In the past few months, it has been an abundance of riches for fans of inimitable Doris Day, as several of her classic films have been given new life courtesy of the Warner Archive. We have already fallen for the bouncy The Pajama Game and had a nice trip On Moonlight Bay, and the specialty label has not found it worth stopping at this point. Following her spirited debut in the rollicking Romance on the High Seas from the prolific director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mystery of the Wax Museum), Day immediately reunited with Curtiz and Romance co-star Jack Carson (Arsenic and Old Lace) for 1949’s My Dream Is Yours, an update on the 1934 musical comedy Twenty Million Sweethearts. The film is a bit uneven when it comes to balancing the comedy with the melodrama, but it nonetheless serves as an important step in Day’s career by showing her range as a dramatic actress. While it seems that Warner reversed course a bit in subsequent years and tried to paint Day in the virginal role in films such as On Moonlight Bay, My Dream Is Yours skews closer to Day’s real-life persona as a young mother. This film is an essential piece in the history of one of the great entertainers of old Hollywood.
Jack Carson stars as the down-on-his-luck agent Doug Blake, who has just been kicked to the curb by one of the hottest acts on the circuit right now, Gary Mitchell (Lee Bowman, The Impatient Years). Mitchell is hoping to take his clout and establish a whole new radio show for himself complete with a brand new sponsor. The downtrodden Blake is not going to take this rebuke lightly, so he sets off determined to find a new singer that not only can replace Mitchell within the agency, but in the public consciousness. Discovering such talent is easier said than done, until he happens to hear the voice of Martha Gibson (Doris Day) quite by chance. He can tell there is something special about her, but the single mother is hesitant to leave her young son behind in New York with a close friend while she attempts to find success in Hollywood. After some convincing, she agrees to go and pound the pavement to find work in any place imaginable such as nightclubs, radio stations, big bands and more. Martha has one heck of a voice, but there is something about her performance that is just not clicking.
It is only when Blake realizes he has been selling Martha the wrong way that she begins to experience the success befitting her talent. Her old novelty tunes were not quite connecting in the way her soulful ballads move people. It makes complete sense when you understand all of the bubbling emotion Martha has within her; she misses her child, her search for a break in show business has been draining, and her love life has become increasingly complicated. It is clear Blake has a sweet spot for Martha, but he never deigns to act improperly with her, as she has come to trust him completely. He even lives with the fact that Martha has become somewhat smitten with Gary Mitchell, who is often sweet to Martha up until the point he is not – sometimes due to his alcoholism, other times because he is just an old-fashioned jerk. Bowman is pretty great at inhabiting this cad, giving off enough charm that you can see why Martha might take a shine to him but off-putting enough to cheer for his downfall. This mixture of love triangle and career opportunism brings about a lot of drama that is not completely unique, but done well enough to support all of the other elements that are drawing people into the story.
For a film about music, you are going to need more than a few tunes to keep your spirits light and emotions stirred. Thankfully, this film has that in spades, from the titular tune that is given no fewer than three renditions, to the bouncy fun of “Tic-Tic-Tic” along with the splendid “Someone Like You” that will transport you to your happy place. Then there is the joyous “Freddie, Get Ready” which is notable for unconventional reasons; this song is featured in a dream sequence featuring Carson and Day alongside the one and only Bugs Bunny. This early blending of live action and animation is one that serves as a highlight of the picture for this Looney Tunes fan. The script at times veers a little too wildly between the silliness of a detour like this and the stark darkness of someone going on a drunken bender, but the inconsistency is lessened thanks to the strong performances from all involved. Day is pitch perfect in her lead role, and both gentlemen offer her a stable base on which she builds her performance. It would also be a crime to not mention Eve Arden (Grease) as the beleaguered agency secretary who provides some sharp quips that brings some big laughs. The film is imperfect, but the good far outweighs the bad in this strong romantic musical.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents My Dream Is Yours with a sumptuous new 1080p master transfer in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio. While it appears the original Technicolor negatives were not available like the other new Doris Day title, On Moonlight Bay, Warner Archive nonetheless delivers an eye-popping presentation from the elements that were available. One of the standout aspects of the film is the vibrant colors within the costumes and settings that practically leap off the screen in only the way Technicolor can. The black levels are very deep with impeccable stability throughout. The film exhibits no signs of any damage or debris, which is typical of the magic that the workers at Warner Archive pull off. Detail and clarity is off the charts with the beautiful, natural film grain intact and well resolved. There does not appear to be any digital nuisances such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such issues. This presentation offers a lovely viewing experience from start to finish.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive has delivered via DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that is incredibly pleasing. Dialogue comes through clearly from beginning to end without being stepped on by any musical beats or sound effects. This track also effortlessly handles all of the music that is so integral to shaping this story with nothing ever sounding blown out. Every single element seems clearly defined and in balance as everything is presented with a nice fidelity. Warner Archive has provided a five-star audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- So You Want To Be An Actor: An eleven-minute Joe McDoakes comedy short that shows the difficulties of getting into show business.
- The Grass Is Always Greener: A nearly 22-minute short film from 1950 starring Chill Wills where ranchers have to reconsider their hardscrabble lifestyle when a new stranger rolls into town to put things into perspective.
- A Ham In A Role: A seven minute Looney Tunes short featuring the Goofy Gophers in which they impede a pup’s aspirations to act. This one is pretty funny and worth a watch.
- Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer that gives you a taste of the glamorous production.
Final Thoughts
My Dream Is Yours is a pleasant musical comedy that shows early signs of why America fell in love with Doris Day. The story is nothing too groundbreaking, but it is executed well and is even given an extra shot of energy via a cameo from a famous animated character. Warner Archive has offered up a Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and a few fun special features. If you are a fan of Day or classic musical romantic comedies, this one is a safe bet to impress. Recommended
My Dream Is Yours can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
