded material like "Singing in the Rain" (1952).

****** Lullaby of Broadway (3/26/51) David Butler ~ Doris Day, Gene Nelson, Gladys George, S. Z. Sakall

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.