Prismark10 On Moonlight Bay is a musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth, it is about the Winfield family in the early part of the 20th century. Banker George Winfield and his family move into a new big house in a small town in Indiana.18 year old tomboy Marjorie (Doris Day) falls for William (Gordon MacRae) the young man next door, with the help of her mother she is transformed into a beautiful young woman.Her father does not approve of William with his radical world view that some young students like him have such as disliking bankers and not believing in marriage. Things change when William signs up to fight in the Great War.The film is a nostalgic look at small time America and a comedic take on inter generational differences. However despite the chemistry between the cast, parts of the story just seemed to grate as well as having similarities to Meet Me in St Louis.

atlasmb Released in 1951, On Moonlight Bay could be dismissed as homespun hokum and homilies. But its gentle humor and its ability to capture an era (in film if not in reality) makes it worthwhile viewing.Drawn from the writings of Booth Tarkington and set in Indiana during WWI, the film depicts all-American middle America with a simplicity that only hindsight and Hollywood (and Disney) can achieve. But the songs of that era were innocent and vapid (consider I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles). Thank goodness the film is graced with a talented cast that can rise above it all.At this point in their careers, Doris Day and Gordon McCrae were making a name for themselves. Their greatest film successes would follow in a few years. Here we get McCrae jauntily singing light-hearted ditties, not belting out Broadway songs like he would later in Oklahoma and Carousel. He does very well--a perfect complement to Day's lilting vocals.The humor fits the story perfectly. It feels like it came from someone's diary.Lastly, I found the acting of Billy Gray (who plays younger brother Wesley) to be remarkable for his age. His portrayal is mostly comic, but he brings nuance and complexity in his expressions.For a dose of nostalgia and some hummable melodies, I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys kind-hearted entertainment.

TheLittleSongbird Whether you love Doris Day or not, I do always have, On Moonlight Bay is a delightful film that perfectly showcases Day's talents. I agree it is rather slight in the story, but the result is such a charming and very watchable film you don't really mind. Visually, On Moonlight Bay is very elegant, with a warm and cosy feeling thanks to the beautiful cinematography, while the music is superb. Right now, I am actually humming Moonlight Bay, if a film makes me do that that to me is a good thing. The script is very nice and the direction is competent, while the film moves along at a good pace. The performances are fine. Doris brings a fresh and endearing approach to her tomboyish heroine, while underrated Gordon McRae is dashing and Mary Wickes and Rosemary DeCamp are also likable. All in all, delightful and charming, a must see if you love musicals or Doris Day, if you love both this is perfect. 9/10 Bethany Cox

moonspinner55 As filtered through the scrubbed-clean, sexless mores of the 1950s, Booth Tarkington's "Penrod Stories" proved to be able ground for Warner Bros. in concocting sort of a low-brow variation on "Meet Me in St. Louis", with Doris Day as the small-town Indiana gal finding love with the boy next door (actually, across the street) while her ornery sibling (Billy Gray) causes chaos in the neighborhood. The Americana flavor (circa 1917) is laid-on with a thick coat of glossy color, while Doris twinkles and shines on cue. Warners had an immediate box-office attraction in Day, but too often cast her in bucolic settings (she seemed so much livelier in dressed-up musical comedies). Here, she cements her "wholesome as apple pie" image with smudges of dirt on her face and her hair in pigtails. It doesn't quite wash that leading man Gordon MacRae initially thinks she's a boy, though their sweetheart romance still manages to convey a bit of plastic magic. Followed in 1953 with "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", which was more of the same. **1/2 from ****