By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Director: David Butler

Overview

This film was a sequel to On Moonlight Bay (1951). The main plot concerns the hot-and-cold romance between Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. MacRae will not marry Doris until he is financially able to do so, which results in several break-ups before the final clinch at the local ice rink.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/11/2017
UPC:	0888574513429
Original Release:	1953
Rating:	NR
Language:	English
Time:	1:42:00
Sales rank:	6,075

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Doris Day	Marjorie Winfield
Gordon MacRae	Bill Sherman
Leon Ames	George Winfield
Rosemary De Camp	Alice Winfield
Billy Gray	Wesley Winfield
Mary Wickes	Stella
Russell Arms	Chester Finley
Maria Palmer	Miss LaRue
Walter Flannery	Ronald 'PeeWee' Harris
Geraldine Wall	Mrs. Harris
John Maxwell	Ike Hickey
Carol Forman	Dangerous Dora
Howard Wendell	Mr. Harris
Max Steiner	Composer

Technical Credits

Irving Elinson

Robert O'Brien

Irving Elinson	Screenwriter
Robert O'Brien	Screenwriter
William Jacobs	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Modern audiences may find By the Light of the Silvery Moon a little hard to sit through -- not because they do not have a taste for "wholesome" films, but because Moon's wholesomeness is no more genuine than the fake snow that blankets the final ice skating sequence. An ersatz down-home nostalgia permeates the entire movie, imagining an innocence that its creators don't believe in -- because it never really existed -- and, as a result, the film feels like it's trying to put something over on us. That said, it is certainly professionally produced, and those not bothered by its overly rosy glow will find it very engaging and will probably be willing to overlook the fact that there's no real drama or plot, thereby allowing them to delight in the yummy colors, charming sets, quaint costumes, and smooth-as-silk arrangements of the period songs (and some not-quite-so-period) that pop up every time the dialogue gets a bit tiring. David Butler has gathered a talented cast to help matters, although Doris Day is not at her peak here. She's a bit forced (even in her singing, where her trademark throb pushes forward a bit too often), and at times is unflatteringly lit and made up. Her co-star, Gordon MacRae, is winning and genuine and is in excellent voice. There's also solid support from Leon Ames, Rosemary de Camp, and Mary Wickes, whose glare herein is so sharp it should qualify as a lethal weapon. On the whole, Moon may be more aluminum than silver, but it has a shine nonetheless.