By the Light of the Silvery Moon - Warner Archive Collection

As a rule, sequels don't measure up to the film or films they follow. They almost never top them (The Godfather, Part II is a notable exception), and it's just as unusual to find a sequel that's exactly the same as its preceding movie - no better, no worse, and at times a virtual doppelgänger. By the Light of the Silvery Moon is that rare bird.

A charming, lightweight, down-home musical in the same vein as the incomparable Meet Me in St. Louis, this Doris Day-Gordon MacRae vehicle was produced hot on the heels of their enormously successful musical On Moonlight Bay, and features the same cast (with one substitution), same characters, and same setting. It also draws its story from the same source (Booth Tarkington short stories) and culls its songs from the same jukebox of 1910s Tin Pan Alley hits. If I had to give the edge to one, I'd probably choose On Moonlight Bay, because the first movie always feels the freshest, but that's about the only determining factor. In the case of By the Light of the Silvery Moon, familiarity doesn't breed contempt; it just breeds a sense of sameness that's comfortable but not particularly stimulating.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon may not pick up right where On Moonlight Bay left off, but it comes close. When we last left the Winfield family, Marjorie's beau Bill Sherman (MacRae) was leaving their idyllic Indiana town to serve his country in World War I, and we're left with the impression that upon his return (and there's little doubt he'll return...it is a musical, after all!) he and Marjorie (Day) will get married and live happily ever after. As By the Light of the Silvery Moon opens, we learn Bill will indeed be back home soon, and Marjorie, her parents George (Leon Ames) and Alice (Rosemary DeCamp), and sassy housekeeper Stella (Mary Wickes) begin making preparations for their impending nuptials.

Of course, counting chickens before they hatch is never a good idea and complications are de rigueur for any narrative, so it's no surprise to anyone except the Winfields when Bill announces he's not quite ready to marry Marjorie just yet. Cold feet coupled with a desire to get himself established professionally and financially compel him to delay their wedding, much to Marjorie's chagrin. The two don't break up, but there's enough tension between them to keep their relationship on a rollercoaster for the balance of the film. The couple bills and coos and bickers and spars, but theirs is only one of the movie's plot threads.

Episodic in nature, By the Light of the Silvery Moon also details the attachment of adolescent Wesley Winfield (Billy Gray) to the live turkey the family plans to kill for its Thanksgiving feast. and spends way too much time chronicling a colossal misunderstanding surrounding George's involvement with a sultry actress (Maria Palmer) who's coming to town in a spicy play that might offend members of the upstanding community. Lots of domestic comedy ensues, along with a few tears and - of course - plenty of popular songs from the period.

Unlike On Moonlight Bay, the musical interludes in By the Light of the Silvery Moon don't advance the plot or delineate fine points of character. Though well performed, they're merely pleasant diversions that break up the film's flow. Day's mellifluous tones and MacRae's robust baritone blend beautifully, but most of the numbers are minimally staged and rather bland. Some of the more familiar songs include "Ain't We Got Fun," "If You Were the Only Girl in the World," and the lilting title tune.

Day, at age 30, plays an 18-year-old, and while she's as perky and youthful-looking as ever, it's a stretch to accept her as a teen. Ditto the 31-year-old MacRae, but his baby face helps us accept the ruse. Ames and DeCamp (who's just a dozen years older than her on-screen daughter) revive the easygoing chemistry they created in On Moonlight Bay, and the always engaging, wisecracking Wickes continues to channel her inner Marjorie Main in a role that's a total knock-off from Meet Me in St. Louis.

In fact, the Meet Me in St. Louis vibes are even stronger in By the Light of the Silvery Moon than they are in On Moonlight Bay. A good portion of the movie takes place at Christmastime, and some of the costume choices, shot compositions, and character interactions mirror Meet Me in St. Louis a little too closely for comfort. Yet despite the hard-to-ignore similarities, By the Light of the Silvery Moon is still a pleasant piece of entertainment that oozes nostalgia and makes us pine for simpler, less fraught times. Doris can brighten anyone's day, and her sunny disposition and silky vocals carry this cozy family film.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
By the Light of the Silvery Moon arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives yields a lovely 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that helps immerse us in the period atmosphere. Evident but not overwhelming grain maintains the celluloid feel and preserves the integrity of Wilfrid M. Cline's cinematography. Deep blacks and crisp whites complement the perfectly balanced Technicolor hues, which range from bold, lush primaries to delicate pastels. Marvelous clarity and contrast highlight the fine details in the ornate wallpaper patterns, bits of décor, and costume textures, and sharp close-ups showcase Day's peaches-and-cream complexion and MacRae's boyish good looks. Though some softness creeps in from time to time, it never disrupts the viewing experience. Crush is absent, and no age-related nicks or scratches sully the pristine source. By the Light of the Silvery Moon has never looked better, and this transfer will certainly thrill the film's fans.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track supplies clear, well-modulated sound. The proof of the pudding is in the musical numbers, and a wide dynamic scale handles all the highs and lows of the lush orchestrations with ease. Day's honey-toned vocals and MacRae's booming baritone blend harmoniously, and all the song lyrics and dialogue are easy to comprehend. Sonic accents like a backfiring automobile and subtleties like a ticking metronome are distinct, and no hiss, pops, or crackle intrude. Though this track isn't quite as robust as those on other musical discs, it outputs pure sound without any hiccups.

A few vintage supplements enhance the disc.

• Vintage Short: So You Want a Television Set (SD, 10 minutes) - This installment of the popular Joe McDoakes series chronicles the mayhem that occurs when Joe finally relents and buys a build-it-yourself TV for his wife. The big surprise here occurs when Joe goes to the movies to see - you guessed it - By the Light of the Silvery Moon and finds himself sitting between - you guessed it - Doris Day and Gordon MacRae.
• Vintage Short: So You Want to Learn to Dance (SD, 10 minutes) - Another Joe McDoakes short, this one-reeler follows the hapless Joe to dancing school after he embarrasses himself in front of his boss at a country club soirée. 
• Vintage Cartoon: From A to Zzzzz (SD, 7 minutes) - This Oscar-nominated Chuck Jones cartoon depicts the fanciful daydreams of a bored schoolboy.
• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 3 minutes) - Mary Wickes narrates the film's original preview in her customary sardonic fashion.

If you loved On Moonlight Bay, you'll definitely want to pick up its sequel. By the Light of the Silvery Moon mines more Booth Tarkington tales and more tunes from the 1910s, and the result is an equally entertaining family musical that mixes comedy, romance, and the sublime warbling of Day and MacRae. A brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives, remastered audio, and a few vintage supplements enhance the appeal of another Warner Archive winner. Recommended. 

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