Doris Day

LULLABY OF BROADWAY

Warner Bros., 1951.  Directed by David Butler.  Camera:  Wilfrid M. Cline.  With Doris Day, Gene Nelson, S.Z. Sakall, Billy De Wolfe, Gladys George, Florence Bates, Anne Triola.

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

On board the ship carrying her from England, where she lives, to New York City, entertainer Melinda Howard performs for an appreciative audience, including Broadway star Tom Farnham.  Keeping his profession a secret, Tom makes a pass at the attractive Melinda, who reveals that she is making a surprise visit to her mother, Broadway singer Jessica Howard.

In New York, Melinda arrives at the mansion she believes belongs to her mother.  Unknown to Melinda, Jessica's alcoholism has reduced her to singing in a Greenwich Village saloon, and the mansion actually belongs to brewer Adolph Hubbell and his wife.  The Hubbells' butler, "Lefty" Mack and his fiancée, Gloria Davis, the maid, are a down-on-their luck vaudeville team, who are good friends of Jessica and have been forwarding her letters to Melinda.  Lefty pretends that Jessica has rented the house to the Hubbells while she is on tour and, when a disappointed Melinda discloses that she has no money, offers her one of the servants' rooms for the night.  After promising Melinda that her mother will soon return home, Lefty informs Jessica of Melinda's arrival and suggests that she come to the house the following night when the Hubbells will be giving a party attended by many Broadway performers.  Meanwhile, the kindly Adolph has discovered Melinda's presence and, after Lefty explains the situation, agrees to keep Jessica's secret.

At the party, Melinda awaits her mother with great anticipation.  To her chagrin, among the guests brought by Broadway producer George Ferndel is Tom, who entertains the crowd with a spectacular song and dance.  Ferndel, meanwhile, tries to persuade Adolph to invest in his latest show, something Adolph refuses to do unless he is able to help cast the production.  After Ferndel accuses him of being too old-fashioned, Adolph sneaks away from the party but, upon encountering Melinda, agrees to dance a rumba with her. Tom, who has been entertaining the jealous Mrs. Hubbell, intervenes and leaves Adolph to make his excuses to his wife, while he dances with Melinda.

After Jessica fails to appear because she has been hospitalized with delirium tremens, Lefty explains that her show is too popular for her to leave, and Melinda vows to wait for her, even if it takes months. In an attempt to cheer up Melinda, Lefty suggests to Adolph that he take her to dinner and present her to Ferndel as the potential new star of his show. Ferndel is suitably impressed by Adolph's attractive protegée, and the deal is concluded to everyone's satisfaction.

Delighted by his new role as a modern man, Adolph decides to buy Melinda a fur jacket. When Tom happens to see him in the fur shop, Adolph begs him to keep it a secret.

Later, Melinda and Tom rehearse a number for the new show Lullaby of Broadway and, afterward, kiss lovingly.  Gloria is horrified when the fur arrives, as she believes Adolph's intentions are far from fatherly.  The innocent Melinda, upset by her insinuations, insists on returning the jacket, and then demonstrates Adolph's kindness by announcing that Lefty and Gloria will both have parts in the new production.  Before the jacket is returned, however, Mrs. Hubbell finds it and believes that it is a surprise for her.  She wears it that night to a charity ball where Melinda sees her and candidly remarks to Tom that the jacket had originally been meant for her.  Tom misinterprets her statements, and the two quarrel bitterly.

Although Jessica has been released from the hospital, she fears Melinda's reaction to her present state and refuses to meet her.  Then, just before the show opens, Mrs. Hubbell learns that the fur was purchased for Melinda and names her in a divorce suit.  Tom offers to "forgive" the shocked Melinda, and she realizes that he, too, thought she was romantically involved with Adolph.

Shortly afterward, an aggressive reporter recognizes Jessica's picture and tells Melinda the truth about her mother.  Completely shattered, Melinda decides to return to England and begs Lefty to pay for her ticket.  Gloria and Lefty then meet Melinda at the ship and escort her to a stateroom where Jessica is waiting.  After mother and daughter are tearfully reunited, Lefty informs them that Mrs. Hubbell now knows there was nothing between Melinda and Adolph, and they all leave together for the theater.  Opening night is a great success, and Tom and Melinda pursue their romance.

American Film Institute Catalog

Poster artwork courtesy of Dieter