Belle Of The Yukon (1944)

Set in the days of the Great Alaskan Gold Rush, a scam artist (Randolph Scott) has adopted a new identity to hide from the law. When an old flame (Gypsy Rose Lee) arrives in town, they renew their relationship but she insists he walk the straight and narrow and give up his old ways. Directed by William A. Seiter (ONE TOUCH OF VENUS), this comedy/musical/western is so unsubstantial that it's barely there. There's a plot all right but it serves merely to hang some inane comedy and inferior musical songs though Dinah Shore as a saloon singer makes them sound better than they are. One of those songs, Sleigh Ride In July received an Oscar nomination for best song. The film is notable for two reasons: the handsome Technicolor cinematography of Ray Rennahan (FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS) and a rare leading role for burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee. With Florence Bates, Bob Burns, Charles Winninger, William Marshall, Robert Armstrong and Guinn Williams whose comedy relief is more irritating than amusing.