THE BELLE OF NEW YORK
US, 1952, 82 minutes, Colour.
Fred Astaire, Vera Ellen, Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn.
Directed by Charles Walters.
A brief Fred Astaire vehicle of the early 50s. It is light fluffy entertainment. Astaire dances well as usual and is partnered by Vera Ellen with whom he had worked in 1950 in Three Little Words. Direction is by Charles Walters who had directed Astaire with Ginger Rogers in The Barkeleys of Broadway and with Judy Garland in Easter Parade. There is some humorous support from Marjorie Main.
1. The entertainment value of M.G.M. musicals? In their time? Now?
2. The appeal of Fred Astaire, his personality, dancing? Vera Ellen and her dancing? An enjoyable duo?
3. The artificial world of the American musical? Colour photography, décor, costumes? New York at the turn of the century? The importance of the special effects - especially the walking on air when in love?
4. The appeal of the songs. their lyrics? The quality of the dancing?
5. The love story conventions? The wealthy hero and his having to humiliate himself and face reality? The attractive heroine and her toying with being naughty but nice?
6. Fred Astaire's presentation of Charlie - the wealthy playboy, the sequence with the girls before his marriage, his attraction towards Angela, his fear or work but doing it on her behalf, the humour of his work and the accident, his decision not to marry Angela, his hurting her? His being upset when it appeared that she and Elsie would go to the restaurant? Walking on air when in love? The songs and the dances to illustrate his character?
7. Vera Ellen's personality and style as Angela? The belle of New York, at work, charity, attracting the men and the police? Mrs Hill and her friendship with Angela? Elsie? The attacks on Charlie? Falling in love? Her response to his working? Her being left as a bride? her decision to go to the restaurant with Elsie - the song Naughty But Nice?
8. Mrs Hill as the philanthropist and wealthy woman of New York? The humour of her being in the restaurant during the raid at the end?
9. Elsie -comic relief, the contrast with Angela in appearance, singing and dancing, the parallel when dressing up to go to the restaurant?
10. The picture of the men needing charity, Charlie’s lawyer, the police of New York, the girls working for charity?
11. The theme of religion, conversion, charity? The spoof on being good and upturning morals - Naughty But Nice? Entertaining fluff with conventional attitudes?
