(1941)
4
Craig Butler
Belle Starr is the story of a famous southern female outlaw, as seen through the lens of a Hollywood that was still reeling from the mammoth success of Gone With the Wind. As a result, Belle bears absolutely no resemblance to the historical truth -- hardly a surprise from Hollywood, but worth repeating nonetheless. The physical aspects of Belle are something to see, with some gorgeous Technicolor photography by Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan and some glorious sets and costumes that reveal that the studio spent a pretty penny on the picture. Even prettier than any penny, and the film's chief physical attraction, is Gene Tierney, whose beauty is truly phenomenal. Unfortunately, Tierney's performance is Starr is no match for her looks; she's unconvincing and too often is going through the motions (albeit very prettily), and her southern accent is not very good. She does get very valuable support from the actors playing the men who love her, Randolph Scott and Dana Andrews, both of whom turn in very strong performances and overcome some stodginess in the writing of each character. Irving Cummings' direction emphasizes the visual and the grandeur, with a secondary emphasis on action, but falters when dealing with the drama. Modern audiences are likely to find the depiction of African-American characters troublesome.
Belle Starr on AllMovie
Belle Starr (1941)
