Tonight's Movie: Lullaby of Broadway (1951) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

I was delighted by the Warner Archive Blu-ray release of LULLABY OF BROADWAY (1951), a Doris Day film I have previously owned only on VHS. What an upgrade!

Doris worked hard at Warner Bros. after her starring debut in ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS (1948); this was her seventh film after that movie, and before 1951 was over, three more Day films would be released!

In LULLABY OF BROADWAY Doris plays Melinda Howard, who's been working with a small theatrical company in England for years. She decides to travel to the U.S. to pay a visit to her mother Jessica (Gladys George), whom she hasn't seen in years and believes to be a big theatrical star.

Alas, Jessica is now an alcoholic nightclub performer, a fact her friends (including Billy De Wolfe and S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall) attempt to hide from Melinda.

Melinda quickly lands a leading role in a Broadway show opposite Tom Farnham (Nelson), a dancer she had met on the ship to New York, but all manner of complications ensue before the expected happy ending.

LULLABY OF BROADWAY isn't top-level Doris Day, but it's still enjoyable, thanks especially to the multi-talented, effervescent Day and the marvelous dancing of leading man Gene Nelson.

Day looks terrific dancing alongside Nelson; they share a creative number utilizing doors which particularly impressed me. Nelson also has a great routine with the Page Cavanaugh Trio which includes an impressive jump. I've really come to appreciate Nelson, who in addition to his musical talents was a very effective leading man in one of my favorite crime films, CRIME WAVE (1954).

The movie gets a bit sluggish at 92 minutes and would have benefited from crisper editing, including the excision of a pointless musical number with a doll which doesn't involve any of the main cast members.

It also might have been a good idea to prune some of the superficial misunderstandings in Earl Baldwin's script and instead dig a little deeper for more heart connecting Melinda with both Tom and her mother. Melinda and Jessica do have a good reunion scene, but it's quite brief.  

LULLABY OF BROADWAY was directed by David Butler, who worked with Day on several occasions, including one of her very best films, CALAMITY JANE (1953).

The movie was shot in Technicolor by Wilfrid M. Cline.

The print ranges from very good to excellent; it doesn't reach the top level of Warner Archive Blu-ray excellence but is still quite a nice print. It probably doesn't help that the movie itself has a rather drab color palette in terms of sets and wardrobe, which gives the Blu-ray less opportunity to shine.

I found the soundtrack a bit iffy in that the musical numbers were noticeably more quiet than the dialogue; I repeatedly raised the volume during the singing and dancing. There were no other issues with the soundtrack as far as crackling or static.

Extras on the Warner Archive Blu-ray are a trailer and a song selection menu; I love that the Warner Archive has been including the song menus on all their musical releases, making it easy to replay highlights.

LULLABY OF BROADWAY may not be at the very top level in terms of the film and print, but there is still much to recommend it, and I'd guess that my fellow Doris Day fans will be happy to add this one to the Blu-ray shelf.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Amazon Store or from any online retailers where Blu-rays are sold.

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