MartinHafer Fred Astaire plays a playboy (an odd job of casting there) and he becomes infatuated with a lady (Vera-Ellen) working in a mission in New York City. So, to impress her, he tries to give up his playboy ways and get an honest job. Can he win her or is he simply out of his league? Despite being filmed in beautiful Technicolor, this is an amazingly sub-par film for Fred Astaire. Despite a lot of songs and dance numbers, none of them stand out--particularly the songs. And, to make matters worse, there really isn't a lot of plot or chemistry in this film. It's a shame, as I adore Astaire films--but this one left me very, very flat. It also didn't help that the film used the traveling matte technique to make people appear to fly. The technique seemed crude and very fake. I'd rather they spent their money writing some better songs than coming up with silly special effects. The only reason the film earns a 5 is that a bad Astaire film STILL is a pretty decent film!

mmyy The Belle of New York is not one of Fred Astaire's best movies but it is nowhere near his worst. Everything about the movie is sweet, charming and light. Vera Ellen is one of the best dancers in Hollywood and a great partner for Fred. The color is beautiful. The sets and the costumes are fantastic, and while it is true it is not one of the strongest stories, there are some good laughs along the way. The music is charming. The dancing is excellent. And the movie just glides along, mostly due to the very plentiful musical numbers. If you want some dramatic tension, look elsewhere. This movie has none. If you like musicals, if you like good dancing, in particular if you like Vera Ellen, this movie is a must see. The quality of the DVD release is excellent.

Michael Stewart Almost unwatchable. Can't understand why anyone would want to waste such talent as Astaire and Ellen on such dross. Photography is good and acting and dancing up to the usual standards from both leads. Although this is a musical and meant to be lighthearted, it is unfortunately totally beyond credibility with a silly story line and a banal script.I feel that Vera Elen is not a suitable partner for Astaire. They don't gel in the same way as Astaire did with Ginger Rodgers or with Judy Garland in Easter Parade. This doesn't detract from the fact that Vera Ellen is in her own right a presentable and able performer, but not with Astaire.

semi-buff Considering the prodigious talent involved, possibly the worst musical of all time. This embarrassing mess underscores the importance of good writing in places where we might not think about its relevance, such as a musical. Plus the choreography is boring and the songs are awful. I thought it was going to be redeemed by the homely girl getting a guy, but noooo. The costumes were nice, but otherwise a complete waste of a wonderful cast!