Al chiaro di luna

Offered as a biopic of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, this is stereotypical Hollywood nonsense about their bad luck, with a total of four songs written by the principals out of twenty-one. Ann Sheridan as Miss Bayes has her singing dubbed by Lynn Martin, and Dennis Morgan as Norworth presumably doing his own. Jack Carson and Marie Wilson pop up every quarter of an hour or so as a magician and his assistant, and Irene Manning yearns for Morgan and also sings some songs. The movie is in black and white until the final medley, and moves right along.

In reality Norworth was Bayes' second of five husbands, she prospered as a comic singer, and became the star of Ziegfeld's first two Follies; she walked out on the third and returned to vaudeville, while Norworth, after their divorce, carved out a very successful career as a Broadway performer. Miss Bayes died in 1928 at the age of 47; Norworth in 1959 at the age of 80, having had nothing to do with this movie but selling his name.

A weak musical propped up by a strong cast with only the title number a stand out from a mediocre crop of songs.

I don't know much about the musical and matrimonial partnership of Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, but I doubt this movie give is an accurate representation. A previous reviewer noted that Norworth was the 2nd of Baynes five husbands, their union ending in divorce, somewhat souring with fact the sugary, idealistic portrayal of their partnership in this biopic.

Jack Carson and Dennis Morgan made a number of satisfying films together - this is not one of them.

Also, there's a pretty awful song about how dumb one of the characters is. Meant in fun, maybe, but less than rewarding in execution.

It's 1905. Nora Bayes (Ann Sheridan) notices that single gal song acts aren't working anymore. It's either singing girl groups or couple acts. She tries to recruit her friend Jack Norworth (Dennis Morgan) for a couple act. He dismisses her at first. Eventually, he accepts her proposal. Their friend is magician, The Great Georgetti (Jack Carson).

This is a biopic of vaudevillian couple Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. They would 'write' the popular 1900's song "Shine On, Harvest Moon". I don't know any of these songs. I don't know these performers. I doubt that they actually wrote the songs. They definitely did not come up with it while riding a carriage in the moonlight. I cannot comment on any other inaccuracies or even the time period. The music is not necessarily my taste, but I can't find any fault in it. The romantic chemistry is fine. They need a meet-cute, but they do have some heat. The story isn't much after the sleazy club owner early on. There is a fun bit with a magic act. I wouldn't mind a magician try that in his act for real. Margie is a fun dummy. They have the most memorable song "So Dumb but So Beautiful". Maybe they should make a movie about them.

Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan, as singing duo Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, are wonderful portraying the Broadway stars who had to struggle just to perform together.

The beautiful Ann Sheridan does a fine job portraying a women who loves her partner but is willing to make a sacrifice for what she believes will help his career.

Kudos to the production crew for a visually enjoyable movie. Add in a few good musical numbers and you have a fun, uplifting movie with an occasional bittersweet moment thrown in for good measure.

And, with all due respect to Lynn Martin, who did the vocals for Ann Sheridan, I personally would like to have heard Ann Sheridan sing in this movie. Perhaps a special edition will surface one day for Shine On, Harvest Moon.

My main reason for watching the movie was Ann Sheridan. I loved watching her on the big screen. The song Jack Carson sang to Marie Wilson eked me too. Did not like it. It also was worth watching for the period clothes. All in All, Not Bad. It was also an education on the way Music was sold then. Something like In the Good old Summertime with Judy Garland.Marie Wilson really played a Great part as she was very Intelligent. She was really Typecast most of the time. I believe she played same type of Character on the Radio too. The Color was a Great idea. I think all Musicals should be in Color,especially 42Nd st. Even Dennis Morgan clothes looked better in Color.