Certainly reminds me of MGM.s prior "Meet Me in St. Louis" in general structure, although I like this better, primarily because of the presence of 12y.o. scene stealer Billy Gray, in his first significant Hollywood film. The official leads: Doris Day and Gordon McRae, were 2 of the top film singers of the time. Although a number of songs are rendered, including the title song, music isn't the primary forte of this film. Rather, comedy and nostalgia are. Leon Ames reprises his role of father of the family, established in "Meet Me in St. Louis", while the quintessential small town mother of films: Rosemary Decamp is the mother of the Winfield family. Billy Gray is a treasure as the bratty little brother of (supposedly)18y.o. Doris. Gordon is the new boy next door(the Winfields having recently moved in), who immediately strikes up a troubled romantic relationship with Doris. They are on again , off again, beaus throughout the film, and through the sequel film: "By the Light of the Silvery Moon". Poor Jack Smith, as Hubert Wakely, is Doris's steady wannabe boyfriend, favored by father Ames, but not by Doris. She tries to tolerate him, after all he is a good piano player and decent singer. However, she being a tomboy, he bores her with his nerdy, high class, persona. Nonetheless, he never gives up hope. ......Doris begins the film as a baseball fanatic, wearing pants and a baseball cap around. But, after she meets Gordon, she changes into a gorgeous pink dress for an outing, and dons makeup. We see a similar transformation from an ultratomboy to a dress-wearing belle in the later "Calamity Jane", except that this transformation occurs late in that film vs. early in this film.....Mary Wickes plays her usual role as the family maid and cook. She has the misfortune of having her tray of china, silver pots and goodies knocked out of her hands 4 times by a swinging kitchen door: twice by Gray and twice by Ames. .....Ellen Corby has the misfortune of being Gray's schoolteacher, he being the class dunce and sleeper.......Esther Dale plays the elderly Aunt Martha, who makes the sage observation that "No man believes in marriage until a woman traps him into it.", in defense of Gordon's statement that he doesn't believe in marriage. Rosemary later agrees. She also gives Gray several 12th birthday presents, including a Swiss army knife, and a big sling shot that used to belong to father Winfield. He eventually makes mischief with both, as Aunt Martha expected. I don't want to spoil any more details. Just, see it if you can. Presently, it comes in a DVD packet with it's sequel: "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", which most people think is just as good. All of the principle players are retained in this sequel, except for John Smith, whose character is renamed as Chester, and played by Russell Arms. Doris and Gordon went on to make several other films together, as well, including "Tea for Two".

This would be a most enjoyable period musical if it weren't for the fact that Penrod has the lion's share of the action. True, some of this material is quite amusing. We like the cleverly directed sequence in the schoolroom with suspense supplied by an iris mask around a roving camera and an amazing bit of special effects work. But unfortunately Penrod out-stays his welcome. There's just too much of him. The script also lets interest suffer by being less taut than its sequel "By the Light of the Silvery Moon". In fact it's so episodic in construction, we can only conclude that the original Tarkington novel is more like a series of inter-related short stories.Now the movie's good points. Doris Day as usual is an absolute delight. She looks great in Technicolor and period costumes too. And she has a full repertoire of nostalgic songs and dances. MacRae also is in pleasant voice. We especially love the sequence in which he kids the title tune — "Must have been written by a guy with a glass of beer in one hand and a rhyming dictionary in the other!" Another scene to anticipate is his confrontation with the carnival sharpie (deftly played by Eddie Marr). Day's first meeting with MacRae is a gem. A pity the fun doesn't continue on this high level right to the fade-out but is sidetracked firstly by Penrod's more involved escapades and secondly by the script's descent into jingoism and bathos.Leading an especially strong support cast, Jack Smith makes a notable contribution to the fun. His work alone as Doris' relentlessly stuffy suitor makes the picture worth seeing. I like his singing too. Oddly, this is the only film I have for him. (Perhaps he was a TV identity).OTHER VIEWS: For pity's sake, here's a re-make of Penrod with Doris Day, glossy Technicolor and A-1 production values. Although she receives top billing, Doris actually takes second place to Penrod (now called Wesley and here band-box packaged without his little friend) and his occasionally bright but often boring family (Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, and Mary Wickes of the running joke swinging doors). Penrod's scrapes rather than Marjorie's occupy center stage. They start off as humorous, but end up tedious. The script is not so much one or two taut plots, but a series of short stories strung very loosely together. Just when you think the proceedings have come to a merciful end, yet another story starts off.Undeterred, the players all act most enthusiastically through this slapstick charade. They play in fact as if their lines and characters were the funniest in the world. (In the early 1950s, funny families reached their zenith of popularity, both in the movies and on television. Compare Paramount's Dear Ruth series in which the Penrod changeling is a teenage Mona Freeman).True, the movie starts off most promisingly. MacRae sings the cornball title song with appropriate irony, but unfortunately this witty excursion is but a side trip from the more routine and often lackluster domestic mishaps to come.It's a shame that Doris has such a comparatively small part, too often playing second fiddle to Billy Gray. She does have some agreeable songs, however, though perhaps not as many as Mr. MacRae. What we do see and hear of her is most attractive.Although the direction is mostly smoothly routine, it does have its stylish moments. Photography, sets and costumes are suitably bright. Production values are breathtakingly glossy.In all, "On Moonlight Bay" would be a charming musical comedy if its makers had tried a recipe with a lot more music and a lot less "comedy". — JHR writing as George Addison.

On Moonlight Bay is a musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth, it is about the Winfield family in the early part of the 20th century. Banker George Winfield and his family move into a new big house in a small town in Indiana.18 year old tomboy Marjorie (Doris Day) falls for William (Gordon MacRae) the young man next door, with the help of her mother she is transformed into a beautiful young woman.Her father does not approve of William with his radical world view that some young students like him have such as disliking bankers and not believing in marriage. Things change when William signs up to fight in the Great War.The film is a nostalgic look at small time America and a comedic take on inter generational differences. However despite the chemistry between the cast, parts of the story just seemed to grate as well as having similarities to Meet Me in St Louis.

Roy Del Ruth directed this charming bit of Americana, based on stories by Booth Tarkington. Doris Day plays a tomboy named Marjorie Winfield whose family moves to a new neighborhood in their small town. Hilarity and romance ensue as she meets the boy across the street and he wins her heart after many light-hearted complications. The great Gordon McRae plays Bill Sherman and gets to show off his voice and some comic acting chops. Day and McRae have real chemistry here.Much of the hilarity comes from Marjorie's family, with Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, Billy Gray and Mary Wickes taking turns making the audience laugh. Gray steals every scene he is in and has some great scenes with Ellen Corby as the stuffy (and gossipy) school teacher. His cough alone is worth a dozen laughs.This film is often considered a weak cousin to "Meet Me in St. Louis," one of the truly great Hollywood musicals. That film also centers around a young woman finding love with a neighbor boy ("The Boy Next Door") and features a beleaguered father also played by Ames. Certainly, "On Moonlight Bay" does not have the great score, the perfect art direction, or the magic of Judy Garland. But it does have a true spirit of fun, some great music, and a lot of great comic scenes.This film was an instant hit and inspired a quick sequel ("By the Light of the Silvery Moon") that was not quite as good but is certainly worth a look.