''The Belle of New York'' is a 1952

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

Hollywood

musical comedy film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

set in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

circa 1900 and stars

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

, Vera-Ellen,

Alice Pearce Alice Pearce (October 16, 1917 – March 3, 1966) was an American actress. She was brought to Hollywood by Gene Kelly to reprise her Broadway performance in the film version of '' On the Town'' (1949). Pearce played comedic supporting roles in ...

Marjorie Main Mary Tomlinson (February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975), professionally known as Marjorie Main, was an American character actress and singer of the Classical Hollywood period, best known as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player in the 1940s and 1 ...

Gale Robbins Gale Robbins (born Betty Gale Robbins or Betty Gale Murphy, May 7, 1921 – February 18, 1980) was an American actress and singer. Early years Born in Chicago, Illinois, although one source claims she was born in Mitchell, Indiana and her fami ...

, and Keenan Wynn, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The film was directed by Charles Walters. This whimsical (even by Astaire's standards) musical failed at the box office and impressed few critics at the time, mainly due to the nature of the plot which empowers lovers to float free of the influence of gravity - a conceit reprised in the 1999 film '' Simply Irresistible''. Astaire was reluctant to take the project - he was originally supposed to play the role in 1946 but had avoided it through retirement. Clearly stung by its failure, Astaire later claimed that the dance routines - of which there are more than usual - are of a particularly high standard - a rare verdict from such a notoriously self-critical artist. Vera-Ellen is generally viewed as one of Astaire's most technically proficient dance partners, and this was a factor in his readiness to expand the dance content of the film beyond its traditional proportions.

Plot

Set in turn-of-the-century New York, wealthy playboy Charles Hill (Fred Astaire) is causing difficulties for his guardian, Aunt Lettie (Marjorie Main) and lawyer, Max (Keenan Wynn). Prone to fall in love then ditching his showgirl brides-to-be at the altar, the compensation bills are mounting. After the most recent episode, he hears Angela (Vera-Ellen) leading a Salvation Army band in song. He falls in

love at first sight Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

and when she scoffs at him, telling him that if he were in love his feet would leave the ground, he promptly floats high into the air. He pursues her, even vowing to do an honest day's work for the first time in his life. After various attempts to convince her, Angela's feeling finally cause ''her'' feet to leave the ground. After a couple of misunderstandings are resolved, they float dancing into the air together, to a chorus of well-wishers below as the film ends.

Cast

as Charlie Hill * Vera-Ellen as Angela Bonfils *

as Mrs. Phineas Hill * Keenan Wynn as Max Ferris *

as Elsie Wilkins *

Clinton Sundberg Clinton Charles Sundberg (December 7, 1903 (some sources say 1906) – December 14, 1987) was an American character actor in film and stage. Early years Sundberg was born in Appleton, Minnesota. He graduated from Hamline University in St. Pau ...

as Gilford Spivak *

as Dixie 'Deadshot' McCoy

Production

The film was in development since 1943. Producer

Arthur Freed Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 – April 12, 1973) was an American lyricist and Hollywood film producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture twice, in 1951 for '' An American in Paris'' and in 1958 for '' Gigi''. Both films were musicals. ...

had asked

Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular ...

to write the music. It was then slated to be filmed in 1945 with Astaire and

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

. Due to Garland’s busy schedule she dropped out. Apparently

Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...

was considered for the role of Mrs. Hill. However she was considered too expensive. Beatrice Lillie was also considered.

Musical numbers

The choreography makes play with ideas of lightness, of floating on air and on ice, and the use of platforms, with Astaire consciously avoiding his usual love of noise-making in his solos. Vera-Ellen's lithe and waif-like figure (she allegedly suffered from

anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gr ...

in real life) facilitated this concept. This also marks choreographer

Robert Alton Robert Alton (2 January 1902 – 12 June 1957) was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s. He is principally remembered today as the ...

's last collaboration with Astaire. * ''When I'm Out With The Belle of New York'': The film's signature waltz is delivered by a male chorus outside Vera-Ellen's window. * ''Who Wants To Kiss The Bridegroom'': Astaire sings and dances with seven lovely women in sequence, finishing the routine on a table. * ''Let A Little Love Come In'': Sung by Alice Pearce and then by Vera-Ellen (dubbed here by Anita Ellis). * ''Seeing's Believing'': Astaire fantasy song-and-dance solo performed atop a mock-up of

Washington Square Arch The Washington Square Arch, officially the Washington Arch, is a marble memorial arch in Washington Square Park, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Designed by architect Stanford White in 1891, it commemor ...

, making considerable use of process photography. Astaire's verdict was: "After much experimentation and testing, it neither came off photographically nor story-wise." * ''Baby Doll'': Partnered romantic duet, with gentle comic overtones, sung by Astaire and danced by Astaire and Vera-Ellen with much emphasis on twirling motifs and platform work.Thomas S. Hischak The Oxford Companion to the American Musical: Theatre, Film, ... 2008 "The new score by Harry Warren (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) included the hit song “Baby Doll " * ''Oops'': Comic dance duet, sung by Astaire, takes place in and around a moving horse-drawn streetcar which introduces the platform ingredient into a linear side-by-side style of choreography incorporating gags and tap routines which echo aspects of the ''I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket'' Astaire-Rogers number from ''

Follow the Fleet ''Follow the Fleet'' is a 1936 American RKO musical comedy film with a nautical theme starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in their fifth collaboration as dance partners. It also features Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard, and Astrid Allwyn, ...

''. * ''A Bride's Wedding Day Song (Currier And Ives)'': After some unfortunately cloying opening scenes, and an attractive swirling routine on an ice-skating rink, Astaire and Vera-Ellen launch into a duet which in terms of virtuosity is equalled only by the famous ''Waltz In Swing Time'' Astaire-Rogers dance from ''

Swing Time In music, the term ''swing'' has two main uses. Colloquially, it is used to describe the propulsive quality or "feel" of a rhythm, especially when the music prompts a visceral response such as foot-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). This sens ...

'', with which this routine has some elements in common, being also a syncopated waltz with tap components, this time to a speeded-up version of ''The Belle Of New York''. The apparent ease with which Vera-Ellen copes with the myriad complexities of this routine has sealed her reputation as one of Astaire's most accomplished dance partners. Lastly, this dance is noteworthy for being Astaire's last full tap duet with a leading lady on film, as Ellen was the last of his dance partners who could tap. * ''Naughty But Nice'': A solo song (dubbed by Ellis) and dance routine by Vera-Ellen. * ''I Wanna Be A Dancin' Man'': Astaire's second solo routine is a song and sand-dance (only his second sand-dance on film, the other being the ''No Strings'' number in ''

Top Hat A top hat (also called a high hat, a cylinder hat, or, informally, a topper) is a tall, flat-crowned hat for men traditionally associated with formal wear in Western dress codes, meaning white tie, morning dress, or frock coat. Traditional ...

''), and one which - by running separate takes side by side in split screen - has been used in '' That's Entertainment, Part III'' to illustrate the extreme precision of Astaire's dance technique. The number - whose lyrics are a tribute to Astaire by his friend Mercer - is a humorous study in nonchalance, with Astaire's choreography deliberately offsetting Mercer's tribute.

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,340,000 in the US and Canada and $642,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $1,576,000.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Belle of New York, The 1952 films 1952 musical comedy films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films directed by Charles Walters Films set in New York City Films set in the 1900s Films produced by Arthur Freed American musical comedy films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films