Lullaby of Broadway Blu-ray Review

The Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray release of "Lullaby of Broadway" offers an exemplary visual presentation that pays homage to the classic Technicolor process. This restoration emphasizes the vibrant production and costume design, delivering spectacular image detail, depth, and density. The Technicolor hues, ranging from bold primaries to subtle pastels, are rendered beautifully and with great fidelity. Despite the lack of specific restoration details, it is evident that the film was likely scanned in 4K from original Technicolor negatives, ensuring a clean and detailed image free from excessive noise reduction.

The Blu-ray retains the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1, and while the opening credits may appear slightly fuzzy, the overall sharpness is impressive throughout, especially in close-ups that showcase remarkable clarity. Wilfrid M. Cline's cinematography shines with natural complexions and well-managed contrasts, though some long shots tend to be marginally soft. The black levels are robust, enhancing the more dramatic scenes, while whites remain brightly defined without any bloom. Although not as striking as other Doris Day titles from Warner Archive, the transfer maintains a commendable film-like quality.

The use of the AVC codec ensures a pristine viewing experience, unmarred by splices or any noticeable imperfections. The high bit rate encoding on this dual-layered disc effectively manages the film's 90-minute runtime while preserving its dynamic color palette and maintaining top-notch visual integrity. While some might compare it to superior offerings from Warner Archive's catalog, "Lullaby of Broadway" stands as a solid release that meets high expectations and offers a notable improvement over previous DVDs, much to the delight of Doris Day's fans and classic film enthusiasts.

The audio presentation of "Lullaby of Broadway" on Blu-ray employs a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track, delivering a meticulously clean and strikingly crisp auditory experience. Dialogue and vocals are brimming with clarity, exhibiting minimal distortion and capturing the bright tonal quality essential for a musical of its era. The soundtrack features songs by eminent composers such as Cole Porter and George Gershwin, supplemented by cues from Howard Jackson. Despite the age of the source material, there are negligible occurrences of hiss, pops, or drop-outs, reflecting the exemplary fidelity maintained throughout the audio track.

However, a noticeable anomaly arises in the tap dance sequences. Contrary to expectations in Golden Age musicals where taps were overdubbed post-production to enhance their rhythmic presence, here they appear muted and lack the vibrancy necessary to match Ray Heindorf's proficient arrangements. This underwhelming representation of the dance numbers somewhat dulls their spirited choreography. Despite this, other sound elements maintain a remarkable dynamic range, seamlessly handling musical highs and lows without compromising on clarity.

Optional English SDH subtitles are provided, encompassing full song lyrics for comprehensive accessibility. While some accents might pose challenges in comprehension, the overall auditory presentation remains a stellar reproduction considering the film's historical context. This Blu-ray release succeeds predominantly in preserving the integrity of the audio while introducing only minor imperfections that don't detract significantly from the audience's immersion and enjoyment.

The Blu-ray release of "Lullaby of Broadway" is somewhat sparse in supplementary features but does include the essential basics. The principal extra, a theatrical trailer running for approximately 2 minutes and 41 seconds, serves as an engaging vintage promotional piece depicting the essence of this musical classic, starring the delightful Doris Day. Another feature, the Song Selection menu, allows viewers to directly access each of the film’s 14 musical numbers conveniently. While customary on Warner Archive releases, the feature adds minimal value here as it replicates the existing chapter stops on the disc.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: A classic promotional clip hyping the musical as a joy-ride along Broadway.
• Song Selection: Instant access to the film's 14 main song-and-dance numbers.

David Butler's 1951 "Lullaby of Broadway" features Doris Day and Gene Nelson in a Technicolor musical that's more delightful in its musical numbers than its narrative depth. Doris Day emerges as the standout, showcasing her multifaceted talent through vibrant dance routines and her famed vocal performances. The film pairs Day not with her typical leading man, Gordon MacRae, but with Gene Nelson, who effectively steps into the spotlight with impressive dance sequences, adding a dynamic energy that occasionally elevates the paper-thin plot. Key dance and song numbers, notably "Just One of Those Things" and "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart," bring palpable vitality, compensating for the movie's otherwise flimsy storyline.

The plot follows Melinda Howard (Day), returning to New York under the impression of her mother's (Gladys George) enduring Broadway success, only to uncover a tangled web of misleading white lies spun by caring friends to shield her from disappointment. Despite these sitcom-like misunderstandings, including a tumultuous subplot involving a wealthy patron (S.Z. Sakall) and her burgeoning relationship with co-star Tom Farnham (Nelson), the film’s charm lies primarily within Day and Nelson’s musical interludes, which stitch together seemingly disjointed narrative episodes.

Technically, the Blu-ray release is commendable, featuring a 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 restoration that plays to the film's visual strengths. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono ensures that Day’s lovely vocals resonate well. While the film itself is no narrative powerhouse, its combination of nostalgia-inducing numbers and vivid presentation make it a modest yet entertaining entry for musical enthusiasts, particularly those with an appreciation for the talent of Doris Day during her ascendant years at Warner Bros.

David Butler's "Lullaby of Broadway" is a visual and auditory delight, embodying the charm of classic Hollywood musicals with vibrant Technicolor cinematography. The film showcases Doris Day at her finest, both vocally and in dance, accompanied by a strong supporting cast. Despite its paper-thin plot, the film's iconic song and dance numbers, coupled with Ray Heindorf’s adept arrangements, offer moments of delightful entertainment. Warner Archive's Blu-ray presentation enhances this experience with its meticulous restoration, allowing the colors to pop and the film to shine as though it were brand new.

The audio quality on the Blu-ray is commendable, featuring an English 2.0 mono DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. Dialogue clarity and the absence of annoying surface noise enhance the listening experience significantly for a film of this age. However, the mono source does limit the breadth of its musical vibrancy, giving some numbers a flatter sound profile than their multichannel counterparts. While Day's distinct vocals are superbly presented with no distortion, there is a lack of crispness in dance sequences that the era’s more dynamic musicals highlighted.

In conclusion, "Lullaby of Broadway" serves more as a monument to Doris Day's talent than a cohesive narrative triumph. It remains a pleasing watch for fans who appreciate classic Hollywood glamour and nostalgia-inducing performances. The Blu-ray is a treat for enthusiasts of Day's work and for collectors of meticulously restored cinematic history. Nevertheless, given the limited extras and niche appeal, it might be wise for new viewers to explore rental opportunities before committing to a purchase.