- Description
Tap Dance America is a reference work of bibliographic information and does not point to digitized versions of the items described. The Library of Congress may or may not own a copy of a particular film or video. To request additional information Ask a Librarian.
See Also:
From:
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The Belle of New York / Fred Astaire [film]
- Title
- The Belle of New York [Film]
- Performers
- Astaire, Fred
- Vera-Ellen
- Published/Created
- 1952-02-12
- Genre
- Film
- Note
- MGM
- Abstract
- A dance-infused musical comedy in which Astaire plays a naïve playboy, an innocent rake, opposite dancer actress Vera-Ellen, a belle of New York who is beautiful and extremely desirable."I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man" in which he spreads a hatful of sand over the floor in an exhibition of genial sand dancing; punctuating the loose cool of the dance with jumps; vigorous solo of bandy-legged shuffles and twitchy, overeager slams into position in direct reflection of rim shots on a drum in the orchestra. With Vera-Ellen, reprise of "When I'm Out With the Belle" (in the "A Bride's Wedding Day Song"/Currier and Ives number) is a beguiling partnered tap dance in which Astaire kicks his bent leg back as Vera-Ellen sweeps around him; and side by side, perform rapid, cross-legged tap combinations that progress them forward, which launches them into a series of stamps and explosive jolts to the side on unpredictable stresses in the music.
- Source
- Smith, Ernie: Selected List of Films and Kinescopes. In Jean and Marshall Stearns' Jazz Dance (1968).
- Mueller, John: Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films. New York: Knopf (1985).
Last Updated: 12-16-2015