Thin Ice

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.

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.

The skating instructor at a luxury Swiss hotel finds herself on THIN ICE when she is linked romantically with a handsome foreign prince.

Sonja Henie was Norway's ice queen when she won Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 & 1936. Quickly going professional, she began a celebrated movie career at 20th Century Fox in 1936. Beautiful & talented, as well as being a natural in front of the cameras, she carved out her niche during Hollywood's Golden Age. Although Henie's ice routines may look antiquated by comparison to modern champions, there was nothing antique about her dazzling smile or sparkling personality. Some of today's snowflake princesses could still learn a great deal from her.

The plot of THIN ICE is utterly ludicrous, but this was never meant to be anything but escapist fare. All that's required of Sonja is that she smile & skate, which she manages very nicely. Her routines based on themes inspired by Old Russia & 'The Tales of the Vienna Woods' are particularly pleasing.

Tyrone Power, 20th Century Fox's young prince, plays Sonja's love interest. He exhibits much of the boyish charm which was about to make him a major celebrity.

Supporting the two stars is a flurry of wonderful character actors: stiff-upper-lipped Arthur Treacher, conniving Raymond Walburn, blustery Alan Hale, frantic Melville Cooper, Sig Rumann, George Givot & Greta Meyer. Slapstick comedienne Joan Davis surfaces long enough to sing a couple of wacky songs, most notably 'I'm Olga From The Volga.'

Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of silver over frozen water.

Even in her lesser films, Sonja Henie was always watchable and there was a good deal to like about her weaker outings. The bright spots were often her, the ice skating sequences and the music, while the weak link was often typically the story.

'Thin Ice' is a nice, pleasant film, if not a great one. Its chief let-down is the very threadbare and sometimes ridiculous story, that even feels too thin for the very short length and more an excuse for stringing along the skating sequences, the comedy and the songs.

The ice skating sequences (often a highlight in Henie's films) are beautifully choreographed, adeptly danced and lovely to look at, but there have been more imaginative and memorable ones in a Sonja Henie film. Likewise, the songs are pleasant and fit well, but there are no instant classics here.

However, 'Thin Ice' looks great, the comedy from Joan Davies still stands up as very funny, it's all competently directed and the dance direction for the "Prince Igor Suite" is pretty exemplary.

While stretched ever so slightly in the acting department, Henie is pert and charming with a smile that makes anyone go weak at the knees, and the camera clearly loves her. Her ice skating is also out of this world, and the envy perhaps of even professional ice skaters now. Tyrone Power is a handsome and charismatic partner, their chemistry endearing to watch, while Joan Davies steals scenes in a deliciously riotous performance.

On the whole, a nice if not great film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

SONJA HENIE was always lucky that Zanuck (at Fox) had the good sense to surround her with capable talent so that the film wouldn't depend on her ability to skate, smile dazzlingly (like a dimpled darling), and say as little as possible so her Norwegian accent wouldn't be too hard for Americans to take.

Here, he surrounds her with JOAN DAVIS, MELVILLE COOPER, ARTHUR TREACHER, ALAN HALE and SIG RUMAN who keep the tale spinning even though it's the usual boy-meets-girl one that's full of the usual misunderstandings.

And for added insurance, Zanuck gave in to Sonja's demands that TYRONE POWER be her male co-star. She and Power were quite an item at the time, although it was rumored that Power was just using her to get one step up on the ladder of success. She was reportedly devastated when he went off in another direction and married Annabella.

Sonja does some pleasing routines on ice and Joan Davis is a daffy orchestra leader who occasionally sings a wacky song number--so, it's all pretty much the kind of thing audiences wanted from a Sonja Henie movie. But the best was still to come: SUN VALLEY SERENADE in 1941.