LULLABY OF BROADWAY
US, 1951, 92 minutes, Colour.
Doris Day, Billy de Wolfe, Gene Nelson, Gladys George, Florence Bates, S.Z. Sakall.
Directed by David Butler.
Lullaby of Broadway is a bright and breezy Doris Day vehicle. Warner Bros, in the early '50s, took the titles of many of the popular songs of the '20s to the '50s and wove show business stories around them, giving the opportunity for their singing and dancing stars to perform. This one is lively and entertaining, even when the material is so familiar.
Doris Day is bright as the young singer who gets her chance on Broadway, not without difficulties and potential scandal because of the patronage of S.Z. Sakall (heckled by Constance Cummings as his wife). Gene Nelson is the romantic lead, usually playing second fiddle to Gordon McRae?. Billy de Wolfe has a good comic and sympathetic role and Gladys George appears as Doris Day's alcoholic mother.
There is a range of popular songs including `Somebody Loves Me' - although the choreography and performance of `Lullaby of Broadway' are all smiles compared with the pessimism when it first appeared in Gold Diggers of 1935 and won the Oscar for best song. Direction is by David Butler, direction of this kind of musical.
1.The popularity of Warner Bros musicals in the '50s? Doris Day and the cast?
2.Colour photography, Atlantic ships, New York City, Broadway? The popular locations for this kind of musical? The musical score, the range of songs, performance, choreography?
3.The title, the popularity of the song - its original grim message? Glossed up for the '50s?
4.Doris Day as Melinda: shipboard, songs, the encounter with Tommy and his deceiving her, her wanting to see her mother, the house, Lefty and Gloria shielding her? Settling in, Mr Hubbel and his interest, flirting? Her naivety? The encounter with Tommy at the party, singing and dancing? The producer and her getting the lead? Rehearsals? The coat, Mrs Hubbel and the exposure? The newspaper reporters and the scandal? Her discovering the truth about her mother and going to see her? Her anger with Tommy in forgiving her? Going on ship, meeting her mother and the reconciliation? Going back to face everybody - and singing `Lullaby of Broadway', happy ending with Tommy? Chocolate box musical heroine?
5.Tommy, on board, flirting, dancing? Meeting Melinda, the puzzle about Hubbel? Rehearsals, songs and dances, his love - yet forgiving her? Happy ending?
6.Lefty and Gloria, comic turns, out of work on Broadway, butler and manager? Comic routines, song and dance? Left arranging everything for Mr Hubbel, for Melinda? Gloria and her concern about Melinda?
7.Mr Hubbel, the humour of the European refugee, the beer baron? Wealth, not liking beer? Clashes with his wife - and her comic dominance? Attracted to Melinda, helping her, going out, persuaded to give the money? The avoiding of scandal? The possibility of the divorce - and the happy reconciliation?
8.The producer, Broadway, needing money, the wealthy socialites who backed Broadway plays?
9.The popular ingredients of Broadway and shows via musical films of the '40s and '50s?
