AllMovie

A lesser Fred Astaire effort, Belle of New York is set during the turn of the century. Astaire plays a footloose and fancy-free playboy who falls in love with Salvation Army lass Vera-Ellen. To prove his worth to the girl, Astaire breaks down and gets a job. Naturally, there's plenty of terpsichorean activity from the two stars, but nothing truly worth remembering save for Astaire's solo "I Wanna be a Dancin' Man". The film's best moments belong to such stellar supporting players as Alice Pearce, Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn, Henry Slate, and the ubiquitous Percy Helton. Belle of New York was adapted by Chester Erskine from a play by Hugh Morton.