Listen to the opening music from "My Dream is Yours":
"Warners had found a genuine new discovery"
This beautiful film, if made today, would be hailed
as a triumph, a tour de force, proof that Warner Brothers' new star,
Doris Day, was no fluke, but a genuine discovery by the studio, which
had for years searched for a musical/comedy star who was on par with
the giants at MGM. This film proved that they had found in this
former big band singer, a unique talent who could almost single-handedly
save a dying art form, the movie musical. Her voice was golden. She had
a way with a song that no singer in films could match. Day had perfect-of-a-type
good looks and a winning personality that was embraced by the film-going
public, worldwide. Her natural acting ability astounded many critics
who felt after her first film, that she might be a one shot, one picture
phenomenon.
Listen to Doris sing "My Dream is Yours"
After "My Dream is Yours", there was no doubt that a star
had truly been born. Audiences fell in love with the honesty, the warmth
and the "regular
gal" quality she brought to the screen. There had been others before
her, like Ginger Rogers, Betty Hutton, Judy Garland and Jean Arthur, but
Miss Day was not like any of them. Luckily, she had her own qualities,
which resonated extraordinarily well with the public. The ridiculous "virgin" routine
described by Oscar Levant should have been dispelled with this, Doris Day's
second film. As Martha Gibson, she had been married and was the
mother of a small child. It mirrored her real life, in that Miss
Day had been married twice and was the mother of a young boy, whom
she gave birth to at 17 years old.
"My Dream is Yours" centres around the booming
radio business in the late '40s, with Doug Blake (Jack Carson), a talent
scout and agent, about to loose his prize singer, Gary Mitchell (Lee Bowman)
to another station. Blake has fought for years to make Mitchell a star
and now that he's arrived, Gary is ungrateful, spoiled and drinking heavily.
After an all-out dispute nearly ends in a brawl, Doug vows to wash his
hands of Gary and to find a new singing star to replace him. Blake, after
borrowing money from his firm's assistant director, Eve Arden, heads for
New York scouting for a fresh new singer.
Arriving in Gotham, Doug club
hops all over town, with no luck until he enters Dave's Green Door where
Edgar Kennedy (Uncle Charlie), the bartender, is trying to help
his niece, Martha (Doris Day), break into radio. She
works as a disc jockey at the Metropolis Music Company, which feeds
records to selected bars (an old '40s thing). After getting the
signal that a talent scout is in the house, she proceeds to sing
along with an instrumental version of "Canadian Capers" prompting
Doug to ask, "Who
is she? Who made the record?" After getting her fired by a prissy
manager (Franklin Pangborn), Doug takes Martha to Hollywood. She
doesn't want to leave her small son behind, but is convinced by her
uncle that for career reasons, she must.
Vivian Martin (Eve Arden) has arranged for Martha to
audition for the Hour of Enchantment, the radio show which stars romantic
crooner, Gary Mitchell. Felix Hofer (S. Z. "Cuddles" Sakall),
the show's sponsor wants Mitchell to stay, no matter what, and is not
interested in a new singer. Martha instantly falls for Mitchell, for
she's as much a fan as any other star struck woman in America. Hofer
listens, but doesn't like Martha who sings a bouncy, "Tick, Tick,
Tick". "I want beauty and charm,
you give me boogie and woogie!" Hofer scowls.
Gary starts dating Martha, much to the consternation
of Blake who feels that Mitchell's influence might hinder what he's trying
to accomplish. He moves Martha in with Vivian to save money and embarks
on a concerted effort to make Martha Gibson a star. There are tremendous
difficulties, mostly stemming from lack of funds and uncertainty of how
exactly to sell Gibson to potential producers. Blake and Martha pound
the pavement, auditioning for anyone who will listen. Martha, without
Doug's knowledge, takes a job in a clip joint called the Club Bambita
- run by a sleazy, sex-crazed rogue, played by Sheldon Leonard. Gibson
sings "Love Finds A Way" in
a grass skirt and is attacked by a jealous woman whose husband flirts
with her.
Knowing how depressed Martha is getting from constant
rejection, Doug secretly flies in her son, Freddy, and surprises her.
One evening while Martha sings her son to sleep, Doug overhears her
singing the lovely ballad, "I'll String Along with You" and
bingo! He decides that he has been selling his singer the wrong way!
Why he didn't get it earlier is beyond this viewer. Doug quickly schemes to get Hofer to give another listen
to Martha Gibson. He arranges for her to appear on the radio and
implores Hofer to listen, to no avail. Meanwhile, Gary Mitchell is
riding high. In an effort to cause problems between Martha and Doug,
he invites Martha to a party, sans Doug. Blake crashes the party
and an altercation ensues.
On his last night to perform on the Hour
of Enchantment, Gary hits the bottle and is unable to appear. Doug
badgers Mr. Hofer to allow Martha to go on in his place. Holfer
balks, but in exasperation, tells Doug, "put
on who you please, just leave me alone!" Martha, now desperately in
love with Gary refuses to go on. Making her feel guilty for putting Mitchell
before her son, her uncle, Vivian and the people who have worked hard on
her behalf, she succumbs and reluctantly goes on. She sings Mitchell's
theme song, "My Dream is Yours" and both the studio and radio
audiences love her. So does Holfer, who signs Martha to a contract
to star on the Hour of Enchantment. Martha Gibson becomes a bonified star with maids, cars,
furs and all the accoutrements of stardom. She searches in vain for
Gary, who has gone on a drinking binge and can't be found. For months,
she writes him letters, which are returned unopened. Meanwhile, her
star rises to unbelievable heights, even a movie contract.
Months later,
after bad publicity and a failed career, Mitchell shows up, desperate
for work, and just as in the old days, Doug lends a helping hand.
He arranges for Gary to sing at a reunion, which will be attended by
none other than Mr. Holfer and his old boss, Thomas Hutchins (Adolphe
Menjou). The famous Frankie Carle introduces Gary to the shocked audience
and he proceeds to sing "My Dream is Yours".
During the song, Gary is unable to hit certain notes and Martha,
who is also in attendance, stands up and starts singing, moving towards
the stage. A relieved Gary finishes the song with Martha and receives
a standing ovation.
He then tells Martha that they should resume
their relationship, but concentrate on his career, not hers. Gibson
realises that Doug had been right in his assumptions about Gary and
realises that she has been chasing the wrong rainbow. Coaxed up the
bandstand to sing, Martha lets Doug know with the lyric of the song, "Someone
Like You", that
it is he that she loves, not Gary. This is a very entertaining film.
Thank God it was not a carbon copy of "Romance
on the High Seas". Doris Day had some dramatic moments in this and
the role had some real substance. The question of loyalty was the central
question, which many people face.
Is the love of a man or a woman more important than an obligation to
one's children or the people who have helped you? Martha Gibson had to
make that choice.
I admired Jack Carson's character who tried to keep
his relationship with his singer strictly business. For a spell, I
thought that he and Vivian had some romantic ties, but later decided
that they were indeed, just pals. Eve Arden was as stylish as she was
in all of her pictures. She made several pictures with Doris and they
worked well together. Lee Bowman played a very unsympathetic Gary Mitchell.
He was the archetype of the spoiled, selfish star. He was aloof, arrogant,
wolfish and completely ungrateful. A popular leading man, he received
third, but equal billing with Jack Carson and Doris Day. Doris Day
looked incredible in Technicolor. Ah, youth! Her last close-up while
singing "Someone
Like You" displayed what a beautiful woman
she is, perfect, without flaws. I only wish that more songs had been
assigned for her in this "musical". Most of her numbers were
snippets shown while she was auditioning. There was one number she did
with Carson and the famed cartoon character Bugs Bunny called "Freddie
Get Ready" during
a dream sequence, but a couple more ballads would have added much to
the proceedings.
Director, Michael Curtiz, was nurturing a new star and it showed here.
He showcased Doris Day to her best advantage by giving her the opportunity
to show that she could act, not just sing. Her heart-to-heart conversations
with Doug explaining her uncertainty, his reassurances and concern were
very touching. S.Z. Sakall was enjoyable to watch, as usual, Adolphe
Menjou (at the end of a distinguished career) was appropriately stuffy,
Edgar Kennedy, the perfect uncle/father figure, Franklin Pangborn as
the uppity manager and Sandra Gould as Day's friend and co-worker all
played well. In short, this was a nice movie. Ralph McKnight, New York, November 2000
Additional Notes - Derald Hendry:
Worthy of special note is a dream
sequence featuring Bugs Bunny in which the cartoon characters
blends with live action. The screenplay by Henry Kurnitrz and Dane
Lussier takes every chance to poke fun at radio and to get all
the comedy out of the various situations. The many song numbers
include: “My
Dream is Yours,” “Someone
Like You,” “Love Finds a Way,” and “I’ll
String along with You.”
Release date, April 16, 1949. Running time, 101 minutes.
“The studio was shrewd.. in assigning Day roles that emphasized
the similarities between her private self and her public persona..
Day’s
acting in My Dream Is Yours is far more restrained and varied than
in her first film, and she is surrounded with a superior cast as
well… Although My Dream Is Yours is shot through with music,
much of it is thrown away or merely used in the background while
the dialogue continues.. Especially lovely is Day’s rendering
of the standard, ‘I’ll String Along With You,’ which
she sings to her son in an effort to lull him to sleep.” (Morris,
Doris Day)
“I enjoyed singing for films because it wasn’t the
impromptu business of standing in front of a ballroom band or a
radio audience and hoping that one shot, despite all its distractions,
would approximate my best effort.” Doris Day, Her Own Story
“This is a reasonably entertaining variant of the tired,
old backstage musical, due chiefly to Doris Day’s fresh and
appealing personality and Jack Carson’s glib and amiable
buffoonery... Miss Day.. turns in another exuberant performance
that will win the favor of audiences, she is becoming a marquee
asset.” Film
Bulletin
