Watch Belle of the Yukon For Free

Best movie of this year hands down!

Touches You

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

An intriguing entry whichever way way you look at it, unavailable for many years and even now I caught it in what may well be a one-off screening. In my case I had several reasons for catching it: 1) The score, which boasts two standards, 2) a chance to see Gypsy Rose Lee, 3)William Marshall had a featured role, and that's about it. The score was the work of composer Jimmmy Van Heusen and lyricist Johnny Burke, who got together in the early forties and were staff writers at Paramount supplying songs for five of the seven 'Road' pictures (Burke did the first, Singapore, with James V. Monaco and Van Heusen did the last, Hong Kong, with Sammy Cahn) plus virtually everything Crosby did in the forties at Paramount, so this was a rare sortie to another Lot. William Marshall was married to two outstanding French Actresses, Michele Morgan and Micheline Presle and I'm a French movie buff and thirdly I have never actually seen Gypsy Rose Lee herself although I have seen both the Broadway Musical and Film adaptation of Gypsy albeit it centres on her mother. I'm glad I finally got to see it if only to hear Dinah Shore - who they contrive to make look like a freak - perform Like Someone In Love and Sleighride In July.

The color of the Canadian territory of the Yukon is proudly displayed in this beautiful to look at semi-musical about a Saloon owner (Randolph Scott), his former flame (Gypsy Rose Lee) who arrives to entertain, the saloon's manager (Charles Winninger), and his pretty daughter (Dinah Shore) who is in love with a man supposedly married with children (William Marshall). Scott is involved in a scheme to defraud the local residents thanks to a phony professor ("Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" grandfather Victor Kilian) and when he is on the verge of being exposed by Ms. Lee, he changes his plans. Another villain (Robert Armstrong) uses this as an opportunity to take away the gold stashed in Scott's newly opened bank, while Sheriff Guinn "Big Boy" Williams has various supposedly humorous encounters with hick Bob Burns that usual end up with Burns holding Williams' gun. The last minor plot is unfunny, and gives Burns (a "B" star at Paramount in the 30's and early 40's) no sense in being there.However, the major plots of the story are the romances between Lee and Scott, and Shore and Marshall. There are obvious problems in the first romantic storyline; Scott is ill-defined as a supposedly honest saloon owner who would cheat his customers out of their gold. Also, Ms. Lee is a very wooden actress. When her character in the musical "Gypsy" exclaims that June (Havoc), her sister, was the one with all of the talent, she wasn't kidding. She was fine when making specialty appearances in the Fox musicals of the 30's, but to star in a film is downright silly of the producers. In the opening musical number, she has to keep saying over and over "Every girl is different". Not looking unlike MGM comic Virginia O'Brien, here she acts like her too, but without the hilarity that the delightful Ms. O'Brien had. (Watch "The Big Store" to see Ms. O'Brien "rock it baby" and try not hold your sides from laughing too much!) I laughed here, but it was more on account of how bad it was. And how many Saloons in the Yukon of this era had a stage that large? The production number has some elaborate costumes, but is simply bad. It's not even camp like "The Lady in the Tootie Frootie Hat".As for Dinah Shore, I enjoyed her TV show as a youngster and found her to be charming in some of her other films ("Thank Your Lucky Stars" and "Aaron Slick From Punkin' Crick"), but here, she is not only directed badly, but outfitted and made-up badly as well. She wears a red wig that does not suit her, and the scarlet lipstick and corsets make her appear to look like a cartoon character. I instantly thought of Helena Hyena from "Roger Rabbit" when I saw her in a too-tight corset that seemed to squish her waste down to 12 inches and give her an enormous backside and an outlandishly large top. I've heard of hour glass figures, but that sand couldn't get through the tiny little tube between the top and bottom! Obviously, Ms. Shore was not a trained actress, so one can't expect much, but she did much, much better in her other films, so obviously the director must be faulted. She did better in her cameo as herself in "Oh, God!" than she does here. William Marshall is handsome, and a good fit with Ms. Shore, but it is very obvious that he is innocent of what Shore's father (the delightful Charles Winninger) has accused him of.Winninger is hysterically funny with the little he has to do, drinking sasparilla throughout and choking on it. As Ms. Lee's companion, the delightful Florence Bates shines as well. They have a very cute romance that is quickly passed over. I would have loved to seen more of them, even though they are both past their prime. They are adorable together! It's hard to think of a worse color musical of the 40's (perhaps "The Kissing Bandit", but that had a few good songs and a few more good performances). Here, the songs are weak, the leading couple (Lee & Scott) have no chemistry, and the beautiful landscape is only fleetingly viewed. Unless you are a film connoisseur who must try to see every major release of every year movies were made, skip this one!

I like this movie as it represents a different style & is refreshing. The costumes & scenery are outstanding & quite something to see especially in colour. I can watch this movie over & over again without being bored. The characters are well played & entertaining. I'm glad I came across it & thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a nice change to see Randolph Scott play a different type of role & I think he must have had 'fun' doing this movie. Gypsy Rose Lee is perfect in her role as the "Belle of the Yukon". Dinah Shore is well suited as the 'Nightingale of the North' with her singing. The comedic undertones add a lift to the movie & keeps it rolling. All in all this is a light & entertaining type of movie.

Leonard Maltin calls this a minor musical, and that it surely is, but it is still something you can enjoy. I've always enjoyed Randolph Scott and he plays a role much like that role he had in The Spoilers--but with a happier ending--here he reforms! Gypsy Rose Lee is fun and a looker; Dinah Shore's singing is, of course,terrific--though why they didn't do a hair style that would have been more attractive we'll never know. Charles Winninger and Florence Bates are both old pros and always add to anything of which they are a part. The ongoing feud between Bob Burns (how many people know who he was) and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams is fun and brought a number of laughs for this reviewer. The plot is weak so if you're looking for a great movie you'll be disappointed, but if you're looking for a pleasant way to spend an afternoon--enjoy!