Thin Ice

"On Thin Ice" (1937) is a lackluster film that fails to deliver on any front. The plot is predictable, with weak dialogue and uninspired performances from the cast. The characters lack depth, making it difficult to invest in their struggles or triumphs. The direction is equally disappointing, with sluggish pacing and unimaginative cinematography. Even the attempts at humor fall flat, leaving the audience unengaged. Overall, "On Thin Ice" is a forgettable movie that doesn't live up to the standards of its era, ultimately skating on very thin ice.

It also greatly from its subpar acting. The cast delivers lifeless performances, lacking any spark or conviction. The lead actors, in particular, fail to bring their characters to life, resulting in a dull and unengaging viewing experience. Their stilted dialogue delivery and lack of chemistry make the already weak script even harder to endure. Even the supporting actors seem disengaged, contributing to the overall sense of mediocrity. The film's potential is completely undermined by the uninspired and wooden performances from its cast. Tyrone Power and Sonja Henje's "relationship" offscreen was manufactured by the studio and ended quickly. You can tell why it ended. They're just not compatible or good together as a couple.

1937's "Thin Ice" served as Sonja Henie's sophomore Hollywood effort, more popular than her debut in "One in a Million," due perhaps to the casting of real life paramour Tyrone Power as her leading man. He delivers as expected portraying the handsome prince come to the Alps for an important peace conference, easily outshining his weak co-star in every way except of course on the ice, where she delivers everything that her acting performances ultimately failed to do. Hardly the naïve innocent she was playing on screen, it's amusing to watch Sonja ply her trade as a skating instructor for a financially strapped Swiss hotel, but as soon as rumors abound of her romance with Power's Prince Rudolph offers arrive swiftly and decisively, though the girl is kept in the dark about his true identity until picture's end. Their off screen chemistry doesn't seem to have translated well on camera, but the strapping young Tyrone Power cements his cinematic rise to superstardom by carrying the lightweight material for his novice leading lady, as well as nervous studio chief Darryl Zanuck, often on the losing end of negotiations with the temperamental Sonja. Among the unbilled extras, Lon Chaney can be spotted as an American reporter on two very brief occasions: at the 10 minute mark, a silent bit as Power's prince makes his first appearance posing as an invalid coming off the train, and again 16 minutes later, rushing in to breathlessly await news of the couple's romance, his dialogue drowned out with the noise of all the other newsmen. Of his numerous uncredited roles during his forgettable two year odyssey at Fox, this probably ranks at or near the very bottom, at least easily recognizable in Sonja's next vehicle, "Happy Landing," where he was granted a few lines to distinguish himself.

I've now seen this-Sonja Henie's second feature-online. She seems a little more comfortable on camera as well as with dialogue of which she has to carry more of though with a leading man she was very enamored of off-screen this time: Tyrone Power. He plays a prince trying to go out incognito at night for skiing while Sonja does the same thing as a skating instructor at a swank hotel. There's also comedienne Joan Davis as the bandleader of an all-girl orchestra providing a couple of funny numbers. Among the rest of the supporting cast are Arthur Treacher, Sig Ruman, and Alan Hale Sr.-yes, the father of Alan Hale Jr. who's famous as the Skipper of "Gilligan's Island". Initially hilarious, the plot threatens to run out of steam but ends soon enough with yet another of Ms. Henie's skating routines. Kudos to director Sidney Lanfield for guiding her in both this and her debut in One in a Million.

Certainly the giggly prepubescent females who flocked to the movies in the 1930s just loved this silly comedy starring the Queen of the Ice, Sonja Henie and up and coming matinée idol Tyrone Power. "Thin Ice" skates on a pretty thin script but has some standout ice numbers by Henie. While some of her skating positions and landings look awkward compared to today's skaters, she was a consummate performer and a dazzling skater - fast, with amazing spins and great dance moves. She is responsible for the ice show in this country, the creation of skating costumes rather than dresses, for combining ice skating and dance, for making skating popular, and for of all things - white skates, which flew off the shelves when audiences first saw her skate in them!

The threadbare plot consists of a pact between countries, a prince disguised as a vacationer at a European ski resort, and lots of misunderstandings. Power sports two Groucho Marx-type disguises in the course of the film. Though Zanuck did not want to waste his new leading man in such a weak comedy concocted for Sonja's skating, Henie, who was having an affair with Power, insisted on him as her costar. When Zanuck said no, she told him, not too politely, to teach Shirley Temple her skating routines and left the studio. She got her way finally, as she would throughout her entire life.

Probably 22 when "Thin Ice" was filmed, Tyrone Power was flawlessly pretty. It would be a couple of years before his looks matured to the point where he would be so spectacularly handsome that this viewer's jaw would drop at the mere sight of him. But I can imagine his effect in 1936-1937 on teens. I saw a photo on ebay recently of Power and Henie, sitting side by side, holding hands and talking to the director between takes of this movie. (According to screenwriter Milton Sperling, they couldn't get the two of them onto the set from Henie's dressing room, and when they finally did, "Power looked like he was going to collapse.") If I'd been Sonja, I'd have had my clutches in him as well. She was as smart as she was talented. As an added plus, there are two ridiculous numbers by Joan Davis, who was always worth watching. For those who remember "I Married Joan," it's a delight to see her as the leader of a female orchestra in this.

Take "Thin Ice" for the entertainment value that it has and enjoy it.

After the success that Sonia Henie's American film debut, One In a Million, had at the box office, no doubt Darryl F. Zanuck felt better about investing more money in her next film, Thin Ice. The resulting production is obvious for any viewer, the money spigots were left on for Thin Ice.

It's hard to imagine today the world wide popularity of Sonia Henie who the year before had come off her third gold medal in the Olympics before turning professional with the 20th Century Fox movie contract. The public wanted to see her skate and Zanuck gave them what they wanted. Her many routines are nicely staged and the ice dancing got an Academy Award nomination for Dance Direction. Yes, back in the age of musicals they actually had that as an Oscar category.

Zanuck even gave her his lot's most popular leading man in Tyrone Power. This was the first of two films Power did with Henie and while I think that Second Fiddle was a better film, this one isn't bad for what it is, a vehicle to show off Sonia Henie.

Sonia plays a skating instructor at an Alpine resort which is going to host a European conference. Power plays the playboy prince of a small duchy whose romantic escapades get him headlines. Henie gets herself involved with him, but she doesn't know who it is. In the meantime the two of them become tabloid fodder. I think you have a good idea where this plot is leading.

Still Thin Ice is not bad as entertainment. And for comic relief we have Joan Davis conducting the all girl orchestra at the hotel and giving us some comic numbers. She's not bad at all. And Zanuck had such scene stealing character actors as Arthur Treacher, Alan Hale, Raymond Walburn, Sig Ruman, Melville Cooper, and Maurice Cass for support.

None but the best for his Olympic size investment.