IMDb > The Belle of New York (1952)

The Belle of New York (1952) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   268 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Charles Walters
Writers:
C.M.S. McLellan (play)
Chester Erskine (adaptation)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Belle of New York on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 February 1952 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Musical | Romance more
Tagline:
M.G.M's Gay TECHNICOLOR Musical!
Plot:
In squeaky-clean New York at the turn of the century, playboy Charlie Hill falls so much in love that he can walk on air... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
About as dreary a musical that Fred Astaire ever made. more (16 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Fred Astaire ... Charlie Hill
Vera-Ellen ... Angela Bonfils
Marjorie Main ... Mrs. Phineas Hill
Keenan Wynn ... Max Ferris
Alice Pearce ... Elsie Wilkins
Clinton Sundberg ... Gilford Spivak
Gale Robbins ... Dixie 'Deadshot' McCoy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Oliver Blake ... Currier (Wedding Portrait) (uncredited)
George Boyce ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Carol Brewster ... One of Frenchie's girls (uncredited)
Dorinda Clifton ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
James Conaty ... Supper Club Extra (uncredited)
Jean Corbett ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Charles Cross ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Roger Davis ... Hills' Butler (uncredited)
Pamela Drake ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Tom Dugan ... With Wedding Gift of Stolen Silver (uncredited)
Joe Evans ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Lisa Ferraday ... Frenchie (uncredited)
Mary Jane French ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Al Gallagher ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Billy Griffith ... Ives (Wedding Portrait) (uncredited)
Percy Helton ... Presents Angela with flowers (uncredited)
Lola Kendrick ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ... Bowery Bum Wearing Red Bow Tie (uncredited)
Helen Kimbell ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Meredith Leeds ... One of Frenchie's girls (uncredited)
Sandee Marriott ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Harold Miller ... Supper Club Extra (uncredited)
Joe Niemeyer ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Betty Jean Onge ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Jetsy Parker ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Bud Penny ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Walter Ridge ... Bowery Bum (uncredited)
Buddy Roosevelt ... Cab Driver (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson ... Casino Headwaiter (uncredited)
Henry Slate ... Police Sgt. Clancy (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook ... Bowery Bum Wearing Dark Reddish Coat (uncredited)
Beverly Thomas ... One of Frenchie's Girls (uncredited)
Dick Wessel ... With Wedding Gift of Stolen Silver (uncredited)
Lyn Wilde ... One of Frenchie's girls (uncredited)
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Directed by
Charles Walters 
 
Writing credits
C.M.S. McLellan (play) (as Hugh Morton)

Chester Erskine (adaptation)

Robert O'Brien (writer) &
Irving Elinson (writer)

Produced by
Arthur Freed .... producer
Roger Edens .... associate producer (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Robert H. Planck (director of photography) (as Robert Planck)
 
Film Editing by
Albert Akst 
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
Jack Martin Smith 
 
Set Decoration by
Richard Pefferle 
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Costume Design by
Helen Rose (costumes: women)
Gile Steele (costumes: men)
 
Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair designer
William Tuttle .... makeup designer
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Jennings .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording supervisor
 
Special Effects by
Warren Newcombe .... special effects
Irving G. Ries .... special effects
 
Music Department
Robert Alton .... musical numbers staged and directed by
Maurice De Packh .... orchestrator (as Maurice DePackh)
Adolph Deutsch .... musical director
Conrad Salinger .... orchestrator
Alexander Courage .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Franklyn .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Tucker .... music arranger: vocal arrangements (uncredited)
 
Other crew
James Gooch .... technicolor color consultant
Henri Jaffa .... technicolor color consultant
Marilyn Christine .... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Alex Romero .... assistant choreographer (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
82 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Australia:PG | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Fred Astaire had been set for the lead for this film since the mid-1940s by producer Arthur Freed. The film was originated as a project for Astaire and Judy Garland. But since the two stars had overlapping film schedules, the project never materialized until the early 1950's with Astaire and Vera-Ellen. more
Quotes:
Charlie Hill: It's not obscene, it's French.
Mrs. Phineas Hill: French is obscene!
One of Frenchie's girls: What is the meaning of this obscene?
Charlie Hill: It means you better go.
One of Frenchie's girls: Very well then, I obscene!
more
Movie Connections:
Remake of The Belle of New York (1919) more
Soundtrack:
When I'm Out With the Belle of New York more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
About as dreary a musical that Fred Astaire ever made., 14 January 2009
2/10
Author: Ed from New York, NY

Fred was right; he should never have done this film.

I've never seen "Yolanda and the Thief" so I can't compare it but this has got to be one of his worst musicals. Fred and the rest of the cast is pretty much wasted though the "I Wanna be a Dancin' Man" number is indeed a classic and handily escapes the mediocrity of the rest. But you can see it without having to endure this turkey, most notably in "That's Entertainment III".

The cast has all appeared to better advantage elsewhere: Marjorie Main plays, surprise, surprise, a battle-ax and when she calls Fred "young man", you have to wonder what she's been drinking. (He was around 50 and looked it! In "Royal Wedding" which preceded it, at least he plays Jane Powell's brother, not love interest.) Alice Pearce plays the homely comedienne part to little avail even if she has a song ("Let a Little Love Come in") or two.

Vera Ellen, an accomplished dancer, has near-zero chemistry with Fred and his "falling in love" with her or, even worse, she with him, has only to do with the script. His floating and dancing on air therefore looks doubly ridiculous and doesn't come off at all.

Watch only if you must!

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