Well it turned out I had one more Sonja Henie film, so why not. Like the
other two it is a piffle with a so-called plot that is basically an excuse
to have some music, comedy and Sonja on ice. And you know, that is just fine.
People knew what they were getting when they went to one of her films. A
lot of cornball and a happy ending. I finally was able to get my first vaccine
shot yesterday - not so easy in much of the world - and it knocked me for
a loop. Slept for about 20 of 24 hours and was groggy when awake. And I watched
this. And it is already fading from my memory - so before it does completely
here is a rundown.
Cesar Romero plays the playboy son of a wealthy department store owner who
in a drunken night marries a showgirl. Interestingly, the showgirl is credited
as Louise Hovick but was already better known in her vaudeville act as Gypsy
Rose Lee. The famous stripper. The studio didn't think it proper to have
a stripper on their roster so gave her a different name. Her sister by the
way was June Havok who was in a bunch of musicals. So back to Cesar - married
to a showgirl who is demanding $100,000 for a divorce. His father is angry
with him and won't give the money so Cesar spots a store employee dancing
on their rink and comes up with a brilliant idea. Send her to college and
have her wear all their best clothes as a marketing ploy. Make dad happy.
The girl of course is Sonja and the college is putting on a Winter Festival
Show. How convenient. She falls for another student - Richard Greene of future
Robin Hood fame - and he for her. Phew. I was worried that Cesar was going
to be the love interest with all those teeth. And they put on a show. A few
complications arise but nothing to keep you awake at night. Also in this
is Barnaby Jones, I mean Buddy Ebsen who was a hoofer/comedian in those days,
Billy Gilbert a big comedy star in the silent era and Elisha Cook Jr as Waldo,
the student who puts up the mistletoe. You may notice there is zero musical
talent in the cast which strikes me as odd for a musical. There are a few
ensemble numbers but mainly this one falls on the shoulders of Sonja. There
are two big ice skating numbers - one a bizarre take on Alice in Wonderland.
I know nothing really about ice skating but though she is very graceful there
is nothing really spectacular about her skating - no double triple quadruple
jumps - like in every sport the athletic prowess has gotten so much better
over the past 80 years - but in her time she was the best.
