Belle of the Yukon (1944)

Colorful minor musical is of interest mostly as a chance to get a glimpse of Gypsy Rose Lee in one of her few movie appearances. She offers a pleasant performance, nothing special but full of personality. It also has some eye popping costumes in vivid Technicolor and Gypsy's hair is done up in some truly gravity defying styles throughout. Dinah Shore doesn't make much of an impression, her high sweet thin voice is put to service on some forgettable songs but in the acting department she is woeful. Fortunately the supporting cast of old pros is there to prop up the shaky leads with Florence Bates, usually cast as stuffy matrons, fun as Gypsy's flashy traveling companion.

One could envy the first movie viewers who saw this flick in 1944. It's a gorgeously colorful film with a lot of good looking women floating around. You would quickly realize that the so called Western plot is just something strung between the comic and musical numbers, most of which are good old fun. There's a number of regulars among the actors, as well as some newcomers and less familiar faces. Dinah Shore takes some getting used to, but she sings and handles humor quite well. Gypsy Rose Lee is sort of a slimmed down Mae West who tosses off her lines like she's throwing gloves to a cheering crowd. It would have been nice if Hollywood had made more use of her.And Randolph Scott is a good sport about it all.So when you've got the time and want some light entertainment, this is it.

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!

Randolph Scott tones it down a might, but he continues in the role he had in The Spoilers as a con man in Alaska. He's running a gambling establishment in Malamute and has taken great pains to establish his identity as HONEST John Calhoun. Up pops Gypsy Rose Lee an old girl friend who heads a group of chorus girls who support her act. She's rightly suspicious and Randy has a con working with the help of Bob Burns, Charles Winninger and especially Victor Killian. I'm not going to say more, except it's a beaut.The main problem with the film is Gypsy Rose Lee can't act. But with those two prominent weapons of mass destruction she's sporting, who cares. William Marshall who's the second lead also can't act worth anything and he doesn't have what Gypsy has for a distraction.Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke wrote two of their biggest songs from the 40s for this film and interestingly enough NOT introduced by Bing Crosby although he did record them. The introducer is Dinah Shore who plays Winninger's daughter in the film and she sings Sleigh Ride In July and Like Someone In Love and does them well. What she saw in William Marshall I can't figure out.If you like Randolph Scott and Gypsy Rose Lee's assets that's a good enough reason to watch this.