AllMovie

After his classic films with Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire went through quite an array of partners. Vera Ellen, his teammate for The Belle of New York, is one of his very finest in terms of technique -- and she's not a bad match for him overall, either. True, there's a substantial difference in their ages, but this was often the case with Astaire and his co-stars. While not a great actress, Vera Ellen has an attractive personality that plays well off of Astaire, who is in his usual superb form as the debonair playboy (not a stretch). The two stars have three marvelous dances that allow them to strut their stuff together, but it's two Astaire solos that are especially memorable. "I Wanna Be a Dancing Man" is a traditional Astaire signature number and "Seeing's Believing" is an amazing trip across the rooftops of New York City. Comedienne Alice Pearce also gets a few chances to shine, especially in "Naughty But Nice." Unfortunately, the screenplay is a letdown, with a terribly thin plot and leaden dialogue. This prevents the movie from being something special, but the highlights are noteworthy. Astaire's next film would be one of the classics of the film musical, Band Wagon.