The Belle of New York

Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen dance above the rooftops of New York.

Starring two of Hollywood’s greatest dancers, Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen, The Belle of New York proved too whimsical for post-war America. Decades later, this 1900-set tale (think Guys and Dolls without the gamblers) feels charged with both charm and magic. Here, lovers float free of gravity, a moment that feels like a dry-run for the planetarium sequence in La La Land.