Vera & Fred in "Currier & Ives" Sequence

Vera-Ellen and Fred Astaire in "Currier & Ives" sequence from the 1952 movie "The Belle of New York".

[@pasimaenpaa2360]

Like many other dancing scenes with fred, almost every scenes have something "magical". Including this one. In my opinion, vera ellen was one of best dancers. But also underrated.

[@kathytaylor4762]

And they are ice skaters too!!!! They are truly amazing!

[@ritamarie2976]

Beauty, grace and elegance 💖

[@DyreStraits]

Wow. First time I've seen this. Fantastic performance by Vera-Ellen and Astaire.

[@DD-hy1nl]

I would have loved to dance with Fred Astaire..And Vera-Ellen was such a great dancer in her ownright!

[@larsbonner]

When this film was first released to TV, they always cut this entire sequence. It is so good to see it here so we can appreciate it. Vera-Ellen could dance all genres, so Mr. Astaire loved dancing with her. I just sit in awe watching a 51 year old man dancing, ice skating and partnering like a 20 year old. There will never be another Astaire..

[@Mrsakris]

Nor the feelings these movies bring even though I was yet to be a twinkle in my parents’ eyes. Yes, overly simple perhaps. Something I look for in recent months because I can make believe in the make believe on screen. Just bring me something I can watch that feels good. If it doesn’t make everybody feel good, “everybody” doesn’t have to watch it. Eye of the beholder. It’s not changing my ideals of 2020 that have been eye opening. I do love comfort movies as much as comfort food. The dancing is fun. And I’ll watch any good tap dancer do his or her stuff regardless of race, creed, culture, or any other label.

[@FanOfJanis]

Aristry, grace, elegance, romance and reminiscence. It simply does not get any better than this entertainment-wise. Thank you so much for posting this masterpiece video. Peace.

[@paulderyck2573]

Vera Ellen...even while playing Badminton, she manages to dance. Unrivalled, unequalled. May she live forever in our hearts.

[@chattyroz2934]

I just keep coming back to this. I couldn't count the number of times I've watched it, particularly the boardwalk number at the end. I don't know, it just satisfies something in me. The dancing, the costumes, the music. Like much of Fred Astaire's work, it's a joy to watch.

[@DianneElizabeth64]

That’s exactly how I feel but didn’t have words til you commented. It satisfies...

[@Tina-qp7py]

I love the costumes!

[@walt1896]

Critics have said the last of the three segments is arguably the greatest Astaire duet. Watch Vera here, watch her in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue with Gene Kelly. There never was a female dancer like her before or since.

[@marcco44]

thrilling! while much is(justly)said of the astaire-rogers team, i truly enjoy astaire's post-rogers partnerships just as much!! his choreography with such trained virtuoso dancers as powell, hayworth, charisse, and vera-ellen here seems even more layered & complex technically and are always excecuted to perfection. this is my favorite astaire-ellen dance number, and, as vera-ellen was the last of astaire's partners who could tap dance, THIS is the last complete tap-duet fred would do on film.

[@bbcisrubbish]

Vera -Ellen is the most feminine dancer ever. I never fail to admire her hand movements, so graceful, and the way she looks at the camera, quickly followed with the downward glance of modesty. All done for me personally!!

[@vickycharito1]

Hermosa película, lo veía con mi abuela.

[@shelleywantiez7964]

Flawless, I love Ginger Rogers. In my opinion, Vera Allen was the best of the best. No matter who she danced with, she brought that 34th flavor and then some. She was the queen 👑

[@wms72]

When entertainment showed physical beauty to match the inner beauty of sterling character from godly values.

[@waldolydecker8118]

and don't forget family values

[@sallyschur8017]

Ice skates! not quite at an Olympic level, but still awesome. Was there anything Fred couldn't do?

[@esmeephillips5888]

Despite protestations of mutual admiration, there was a hot rivalry between Fred and the upstart Gene Kelly from c. 1944 to 1957. I think the skating sequence is designed to court comparison with Gene's arty efforts in 'An American in Paris', like 'Girl Hunt' in 'The Band Wagon' going up against 'Broadway Melody' in 'Singin' in the Rain'. 'The Belle of New York' was a commercial disappointment which made Fred think of quitting- again. After his comeback in 'Easter Parade', which cheerfully ignored history when it had to, this production was to be a faithful evocation of the Gay Nineties. But as in his biopic of the Castles, Fred was never most at ease playing period, and it felt like a retreat from the problem of updating his top-hat glory days to suit postwar times. He had been a modern character in 'The Barkleys of Broadway', but a reunion with Ginger was difficult to mess up. Then came the box office anticlimaxes of 'Let's Dance' with the incompatible Betty Hutton, 'Royal Wedding' with the too-young Jane Powell (and too-old Sarah Churchill) and two with Vera-Ellen: 'Three Little Words' and this one, both nostalgia subjects. They are crammed with technical brilliance and Fred's 'sock solos', but the main draw for moviegoers had been the romantic and dramatic charge he could kindle with Ginger or Rita. Vera-Ellen was as gifted as any woman hoofer on screen, but nervous and without much sex appeal. Her acting was so-so and her voice dubbed. No Ginger, she. The public, hooked on TV, was reluctant to stand in line for them. Fortunately 'Moaning Minnie' got over his jitters. He found (thanks to Kelly) a third love interest, Cyd Charisse, with whom sparks flew abundantly in 'The Band Wagon', whose plot caricatures his indecisions. Cyd's allumeuse quality was very much post-1945, anticipating 'permissiveness' in its mature sensuality. She was ignited by dancing with the master, and the age gap was not as awkward as with Judy, Betty or Vera-Ellen (or with the gamines Audrey Hepburn and Caron). Fred and Cyd were reunited in 'Silk Stockings', one final triumph for Mr A and the movie in which, wonder of wonders, Cyd acted well.

[@OrangeTabbyCat]

Just found out that her singing was dubbed. I am glad she got good parts and great partners in movies because her dancing is not from this world. Astaire looks like a bee 🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffrey322]

Doing a little personal research on C&I brought me here; I don't think I've seen this before.

[@utentebernini4315]

😘💕💕

[@SteveLittleLivesHere]

Wonder how many takes it took to get that shuttlecock sequence in the can?

[@pjb2773]

I would live to have seen her dance with Tommy Rall. Now that would gave been an even match.

[@sundriesrebecakundomal2920]

First time I see this what film is? Love Fred and Vera💜

[@owilde1]

Which came first the orchestrations or the choreography? I would have thought the orchestrations except for the fact that they so support the tap breaks. It truly is a chicken and egg thing. You can't have one without first having the other.

[@chattyroz2934]

I have read that they often started on the steps before they even had the final music, so I would say the choreography came first and the music was adjusted to fit. Obviously, sometimes it may have worked the other way.

[@DianneElizabeth64]

Oh my goodness. She can sing too? All of you that got to live in this generation were such lucky ducks

[@chattyroz2934]

She may be able to sing, but she was always dubbed in films. However, few can match her as a dancer.

[@Bocaj77]

I seen an interview by Rosemary Clooney where she said Vera couldn't sing. Is this true?

[@montseret1]

Yes, all her singing parts were dubbed.

[@JosePowell-ph5sh]

Harry t Peters chicken hawk stamps

[@gardensenglishandbeauty]

I always think: Could you, please, stop acting and/or singing and start dancing? :-)