Doris Day in a nostalgia-tinged musical
Doris Day made her feature film debut in “Romance on the High Seas” in 1948 and soon became a top star at Warner Brothers. Attractive, with a crystal clear voice, and the ability to dance, she appeared in a number of musicals for the studio and proved popular with moviegoers. “On Moonlight Bay,” her ninth feature film, relies for its appeal on her fresh-scrubbed charm, nostalgia for the olden days, and songs popular in the early twentieth century.<br /><br />Adapted from the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington, the film is set in a small Indiana town in 1917. Day plays tomboyish Marjie, daughter of banker George Winfield (Leon Ames) and his wife, Alice (Rosemary De Camp). Marjie’s eleven-year-old brother, Wesley (Billy Gray, TV’s “Father Knows Best”) has a knack for getting himself and others into mischief.<br /><br />Marjie “meets cute” with across-the-street neighbor William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) when a gun accidentally discharges, crashing a barn door on top of him. She’s a tomboy with a powerful pitching arm, he’s a senior at Indiana University, but  eventually this superficially mismatched pair start dating. With her mother’s help, Marjie transforms into a lovely young woman, leaving her baseball uniform and cap by the wayside.<br /><br />William expounds to Marjie his many opinions about the world’s troubles and how people behave frivolously in difficult times. He even regards Mr. Winfield as part of the problem, declaring that bankers are instrumental in causing the world’s evils. Obviously, this doesn’t endear him to Winfield, who forbids them to see each other.<br /><br />This is the extent of the conflict in this folksy, wholesome story. The film relies on a catalogue of period songs to bolster the thin plot, and the antics of Wesley to infuse some humor. Day’s character is the typical girl next door, with the exception of a tomboyish bent that disappears early on when romance rears its head.<br /><br />Day and MacRae make a pleasant on-screen couple. Though MacRae is a lightweight in terms of acting, his singing is lovely and his duets with Day are enjoyable, if somewhat stiff.<br /><br />The film benefits from supporting performances by Ellen Corby as a prudish school teacher and Mary Wickes as the Winfields’ housekeeper, always ready with a well-placed wisecrack. Jack Smith appears as Hubert Wakely, a suitor of Marjie whose straitlaced manner and self-importance are played for laughs. As competition for William, he’s hardly a threat.<br /><br />Billy Gray is prominently featured, with considerable screen time. His scenes are some of the liveliest in the picture and balance the romantic narrative. A scene of Wesley watching a silent movie, his mouth stuffed with candy, features a movie-within-the-movie of a broad romantic melodrama that offers some of the best laughs of the film. Gray, who would befriend an alien from another world the same year in “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” turns in a natural performance and delivers a much more interesting character than either of the leads.<br /><br /> Among the songs, which were old when the film was made, are “Cuddle Up a Little Closer,” “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” “Till We Meet Again,” “Ain’t We Got Fun,” “Every Little Movement (Has a Meaning All Its Own),” “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,” “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag,” and “Tell Me.” Only one original song was added, the uninspired “Love Ya,” sung by Doris Day and Jack Smith. The musical numbers are staged with little originality or cinematic pizzazz by Leroy Prinz.<br /><br />Directed by Roy Del Ruth, “On Moonlight Bay” incorporates many elements of “Meet Me in St. Louis,” made seven years earlier. Both are set around the same period, both feature Leon Ames as the family patriarch, both take place in the Midwest, both have a sharp-tongued housekeeper, and both have key scenes set during the Christmas season. But the warmth of “Meet Me in St, Louis” and the emotional portrayal by Judy Garland make it an unquestionable classic. “On Moonlight Bay” is simply a second-tier musical coasting on the talents of Doris Day.<br /><br />Del Ruth incorporates a running gag of housekeeper Mary Wickes, carrying a tray full of dishes and having it repeatedly knocked out of her hands by a swinging door. It’s mildly funny the first time but doesn’t justify multiple reprises. The script, lead performances, and humor contribute to a lackluster musical.<br /><br />Bonus materials on the unrated  Warner Archive Blu-ray release include the following:<br />Vintage Musical Short, Let’s Sing a Song About the Moonlight<br />Classic Cartoon A Hound in Trouble<br />Theatrical Trailer<br /><br />“On Moonlight Bay” mixes romance, humor and music, yet never soars. Seen today, it feels like a B picture rather than a major release. The film and Day’s character were popular and a sequel, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” was made two years later.
The movie title "On Moonlight Bay [Blu-ray]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.7 from 1167 reviewers. 
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This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Comedy. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Genre": "Comedy, Musicals & Performing Arts/Musicals/General", "Format": "NTSC, Subtitled", "Contributor": "Leon Ames, Jack Smith, Mary Wickes, Rosemary DeCamp, Ellen Corby, Roy Del Ruth", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Product Dimensions": "0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.08 Ounces", "Director": "Roy Del Ruth", "Media Format": "NTSC, Subtitled", "Run time": "1 hour and 35 minutes", "Release date": "February 23, 2021", "Actors": "Jack Smith, Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, Mary Wickes, Ellen Corby", "Studio": "Warner Archives", "Country of Origin": "USA", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : Not since Judy met the boy next door in St. Louis has there been a heaping of tuneful, romantic Midwestern American life like this! Doris Day and Gordon MacRae team for spoonin', croonin' and swoonin' On Moonlight Bay, based on Booth Tarkington's Penrod stories. "Try not to walk like a first baseman," Mama (Rosemary DeCamp) tells tomboy Marjorie (Day) as she prepares to date college man Bill (MacRae). The advice takes. The lovebirds hear wedding bells ahead, just as soon as Bill gets his sheepskin. But World War I rages "over there." And Papa (Leon Ames) rages at home after a flap with his prospective son-in-law. Will harmony return to this Hoosier home? Surely Day and MacRae will make musical harmony. And On Moonlight Bay will have you sailing along..