Saturday, January 7, 2023

Family Fun Saturday - Everything's On Ice (Follies On Ice)

RKO, 1939
Starring Irene Dare, Edgar Kennedy, Roscoe Karns, and Lynne Roberts
Directed by Erle C. Kenton
Music and Lyrics by various

Henie's success inspired other studios to put their own actors on ice, or find European skaters who could replicate her charisma in front of a camera. RKO not only found their own Sonja Henie, but their own Shirley Temple as well. Dare had been in ice shows since she was five. At seven, RKO hired her to appear alongside their popular boy soprano Bobby Breen in Breaking the Ice. That went over well enough for her to get her own showcase. How does the story of a little girl whose uncle wants to use her big talent look today? Let's begin in Brooklyn, where Joe Barton (Kennedy) is listening to another money-making scheme from his brother Felix (Karns) and find out...

The Story: Felix convinces a talent scout to come see Irene. He's so impressed, he books her a gig skating at a club in Florida. On the train to Florida, Irene's older sister Jane (Roberts) meets the sweet but slightly dim Leopold Eddington (Eric Linden). Felix dismisses him when he says he's staying at a cheaper hotel, but Jane likes him. 

Felix proceeds to spend Irene's money fast as it comes in on an expensive hotel and fine clothes and jewelry for himself and Joe's bored wife Elsie (Mary Hart). He discourages Jane from pursuing Leopold and tries to shove her at handsome Harrison Gregg (George Meeker). Felix assumes Harrison has money, but that proves to be far from the case. Meanwhile, after Felix wires Joe for money, he realizes there's something rotten going on in the state of Florida and heads south to figure it out himself. Not to mention, Leopold isn't the rube Felix thinks he is, either. 

The Song and Dance: Too bad there isn't more of Irene. She really is a charmer when you see her, naturally funny and a marvel on the ice. Even Sonja Henie couldn't do the backflips and leaps she did! Kennedy and Karns have some good moments as the blustering head of the family and his oily brother-in-law who thinks the kid is his ticket to unlimited riches. 

Favorite Number: We open with Irene showing off for the crowd in her own clothes in a simple number that gives us an idea of what she can do, including several back flips. The routine that sells the agent on Irene has her costumed as a little Uncle Sam, complete with Statue of Liberty and chorus dressed as a marching band. Her first number at the club is a graceful, if odd, hula routine, with her attempting to wave her hands and look Hawaiian in her too-long grass skirt. 

What I Don't Like: There should be more focus on Irene in her own vehicle. She has nothing to do besides her skating routines. The movie mostly revolves around Felix's oily schemes or the cliche and boring love plot. Meeker's not bad as the smarmy playboy looking for the right patsy to pay his hotel bill, but Roberts and Linden are as dull as their dialogue. 

And no wonder the owner of the club wouldn't finance that last number. It looks ridiculous. Who thought Irene popping out of an egg as a baby penguin and getting tossed around by people in penguin suits was a good idea? Plus all the emphasis on "flying." Penguins do not fly. It's too silly to pass for a number put on by kids goofing off on a frozen pond, let alone a big ice show at a night club.

The Big Finale: Too silly for all but the most ardent figure skating fanatics or fans of Kennedy and Karns, or kids Irene's age who can overlook the dull plot and enjoy one of their own doing some pretty amazing things on the ice.

Home Media: To my knowledge, this rare programmer can only be found on YouTube. 

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