BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON

US, 1953, 101 minutes, Colour.
Doris Day, Gordon Mc Rae, Leon Ames, Rosemary De Camp, Mary Wickes, Billy Gray.
Directed by David Butler.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon is one of the many Doris Day- Gordon Mc Rae musicals from Warner Brothers in the 1950s, Tea for Two and the first film in the Penrod series from Booth Tarkington’s novels, On Moonlight Bay (1951).

This film takes up the story of Marjorie, the tomboy of her town in Indiana. And Doris Day fits the bill completely with her personality, her on-screen verve, her singing, dancing, comic touches. Gordon Mc Rae is Bill, returning from his experiences in World War One and uncertain whether he should marry Marjorie immediately or get a job and build up a nest egg. Leon Ames and Rosemary De Camp are once again the parents. And, for good measure and comic measure, Mary Wickes is back as the housekeeper, Stella. Billy Gray appears also as the young brother, full of mischief.

The film probably offers the ideal image of white American middle class families in the United States of the 1950s. However, the setting is 1918-1919, once again showing the apple pie, picket fence, cheery American family in a cheery American town – although many of the inhabitants are eager for spreading gossip!

There is the title song as well as many others and the film was directed by David Butler, director of many of these films.

1. The appeal of this kind of film in the 1950s, Doris Day and Gordon Mc Rae as very popular, in films, singing, records?

2. The post-World War I period? Soldiers returning from the war – though presented very cheerfully, singing My Hometown in the train, received well on return? Getting jobs? Settling in? Marriages? The Indiana setting, Middle America? A conventional white America?

3. Doris Day is Marjorie, pert, verve, 18, singing and dancing, comic songs, loving her parents, her brother, Stella and her support? Fixing cars and her father’s reaction? Her hopes to marry Bill on his return? Bill wanting to put off the wedding, a disappointment, agreeing? Going to the dances, the meals? Her upset at the misinterpretation of her father’s behaviour and letter? Thinking the worst? Protecting her mother? Asking her brother to burn the letter? Feeling unable to marry Bill, putting him off when he was ready? The resolution of the problem, the bad judgements, Bill and his disguise, skating, the happy resolution of the marriage problem?

4. Gordon Mc Rae as Bill, pleasant leading man, the war, singing in the train, meeting Marjorie again, his hesitation, wanting to reflect on his experiences in the wider world? Marjorie and his putting off the wedding, his announcements, her reactions? The car home, the breakdown, her fixing the car? His walking? Apologies? His getting the job, the visits to the house, willing to marry, Marjorie and her reaction, his leaving, returning disguised, the happy ending?

5. The ideal parents, the father, his job at the bank, mother at home, 20 years married, happy memories, their children, Stella? The father and his helping the actress, the letter and all the misunderstandings? The gossip? His being upset at the gossip? The happy skating ending?

6. Stella, all her introductions, the comic tone, Mary Wickes and her comedy? Her work in the house, helping Marjorie, the dress, the issue of the letter, the final happy ending?

7. The son, mischief, paw prints and the dog, piano lessons, loving his parents, cheeky, the issue of the letter and his burning it,his imagining the play, the actress is the villain, going to see her, his peculiar behaviour? Bill stopping him burn the letter? His going to the station, the telegram to Bill, the stationmaster, his gossiping wife, all the phone calls, coming back to her? And the gossips at the dance?

8. The music teacher, his attentions to Marjorie, at the house, the gifts and the chocolate, his song and plan yet, his being with the family, the outing, wanting to dance with Marjorie, the fight with Bill – and his winning! The finale at the dance, his playing the piano, not winning Marjorie?

9. The actress, consulting the father, the misunderstanding of the letter, her encounter with the boy, the happy resolution?

10. The film as something of an Americana chocolate box?