cute musical
Even the charming presence of Dinah Shore and Gypsy Rose Lee can't completely save this strange musical, which plays like a poor man's "Calamity Jane" mixed with "The Harvey Girls".

BELLE OF THE YUKON, set during the bustling days of the Canadian goldrush, stars Randolph Scott as "Honest John" Calhoun, a con-artist on the run from the authorities who decides to establish a bank and then abscond with the profits. Legendary striptease star Gypsy Rose Lee is Belle De Valle, Calhoun's former love who makes a splash as the town's new music hall star. A subplot features the comical misadventures of saloon manager Pop Candless (Charles Winninger) and his efforts to stop daughter Lettie (Dinah Shore) from marrying a man he believes to be a bigamist.

Filled with songs by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke (including "Like Someone in Love" and "A Sleighride in July"), and filmed in blazing Technicolor, BELLE OF THE YUKON will be a welcome treat for musical fans; the early performance of Dinah Shore (costumed and wigged to resemble Judy Garland from "The Harvey Girls") is a real highlight, and seeing Gypsy Rose Lee is great too.

(Single-sided, single-layer disc).

Rare Gypsy Rose Lee outing
Not too many people know that Gypsy Rose Lee, who virtually invented modern striptease, also essayed a career as an actress; "Belle of the Yukon" is one of the few examples. It's a pleasant, if middling, Western comedy where you can also see Dinah Shore, another personality known for her achievements in other fields than the silver screen. Gypsy Rose doesn't strip, which may disappoint some people.

failed effort
The reason to see this is because of Gyspy Rose Lee. It's amazing. Ethel Merman looked like her mother. But she doesn't do a strip tease here. Wasn't that was she was famous for. The costumes on Gyspy are fabulous but not Dinah's. Dinah Shore said she was ashamed of her movies and I can see why. Her hair is dyed an unfitting red here too. The only highlight is when she sings Sleighride in July.
The plot handsome Randolph Scott is a man with a past but he decides to change his ways and starts a bank. Not too memorable.

Great chance to see Gypsy Rose Lee!
Yes, its a lightweight film. Its also a great chance to see some rare footage of Gypsy Rose Lee's short film career. Randolf Scott (a handsome matinee idol in his day) is a strong veteran actor and plays his contrived role to the hilt. Don't expect plot; just enjoy the rich visual experience of this vacuous film-as-entertainment novelty feature.