I'll See You In My Dreams (1951)

The story of songwriter Gus Kahn (Danny Thomas) and his rise in the music industry. He is helped by his first song writing partner (Doris Day) who loves him and who he eventually marries. She retires from songwriting after their first baby and he goes on to collaborate with other composers. Directed by Michael Curtiz (CASABLANCA), this is a typical example of the countless movie biographies Hollywood did in the 1940s and 1950s about songwriters. Movies like TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (Jerome Kern), WORDS AND MUSIC (Rodgers & Hart), RHAPSODY IN BLUE (George Gershwin), NIGHT AND DAY (Cole Porter) etc. The public seemed to like them, this one was a big hit but its cliche by the numbers plot seems like filler until the next song. The film is in B&W and could have used some Technicolor to pep things up. There's a charming duet of Makin' Whopee by Day and Thomas but the rest of the musical performances fade away. Day is ill used here in the "stand by your man" wife role. A bit of a slog, even for Doris Day fans. With Frank Lovejoy, Patrice Wymore, James Gleason, Jim Backus, Mary Wickes and Trudy Marshall.