| The Belle of New York | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:The_Belle_of_New_York_movie_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Charles Walters |
| Screenplay by | Robert O'Brien Irving Elinson Chester Erskine |
| Based on | The Belle of New York 1897 musical by Hugh Morton and Gustave Kerker |
| Produced by | Arthur Freed |
| Starring | Fred Astaire Vera-Ellen Marjorie Main Keenan Wynn |
| Cinematography | Robert H. Planck |
| Edited by | Albert Akst |
| Music by | Alexander Courage Adolph Deutsch Conrad Salinger |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
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Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,563,000[1] |
| Box office | $1,982,000[1] |
The Belle of New York is a 1952 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Hollywood musical comedy film set in New York City circa 1900 and stars Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Alice Pearce, Marjorie Main, Gale Robbins, 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[2] 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[original research?], 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[3] as one of Astaire's most technically proficient dance partners, and this was a factor[2] in his readiness to expand the dance content of the film beyond its traditional proportions.
- ^ a b The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- ^ a b Astaire, Fred (1959). Steps in Time. London: Heinemann. pp. 299–300. ISBN 0-241-11749-6.
- ^ Mueller, John (1986). Astaire Dancing - The Musical Films. London: Hamish Hamilton. pp. 332–347. ISBN 0-241-11749-6.