Road to Utopia

Paramount, 1946

Starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, and Robert Benchley

Directed by Hal Walker

Music by Jimmy Van Heusen; Lyrics by Johnny Burke

Let's take a trip to the frozen north with our three favorite Road travelers. This Road movie is unique in a few respects. It's the only one not set in a warm climate and then-contemporary times, to be told as a flashback, and to not feature Bing and Bob's "patty cake" routine. In other ways, this is one of the most typical movies in the entire series. How typical, you ask? Well, why don't we begin with Robert Benchley explaining what we're about to see and why Paramount wants him to translate what's going on and find out...

The Story: We learn in flashback when an elderly Duke Johnson (Crosby) returns to visit his friends Sal (Lamour) and Chester Hooten (Hope) how the trio ended up on a trip across Alaska in search of gold. Duke and Chester were originally vaudevillians and con men whose act in San Francisco was ruined when the police came in, chasing criminals Sperry (Robert Barrat) and McGurk (Nestor Pavia). Duke decides that Alaska is Utopia, the promised land, and tricks Chester into joining him there. Unfortunately, they lose the money and tickets and end up working their way across.

After the duo find a map in Sperry's jacket that leads to a gold mine, they take their clothes and pose as them to get off the boat. Turns out they're notorious in the Klondike for murdering the father of "Skagway" Sal Van Hoyden (Lamour) to get the map. Sal, who is also searching for the map, was hired by saloon owner Ace Larson (Douglass Dumbrille) to seduce it out of Duke and Chester. When that doesn't work, the two men rip the map into two pieces and take a slow dog sled out of town. Sal and Ace's nasty girlfriend Kate (Hillary Brooke) are hot on their trail. Chester and Duke  have to dodge Sal's advances, Ace's goons, and the local wildlife if they want to live to find that mine and really enjoy this 'promised land." 

The Song and Dance: The setting and Alaskan gold rush story makes this one of the more interesting and action-packed Road movies. I have no idea why Benchley claims in the beginning that he's there to make the story easier to follow. If anything, this is one of the stronger plots in a series not known for them. Dumbrille, who specialized in obnoxious or evil businessmen and nobles, is at his menacing best as the saloon owner who will literally kill in order to get that gold. Lamour has more to do than usual, too, especially when she's trying to figure out which guy has the map. Great production, too, with gorgeous period gowns for Brooke and Lamour and enough fake snow to bury the Paramount lot for two years.

Favorite Number: Our first song once we get into the flashback sequence is "Goodtime Charlie," Bob and Bing's hat-and-cane number before they start their "Ghost-o" act. Bing's solo is "It's Anybody's Spring," which he performs during a talent show on the ship in order to win the money to get ashore. His big ballad is "Welcome to My Dreams,' sung to Sal when she's attempting to seduce him at the saloon. He sounds so dreamy, she ends up in love with him for real. Bing and Bob's buddy duet is "Put 'Er There, Pal" as they ride across the frosty Alaskan landscape on their dog sled. Lamour gets her own ballad in "Would You?" as she literally steams up Chester's lap outside the cabin where they stay with the ladies. 

The hit here also went to Lamour. She sang the jaunty "Personality," on what really attracts a guy to a girl, at the saloon. The boys are so entranced by her saucey delivery (and voluptuous body encased in a glittering gown), they fall for her on the spot.

Trivia: Paramount originally finished filming this in 1943. No one knows why it was held from release for three years. Lamour thought Paramount didn't want to hurt Bing's chances of winning an Oscar in Going My Way. By the time it finally hit theaters, Benchley had been dead for three months.

What I Don't Like: Speaking of Benchley...what in the heck is he doing here? Yes, he does get some funny lines, especially at Hope and Crosby's expense, but the movie hardly needs plot clarification. In fact, some of his asides slow down the pacing. And usual Road movie warning about Bob and Bing's many then-topical references. If you aren't into the time period and don't know much about the two or Paramount, you may miss a lot of the jokes and one-liners.

The Big Finale: One of the better Road movies is well worth watching with your best pal on a snowy day when you just need some laughs. 

Home Media: Easily found in all formats.

DVD

Blu-Ray

Amazon Prime

Musical Documentaries - Wattstax

Columbia, 1973

Starring Richard Pryor, Kim Weston, Ted Lange, and Issac Hayes

Directed by Mel Stuart

Music and Lyrics by various

We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with this look at a classic concert film. This was a benefit organized by Stax Records in 1972 for the impoverished Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles to honor the 7th anniversary of the riots that devastated the community in 1965. Stax brought in the biggest stars in their roster, including actor Issac Hayes, who had just had a massive hit with the first Shaft film. How does this celebration of a place and time where the black community was at a crossroads look today? Let's begin with Richard Pryor introducing what we're about to see and hear and find out...

The Story: Pryor hosts and adds his own comments as the Wattstax concert in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is intercut with scenes from Watts, its vibrant streetscapes, and the Watts Summer Festival that commemorated the riots. We get to see the concert from the building of the stage to the very last song, and how much the music and their community meant to the people of Watts, even after the events that destroyed much of the neighborhood.

The Song and Dance: Great music by a nice variety of gospel, R&B, rock, and jazz artists anchors this look at how a community can still thrive, even in the wake of tragedy, upheaval, and revolution. It's interesting to see the comments from all of the people in the streets and cafes, and how well they compliment and contrast to the songs being played in that massive stadium. Look for Ted Lange, who would play Issac the bartender on The Love Boat five years later, among those discussing their feelings for the riots, Watts, and black culture in the early 70's. 

Favorite Number: Our first song after an audience-rousing speech from none other than Jesse Jackson is "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" by the Dramatics. The group the Staple Singers have three songs - the best is the rousing "Respect Yourself." Kim Weston gets patriotic with "The Star Spangled Banner" and encourages the audience to "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Jimmy Jones lends his velvet voice to "Someone Greater Than I," while the Rance Allen Group throw themselves into the more dynamic "Lying on the Truth."

The Golden Thirteen sing of that "Old Time Religion" while we see scenes from a choir at a real church in Watts performing the number as they remind us how important religion is to much of black culture. The audience almost literally goes wild for "Peace Be Still" by the Emotions. The Bar-Kays, with their huge white Afro wigs and chain costumes, get their funk on for "Son of Shaft/Feel It." Albert King insists "I'll Play the Blues for You," while Little Milton takes us into the night with "Walking the Back Streets and Crying" beautifully shot against a flickering bonfire. 

The men on the streets discuss the origins of Johnnie Taylor's "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone" before he comes in with a searing performance of the tough R&B number. Mel and Tim's "I May Not Be What You Want" is a far sweeter ballad that covers a montage of couples throughout Watts falling in love and being together. Lovely Carla Thomas admonishes us to "Pick Up the Pieces," while Rufus Thomas shows off his vibrant pink threads before "The Breakdown" and encouraging everyone to "Do the Funky Chicken" in a performance that's so electric, the entire sold-out stadium dances along. We finish with two very different jazz artists. Luther Ingram purrs "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want to Be Right)" while Issac Hayes performs his smash hit "Theme from Shaft" and ends the film with "Soulsville."

Trivia: MGM objected to the use of "Theme from Shaft" and "Soulsville" when the movie debuted. The replacement ending had Hays singing "Rolling on a Mountainside" on a Los Angeles soundstage. This is now replaced by the original ending on most existing prints. "Rolling" is apparently included as an extra on the DVD. 

Stax Records insisted that the security force and film crew be entirely African-American.

Little Milton, The Emotions, Luther Ingram, and Johnnie Taylor had to bow out of the concert. Ingram's performance was shot on a soundstage. The other three were filmed at various spots throughout the city.

What I Don't Like: This is not for young R&B fans. There's a lot of rough language and racial epithets, as per the time and setting. While there's no actual violence shown, it is discussed, including what kicked off those riots. There's also some light-hearted references to relationship abuse that wouldn't be taken as a throw-away joke today. Also, this could do with some restoration. The print currently at Amazon Prime is grainy and a bit washed-out, especially in the scenes with the men talking. 

The Big Finale: A terrific concert and a piece of black history that's well worth your time for fans of classic R&B, rock, jazz, and gospel, or for those who remember when a record company brought out the best to help a community celebrate its recovery from tragedy.

Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD

DVD

Amazon Prime

Silver Skates

Monogram Pictures, 1943

Starring Belita, Kenny Baker, Patricia Morrison, and Irene Dare

Directed by Leslie Goodwins

Music by Dave Oppenheim; Lyrics by Roy Ingraham

By the early 40's, Sonja Henie was far from the only skater in Hollywood. The "B" studios seemed to have more luck finding their own European ice queens than the majors. This was the first vehicle for British ice skater Belita Jepson-Turner, whom Monogram wanted to build into a star after featuring her in the 1941 film Ice Capades. They also acquired child prodigy skater Irene Dare from RKO and singer Kenny Baker for this bit of backstage fluff about a singer who finds himself caught in a romantic triangle while trying to keep the star from leaving the show. How does all this look today? Let's begin on the ice, with said star Belita front and center, and find out...

The Story: Claire Thomas (Morrison) is the owner of an ice show that may shut down if she can't keep her star attraction Belita (herself) from leaving to get married. The show's singer Danny Donovan (Baker) has been proposing to her for months, but she's always let him down. She finally changes her mind when she needs to be married in order to adopt Katrina (Dare), a Dutch orphan and amazing skater. Trouble is, Danny is also courting Belita, who goes along with it in order to make her fiancee Tom (Henry Wadsworth) jealous. He proposes to Belita to keep her in the show, but he's also still engaged to Claire. Now he has to figure out whether to go with his heart, or what's good for the show.

The Song and Dance: I have to admit, I like Belita a lot more than Henie. She's just as charming off and on the ice and is a somewhat better actress. I don't think Henie could pull off the thrillers Belita appeared in a few years later. I wish she'd continued with these ice skating musicals. This was a lot of fun, with some lovely numbers for Belita and Dare. Frank Faylen also has a few good moments as one of the comics at the show who is in pursuit of skater Lucille (Joyce Compton), and there's European comics Frick and Frack literally kicking the producer Claire invited to see the show out.

Favorite Number: We open with the Beaux Arts Ball number "Lovely Lady." Baker sings the dreamy ballad before skaters in gorgeous gowns glide across the ice. 1941 male skating champion Gene Turner gets a solo in a tux before Belita joins him. Katrina gets a brief but very cute dream in which she skates across a lake in the peasant costumes of her native Holland, with chorus children in equally sweet costumes joining her. Katrina is more taken by boy skater Billy Baxter (Danny Shaw) doing rope tricks and skating under legs in the cowboy chorus number "Cowboy Joe of Carnegie, MO." 

Frick and Frack show off more of their antics with chorus girls in lederhosen as they hear "Calling From the Mountain," and end up sliding down it. Danny reminds Claire that "A Girl Like You, a Boy Like Me" ought to get married in a sweet off-ice ballad in the office that ends with them admiring miniatures of a house and a laundry scene. Katrina and Billy are the cutest couple on the ice in a short instrumental number while Danny is trying to keep Belita in the show. Katrina is also the world's cutest Inuit princess when she's "Dancing On Top of the World" with the chorus in glitter and feathers and a real (and really adorable) little penguin. 

"Love Is a Beautiful Song" begins with Baker crooning the ballad to Belita, but it quickly turns into an elegant Fred-and-Ginger duet on ice when she joins Gene Turner in a tux, and they glide and spin together. Oddly, though they're listed in the playbill we see someone opening, Billy and Katrina don't appear in the big patriotic finale "Sing a Song of the Sea." (I wonder if their sequence was cut for time?) Belita and Turner do get big solos in this sailor-themed number set on a rather claustrophobic battleship that also includes "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean." 

What I Don't Like: Though Monogram spent more money on this than usual for their movies, this is still a fluffy B movie from World War II. The sets frequently look like the cardboard they are, especially that rather silly igloo in Katrina's "Dancing On Top of the World" routine. The plot is piffle, the songs forgettable. Morrison could do a lot more than one number and turn down Baker's proposals. Baker is annoying and not too bright for leading the ladies on when he's not singing. Wish we could have seen more of the kids, too. Other than their numbers, they pretty much disappear during the second half (and as mentioned, don't appear at all in the finale). 

The Big Finale: This and Belita's other big full ice musical Lady, Let's Dance are highly recommended for fans of figure skating, Belita, or 40's musicals.

Home Media: Seems to be streaming only at the moment. Amazon Prime has it for free with a subscription.

Amazon Prime

Cult Flops - It's a Pleasure

RKO, 1945

Starring Sonja Henie, Michael O'Shea, Marie McDonald, and Bill Johnson

Directed by William A. Seiter

Music and Lyrics by various

By 1945, Henie was making more off her live ice skating shows than her movies. After her last 20th Century Fox film, Wintertime, was a flop, they let her go. She was picked up by the newly-created International Pictures in 1944. Former Fox head off production William Goetz wanted to make movies with the same high budgets and stars as the studio he left. It's a Pleasure got the royal treatment, including Technicolor, an elaborate production, and two popular stage leading men to play off Henie. How well did he do with this story of a figure skater who marries a down-and-out hockey player? Let's begin at the hockey area, where figure skater Chris Linden (Henie) eagerly watches the star she has a crush on, Don Martin (O'Shea), and find out...

The Story: Don is kicked off the team after he punches a referee during a game. Chris introduces Don to Buzz Fletcher (Johnson), who runs an ice skating revue. He'll take Chris and her troupe, who were skating between hockey rounds, and him too. Don's athletic moves prove to be a big draw for audiences and for Chris, whom he marries. 

Chris adores Don, but she doesn't love his heavy drinking. Buzz's bored wife Gail (McDonald) also has a crush on Don and is furious when he doesn't return her interest. She gets him drunk right before his big solo. Angry and disappointed, Chris goes on a long tour with Buzz's show after he fires Don. It's Gail, however, who finally brings the two together in the end when she locates Don and gets him to the theater for Chris' latest show.

The Song and Dance: One of the reasons Henie left Fox was they wouldn't let her do a movie in color. I'm glad she got her wish here. This movie looks gorgeous, with its glittering, glamorous skating show costumes and dazzling backdrops for the show. Even the copy currently on Amazon is in surprisingly good shape for such a minor title. It almost literally glows. I also give RKO credit for giving Henie a slightly darker plot than the silly romantic comedies Fox dumped Henie in. This snow cone has a little spice in it, with Gail practically throwing herself at Don and Chris' skater friend Wilma (Iris Adrian) snarking about Don's behavior every step of the way. 

Favorite Number: We start out at the hockey game with the chorus, the instrumental "Nobody's Sweetheart." Ladies in green skate for the audience before Sonja arrives in gleaming white to show off her trademark dizzying spins. There isn't another number until midway through the film, when Chris has to go on for her drunk husband. Sonja comes out in brilliant magenta, her hair up in feathers, for a fully solo routine. 

"Summer Dance" at the show in the finale is one of her very rare off-ice numbers. She does a lovely duet with a male dancer, this time with her pink gown nearly floating against a backdrop of emerald trees and a silvery pond. The last number is "Romance," which switches the pond to winter. Henie now glides like a snow queen against a backdrop of white and silver, with the chorus floating around her in scarlet.

What I Don't Like: Other than those big numbers in the finale, this frappe isn't much fun. Neither O'Shea nor Johnson make much of an impression. They're so bland, you have no idea why Chris or Gail would cause so much trouble over them. Henie never was much of an actress; many of the heavier dramatics are way over her head and O'Shea's, rendering their relationship totally unbelievable. There's also the sequence at the skating pond with Chris and Don joking about how spousal abuse is good for a relationship that comes off as far more disturbing today. (Even in the movie, Buzz called them on it.) 

The movie also features a surprising lack of ice skating for one of Henie's films. No one else has a number besides her or the chorus, and the only song with lyrics is heard briefly in the end. Don supposedly became a big skater in Buzz's shows, but we only hear his death-defying routines described. He's never shown doing them. The only time we see him on ice is during the hockey sequence in the opening. 

The Big Finale: It's a Pleasure is no pleasure. It's too bad this slushy nonsense was Henie's only shot at a color movie. It's strictly for her most ardent fans, or fans of 40's and 50's Technicolor musicals.

Home Media: On DVD and streaming, the latter currently free on Amazon Prime with a subscription. 

DVD

Amazon Prime

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Hobbit (1977)

NBC, 1977

Voices of Orson Bean, John Huston, Hans Conried, and Richard Boone

Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass

Music by Maury Laws; Lyrics by Jules Bass and J.R Tolkien

As we prepare for the release of another Lord of the Rings live-action film later this year (and I re-read the book The Hobbit), we take a look at the two Rankin-Bass animated musical versions of these much-loved fantasy novels. Rankin was a fan of the books and spent three million making this as close to the actual book as they could get away with in prime-time in the late 70's. It debuted as a Thanksgiving special on NBC that year and was popular enough for them to consider a sequel. How does the first full-length adaptation of a Lord of the Rings novel look today? Let's begin with Bilbo (Bean) in his hobbit hole about to receive thirteen very unexpected visitors and find out...

The Story: The last thing Bilbo expects is for twelve dwarfs and the wizard Gandalf (Huston) to turn up on his doorstep and invite him on an adventure. They're traveling to the Lonely Mountain to retrieve their treasure from the dragon Smaug (Boone) and want Bilbo to be their stealthy burglar. Bilbo would really rather stay home, but Gandalf persuades him. 

Bilbo wishes he'd stayed home when they encounter goblins who try to eat them, wolf-like monsters called Wargs who chase them up trees, and a strange little creature called Gollum who hides a certain ring. Bilbo uses the ring to escape and save the dwarfs from many dangers. He even manages to find the treasure and Smaug's weak spot. However, the dragon destroys the surrounding town, and the dwarfs won't share the treasure, inciting a war.

The Animation: That three million dollars shows in sketchy, earthy artwork that is far and above what Rankin-Bass/Topcraft was doing in their holiday specials at this point. It's not nearly as frightening or uncanny valley as the rotoscoping seen in Ralph Bakshki's Lord of the Rings, but it moves too stiffly to be Disney's best, and some of the special effects with the spiders and the dragon are a little cheap. Still, there's some nice work here, from Gollum's expressions to the bright red all around when Smaug decimates Laketown.

The Song and Dance: This was always by far my favorite of the three Lord of the Rings animated films. Folksy comedian Bean is a charming Bilbo, equally capable of fleeing war and goblins and outwitting Gollum. For some reason, we have two well-known directors doing voices here. John Huston is a wonderfully gravely and grave Gandalf, while Otto Preminger is the elf king. Conried does well as grouchy Thorin, head of the dwarfs, too. Also, kudos for most of the songs being fairly accurate adaptations of the ones in the book, word for word. 

Favorite Number: The only fully original song featured in the film is "The Greatest Adventure," heard in the opening and closing performed by folk singer Glenn Yarbrough. The dwarfs sing about "That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates" at their impromptu party in his hobbit hole during the opening. The chorus sings as they travel "Under the Lonely Mountain." Later, we hear them perform "The Barrel Song" and "The Mountain King's Return." Yarbrough gets "Roads," "The Roads Goes Ever On and On," "In the Valley Ha! Ha!," and "Old Fat Spider." "Down, Down to Goblin Town" and "Funny Little Things" are performed by a goblin chorus when they capture the dwarfs and Bilbo. 

Trivia: Animator Gene Deitch did an earlier Hobbit animated short in 1966, but it has very little in common with the original book or later feature-length films. 

What I Don't Like: Fans and scholars of Tolkien's work have long complained about everything they cut out to make this more family and TV-friendly, from Bilbo stealing a family treasure of Thorin's and handing it to the elves to Bilbo getting knocked out and missing the entire war instead of protesting it and hiding. Several characters are missing too, notably Beorn, who shelters the group early in the book and gives them directions to the mountain. 

The Big Finale: A great introduction to Tolkien's work and fantasy in general for families with elementary-school age kids who can handle some of the darker elements.

Home Media: The DVDs are rare and expensive online. You're better off streaming this one. 

DVD

Amazon Prime

Second Fiddle

20th Century Fox, 1939

Starring Sonja Henie, Tyrone Power, Edna May Oliver, and Rudy Vallee

Directed by Sidney Lanfield

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

By 1939, Henie's films were among the top box-office draws in the world, but she was hardly the only major story in Hollywood. From the moment it was optioned as a movie to the beginning of filming in 1938, most of the talk at the studios revolved around who would play the coveted role of Scarlet O'Hara in David O. Selznick's epic adaptation of the blockbuster novel Gone With the Wind. Almost every actress in Hollywood practically threw themselves at Selznick for a chance to audition. Given what a big deal this was at the time, it was likely inevitable that at least one musical would send up the chaos. How does the story of how a press agent falls for the Minnesota teacher he discovers look today? Let's begin with the search for an actress to play "The Girl of the North" and find out...

The Story: Consolidated Pictures has tried for months to find the right actress to portray that coveted role. Jimmy Sutton (Power) is sent to Bergen, Minnesota interview candidate 436, elementary school teacher Trudi Hovland (Henie). Trudi's shocked when they claim they want her. Turns out her boyfriend Willie Hogger (Lyle Talbot) sent in her photo and paperwork, thinking she'd be perfect. Jimmy convinces her and her Aunt Phoebe (Oliver) to give the audition a shot.

Trudi aces the audition. Public relations chief George "Whit" Whitney (Alan Dinehart) thinks she's perfect. Now he wants Jimmy to work on the reputation of his newest star, singer Roger Maxwell (Vallee). Jimmy cooks up a fake romance between Roger and Trudi, to the annoyance of Roger's actual girlfriend Jean (Mary Healy). Thanks to all the love letters Jimmy sends that are supposed to be from Roger and the hit song he writes, Trudi thinks Roger really is in love with her. Jimmy, however, is the one who is really in love, and he's the one who needs to bring her back when she returns home after she discovers the deception.

The Song and Dance: Some decent writing and an amusing and then-topical story puts this one far and above Happy Landing. Oliver steals the show as Phoebe's tough aunt, who hits it off with Jimmy as much as her niece does and gets some of the best lines. They have by far the film's funniest scene when they get drunk on champagne together and toss every glass in the hotel room into the fire. Dineheart also has a few good moments as Jimmy's even tougher boss. Some of the Hollywood satire still lands, especially in the first half when they're desperately searching for that elusive "Girl of the North." 

Favorite Number: Oddly, our first number features not Henie, but Vallee, who croons about "An Old-Fashioned Tune" on a giant song sheet while singers in historical costumes sing on the notes under him. We first meet Henie teaching her pupils, including the Brian Sisters, "The Song of the Metronome." She and the kids get an adorable instrumental number on ice as she teaches them how to skate and Jimmy tries to join her. "Back to Back" is a goofy chorus routine sung by Healy as she encourages everyone to dance with their backs to each other. Healy also gets the more typical ballad "I'm Sorry for Myself."

"When Winter Comes" is prompted by Trudi when she admits that she misses snowy Minnesota. Russell sings about the delights of snow and ice, leading Trudi to imagine his pool as an ice rink and her gliding with a handsome partner (Stewart Reburn). "I Poured My Heart Into a Song" is the number Jimmy wrote and said was from Russell, and indeed Vallee does get to perform the charming ballad. Trudi gets one last instrumental solo, skating and spinning on the ice on her own in Minnesota as Jimmy arrives to bring her back.

Trivia: "I Poured My Heart Into a Song" was Oscar-nominated, but lost to "Over the Rainbow." 

What I Don't Like: Power and Henie don't have much more chemistry here than they did in Thin Ice two years earlier. He does better and has more fun with Oliver than with her. As cute as the story is, it's also cliches of the highest order. It gets so bogged down in Trudi's romance, you really don't really get to see them filming "Girl of the North," or much of any filming at all. And while Berlin's songs are lovely, "Poured My Heart Into a Song" aside, they're far from his best.

The Big Finale - The score and cute Hollywood satire makes this one of Henie's better films. Worth checking out if you love Henie, Berlin, or musicals set in Tinseltown.

Home Media: Surprisingly, not currently on legitimate DVD in the US. I ran into a copy on YouTube with Spanish subtitles. 

YouTube

Happy Landing (1938)

20th Century Fox, 1938

Starring Sonja Henie, Caesar Romero, Don Ameche, and Ethel Merman

Directed by Roy Del Ruth

Music by Samuel Pokrass; Lyrics by Jack Yellen

With winter gripping the northern hemisphere, we're returning to champion figure skater Sonja Henie and her extravaganzas on ice. This was her third starring vehicle and her second appearance with Don Ameche after One In a Million. It's also a bit topical, given this is the height of the big band era and the public fascination with the men who led the bands and often wrote the songs. How does the story of how one especially glamorous bandleader gets tangled up with a Norwegian lass look today? Let's begin as bandleader Duke Sargent (Romero) is dodging the complaints and blackmail of his most recent paramour, Flo Kelly (Merman), and find out...

The Story: Sargent and his manager Jimmy Hall (Ameche) fly from New York to Paris to get inspiration for Duke's latest songs. They make an unscheduled stop in Norway, where they stay with local lass Trudi Ericksen (Henie) and her family. Sargent dances twice with her and flirts wildly, thinking nothing of it. Trudi thinks it means they're engaged and ends up following them to New York when they leave. Sargent flirts with every woman he meets and means nothing by it. 

Jimmy takes her skating in Central Park when it turns out Duke is in Florida with Flo, but is so impressed with her skating ability, he convinces a ice show to take her on. Duke comes running back the moment he hears she's now a big skating star. Flo jealously puts a story in the newspaper that claims both men are after her. Now Jimmy and Duke aren't speaking to each other and Trudi is upset with Jimmy. She says she wants to marry Duke, but there's only one man she's really in love with.

The Song and Dance: The ladies. Henie retains the charm that makes you understand why both men fall for her, with her round cupid face and adorable Norwegian accent. Merman's having almost as much fun keeping Duke in line, especially when she's mad at him over Trudi. There's some lovely skating numbers here, too, and terrific costumes and gowns on and off the ice. Norway is almost comically recreated, with fanciful peasant costumes and sweet little wood houses.

Favorite Number: The first real number is an instrumental chorus number in Norway as Duke and Trudi joins in a town festival. We then get Henie's first huge skating routine, as Trudi and the townspeople dance to "A Gypsy Told Me," with Henie sliding in on a sled in a white fur-trimmed outfit and crown that makes her look like a Norwegian princess from a fairy tale. "Gypsy Told Me" turns up again, performed by Leah Ray with Duke's band as he tosses out a load of malarkey about getting the idea for the song from Rome. (He really got it from Trudy.) 

Flo is so thrilled when she manages to snare a European aristocrat, she sings about being "Hot and Happy." Flo also gets "You are the Words to the Music In My Heart" and "You Appeal to Me" later on. Duke also claims he discovered two "Natives" doing "War Dance for Indians." They're really the Condos Brothers doing an elaborate and bizarre tap routine on two drums, dressed in feathers, war paint, and fringe. El Brendel joins Henie at Central Park to explain why his orchestra prefers oompah music to swing in the goofy "Yonny and His Oompah." "Hot and Heavy" returns in instrumental form for the big finale, as Trudi glides to the music in a glittering top half of a tux, surrounded by men in tuxes and flourishing capes.

What I Don't Like: The guys are the problem. Duke is such a jerk and a user, you wonder what either woman sees in him. No wonder Trudi drops him like a stone once she realizes what he's really like. Jimmy's only slightly less of an idiot. And yeah, the story is not only nothing to write home about, real Norwegians may take offense nowadays at how backwards their country is portrayed early-on. There's the Condos Brothers' native dance, too. They look less like natives and more like white hoofers in bad makeup and ridiculous costumes. The music's not terrific, either, with only "A Gypsy Told Me" being even mildly memorable.

The Big Finale: Too abrasive to be one of Henie's better vehicles. This one is mainly for her fans, 30's musical lovers, and figure skating nuts.

Home Media: DVD only from the 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives.

DVD