The Belle of New York

Nobody could truthfully say that "The Belle Of New York" is a great movie but it does showcase the dancing talents of Fred Astaire & Vera-Ellen which, for me at least, makes it worth watching. Astaire was the greatest Hollywood dancer of all with the only possible exception of Gene Kelly. Lovely Vera-Ellen was not only one of Hollywood's best female dancers but had a pair of the most gorgeous gams I have ever seen. Astaire is always great to watch & Vera-Ellen does a very sexy dance to a song entitled "Naughty But Nice". She is dressed in a kind of black chiffon can-can dancers outfit & looks fabulous in it. Squeaky-voiced comedienne Alice Pearce also makes an appearance in this movie & a very funny lady she was but, sadly, died fairly young. All in all this movie is pretty good & fairly entertaining.

This was not the best movie ever made. If it were much longer than 82 minutes it might have been much less interesting. But it was entertaining and amusing at that length. I also think that Fred Astaire proves once again that the seemingly effortless grace and style and rhythm and yes, even charm, that he displays in "I wanna be a dancing man" places him in the very top echelon of modern day dancers. Bojangles. Fred Astaire. Bob Fosse. And perhaps a dancer who has not yet been discovered. For 82 minutes of inconsequential entertainment you could do much worse than this. And did anyone else notice that the effects presage Mary Poppins some ten years later? I love to laugh.....lol...

The Belle of New York is a romantic musical comedy about a rich playboy Charlie Hill, played by the legendary Fred Astaire, who very much falls in love with a girl called Angela Bonfils (Vera Ellen) and he does everything to get this girl to himself. No time and they're getting married.Fred Astaire was a great performer.He could sing, he could dance, he could jump to the sky and fly.In this movie love really makes him fly in the air. The Belle of New York is a nice musical.

Not necessarily a bad film, in fact it is quite pleasant, but it is not really one that sticks long in the memory for me. The script is weak mostly with nothing really sticking out, while the story is both forgettable and underdeveloped. The film is too short I feel too and some scenes in the middle feel a little unfocused in the pace.

On the other hand, there is much to like. I liked the look of the film, it wasn't anything spectacular, but the sets, lighting and costumes are very nice and the photography is crisp enough. The songs and score are great, as is the dancing. Then there are Fred Astaire and Vera Ellen, despite the script and story they give it their all making their characters likable and they sing and dance a dream.

Overall, not anything to rave about but a nice enough diversion. 6/10 Bethany Cox

It's a shame that someone couldn't have written a better screenplay for the Belle of New York, because there are some wonderful elements in this film. Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen made a great team. A seductive, charming and talented dancer, Vera-Ellen's graceful yet physical style was a good match for Astaire's smooth elegance. As it is, we only get to see them dance together a few times in the Belle of New York, and most of the time Vera-Ellen is bound up in an unflattering Salvation Army-type uniform. But, hey, it's something. And they do have several good solo turns. Astaire dances on top of the Arch in Washington Square in New York City (or Hollywood's version of New York circa 1900), which is kind of fun. Vera-Ellen does a great job in "Naughty But Nice," finally shedding her austere clothes for a colorful and sexy French Can-Can outfit. And Astaire also sings and dances to what could have been his signature tune, Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer's "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man."

Alice Pearce provides some much-needed comic relief in a secondary role, and Keenan Wynn and Marjorie Main do their best, but they're pretty much defeated by the weak writing and the undeveloped and uninteresting story. The score by Warren and Mercer is mostly strong. And, as always, Fred's sheer talent, joy and artistry make up for a lot. If you want to see Fred dance on a horse's back (or the Hollywood version of a horse's back) this is your film. But you'll have to get through some pretty campy and technically suspect special effects that show people "dancing on air." For the general viewer, I'd recommend about 20 other Astaire musicals before this one. The Belle of New York is mostly for serious Fred fans, Vera-Ellen fans or those who are in the mood for an inoffensive Technicolor musical about ye olde New-York.