One of the early films of Phil Silvers but Jerry Colonna steals the show. The comedy is crisp with some great one liners. The plot is entertaining and the skating numbers are impressive. Good film overall and better than the usual dance films. Recommended.
3 Reviews
Ice ice baby
jarrodmcdonald-110 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This was the first of several ice skating films produced by Republic Pictures in the early 1940s. The production was inspired by a theatrical skating show of the Ice Capades which began in late 1940 in New Orleans and toured the country until May 1941. The tour ended in Los Angeles, and the performers- most of them former Olympic athletes from various countries- stayed in southern California to appear in this movie.
Republic sought to emulate the success that Fox had with Sonja Henie's various ice skating musicals. MGM had tried with Joan Crawford (badly miscast) in an Ice Follies flick in 1939 that flopped with audiences. But Republic was determined to give it a shot anyway. Cast in the leading role was Dorothy Lewis (in her only motion picture) who had performed on ice back east and already had a following. Lewis isn't quite at the level of Henie, but she's certainly capable and turns in a charming performance.
During production Republic Pictures boss Herbert Yates took a shine to one of the other skaters, Vera Hruba who would be renamed Vera Ralston. She was from Czechoslovakia and charming in her own way. Hruba/Ralston doesn't have any dialogue in ICE-CAPADES, but she does get to skate in the big finale, alongside other pros including British skater Belita who would sign with Monogram and make similar films for that company.
Typically, these types of productions have plenty of variety. Routines on ice can be very exhilarating to watch, with some comic bits mixed in. The norm is that there isn't much of a plot, since the focus is on the fancy footwork and the spectacle presented to the audience. But Republic's scenarists manage to provide some semblance of a story here. It involves a newsreel photographer (James Ellison) and his silly pal (Jerry Colonna) who accidentally discover Lewis skating across a frozen pond outside their hotel window one day.
Ellison and Colonna inform a producer (Phil Silvers) about Lewis' exciting routines and show him what they photographed with the newsreel camera. At first Silvers thinks Lewis is some well-known talent, but it doesn't matter when they realize she's a nobody. Silvers will make Lewis a star, as part of a business venture with an ambitious associate (Alan Mowbray).
Of course, several conflicts occur. Ellison fights falling in love with Lewis, since he's been happy up till now as a bachelor. There is also a matter involving Lewis and immigration officers, since she's in the U. S. illegally. If Ellison marries her, then these problems will be solved. At the same time, Colonna is dealing with a pesky friend (Barbara Jo Allen) of Lewis's who is somewhat man-hungry and setting her sights on him.
A decent enough plot, skilled skaters, James Ellison's winning personality, and so many great character actors and actresses- it's no wonder Republic wound up with a hit. The studio's follow-up/sequel ICE-CAPADES REVUE would hit screens a year later, with Colonna and Allen returning alongside two other lead stars. This is a pleasant way to spend an hour and a half of your time. My favorite scene was the sequence in which one of the Ice Capades skaters does a fairly elaborate routine on ice, on stilts. During the sequence, he raises one of his legs and does turns on just one stilt.
Republic sought to emulate the success that Fox had with Sonja Henie's various ice skating musicals. MGM had tried with Joan Crawford (badly miscast) in an Ice Follies flick in 1939 that flopped with audiences. But Republic was determined to give it a shot anyway. Cast in the leading role was Dorothy Lewis (in her only motion picture) who had performed on ice back east and already had a following. Lewis isn't quite at the level of Henie, but she's certainly capable and turns in a charming performance.
During production Republic Pictures boss Herbert Yates took a shine to one of the other skaters, Vera Hruba who would be renamed Vera Ralston. She was from Czechoslovakia and charming in her own way. Hruba/Ralston doesn't have any dialogue in ICE-CAPADES, but she does get to skate in the big finale, alongside other pros including British skater Belita who would sign with Monogram and make similar films for that company.
Typically, these types of productions have plenty of variety. Routines on ice can be very exhilarating to watch, with some comic bits mixed in. The norm is that there isn't much of a plot, since the focus is on the fancy footwork and the spectacle presented to the audience. But Republic's scenarists manage to provide some semblance of a story here. It involves a newsreel photographer (James Ellison) and his silly pal (Jerry Colonna) who accidentally discover Lewis skating across a frozen pond outside their hotel window one day.
Ellison and Colonna inform a producer (Phil Silvers) about Lewis' exciting routines and show him what they photographed with the newsreel camera. At first Silvers thinks Lewis is some well-known talent, but it doesn't matter when they realize she's a nobody. Silvers will make Lewis a star, as part of a business venture with an ambitious associate (Alan Mowbray).
Of course, several conflicts occur. Ellison fights falling in love with Lewis, since he's been happy up till now as a bachelor. There is also a matter involving Lewis and immigration officers, since she's in the U. S. illegally. If Ellison marries her, then these problems will be solved. At the same time, Colonna is dealing with a pesky friend (Barbara Jo Allen) of Lewis's who is somewhat man-hungry and setting her sights on him.
A decent enough plot, skilled skaters, James Ellison's winning personality, and so many great character actors and actresses- it's no wonder Republic wound up with a hit. The studio's follow-up/sequel ICE-CAPADES REVUE would hit screens a year later, with Colonna and Allen returning alongside two other lead stars. This is a pleasant way to spend an hour and a half of your time. My favorite scene was the sequence in which one of the Ice Capades skaters does a fairly elaborate routine on ice, on stilts. During the sequence, he raises one of his legs and does turns on just one stilt.
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