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You can have all the glamour and pastels of the MGM musical - for sheer fun, give me the Fox musicals, especially this one, Sun Valley Serenade, starring John Payne, Sonja Henie, Glenn Miller, Lynn Bari and Milton Berle.

For publicity, Nifty Allen (Berle), a band publicist, arranges for the band to adopt a refugee. When the refugee shows, she's a grown woman named Karen Benson (Henie) who immediately falls for her guardian, the bandleader, Ted (Payne).

She connives her way into the train that's taking the band to Sun Valley, where she quickly gets in between Ted and the band's singer, Vivian Dawn (Lynn Bari) whose claws come out in full force.

"Sun Valley Serenade" is filled with skiing, Glenn Miller music, and Henje's fabulous skating. By 1941, Henje was starring in her own ice show, and her skating in this film looks less dated technically than it does in earlier films. And there's no one today who can come close to her spin sequences.

I can't remember how it was done, but she skates on mirrored glass, and it looks great. This was an ideal role for Sonja - she gets to smile, skate and does not have to do anything too dramatic. Payne does well and sings pleasantly as her leading man.

One outstanding musical feature, "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," a Miller standard, is performed first by Tex Beneke and the Miller singers and then - brilliantly - by Dorothy Dandrige and the Nicholas Brothers. This alone makes the film worth watching.

Delightful.

What a simply fantastic movie. A chance to see Glenn Miller and his orchestra and Sonja Heine both in their prime. The music is all toe-stepping and the dance routines keep you enthralled. Plus you get to see Sonja who was considered the best skater at the time. A movie that is both entertaining and gives you a chance to look back in time to see some truly great entertainers. This would best be described as a light, romantic comedy and it does have it moments. John Payne comes close to slapstick when he tries to sleep in two chairs. Milton Berle uses his time on the screen to great advantage. If this had been in color the scenes actually filmed in Sun Valley would have really been spectacular. Even in black and white the grandeur comes through. This one can be seen many times.

Sun Valley Serenade is remembered today for being one of the two films that Glenn Miller and his Orchestra were featured in, the other one being Orchestra Wives for 20th Century Fox. Miller was the number one swing band in the country and his presence in the film was more important than stars Sonia Henie and John Payne.

Payne's a pianist/vocalist with the Miller Band and his romancing of singer Lynn Bari gets the band a gig in Sun Valley during the ski season. Which is doubly fine for Payne because he likes all kinds of winter sports, indoor and outdoor.

But then an old publicity stunt that manager Milton Berle pulled some months earlier comes back to haunt them. He had the band sponsor a refugee from one of the occupied countries of Europe and Chester Clute from Immigration arrives with the receipt while all this full blown courtship of Bari is going on. So the band goes to Ellis Island to meet their sponsored urchin, but instead it turns out to be a rather big girl who also likes winter sports, Sonia Henie.

The band thinks to park her with Berle's aunt in New Jersey, but Sonia hears about Sun Valley and that sounds too much like home to suit her. And she's got a great advantage in that Bari isn't interested in skiing nor does she want to learn. Give you a guess who Payne winds up with.

Of course this whole fluffy plot is just an excuse to hang some skating sequences and some music by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Harry Warren and Mack Gordon contributed a fine score. In fact Sun Valley Serenade was nominated for an Oscar for black and white cinematography and musical scoring.

It also received a nomination for Best Song, one of the best known that the Glenn Miller Orchestra was known for, Chattanooga Choo Choo. John Payne gets to vocalize another great song I Know Why And So Do You which sold a few platters back in the day.

I don't know if Payne could play a piano in real life, but even if he was faking it for the film, he got a rare chance to jam with Glenn Miller as he was doing In The Mood, probably his best known hit song. I'd have paid Darryl Zanuck to do that myself.

The Miller Band's presence made a lot of folks forget this was a Sonia Henie film. Darryl Zanuck paid dear to sign Henie and she was first billed in all of her films. Her skating sequences or good, but I'm betting she didn't like being upstaged.

Nearly all the big bands in their era which was roughly 1935-1945 got into one film or another. Some got into better films than others and Miller's band did well by their two films before Glenn Miller went into the army and to his untimely disappearance over the English Channel.

Not to forget that the Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge got to do specialty numbers. With all the talent in this film, you can't possibly go wrong giving it a look.

Anyone who has ever paid a visit to the mountain-cradled village of Sun Valley, Idaho knows that one of the luxuries of staying in its well know resort, of the same name, is that you can view this charming "boy-meets-girl, and then another girl" romantic-musical-comedy, 24 hours a day! If you are very lucky, as I was during my most recent visit, you can do so from a room overlooking the very ice rink that Sonja Henie performed upon, in this snowbound, big-band era classic "Sun Valley Serenade".

When war refugee Karen Benson (Henie) arrives from Sweden to meet her sponsor Tom Scott, the piano player for a big band played by John Payne, it is clear that she has her romantic sites set on our non-assuming hero. Scott has met, fallen in love with and proposed to Vivian Dawn (Lynn Bari), a tempestuous big band diva, just days before Karen's arrival. The band gets a gig in Sun Valley, Karen tags along, and the fun begins.

Henie's unshakable effervescence and contagious smile allow you to forgive, and even admire, her calculated attempts to win Scott's attention. Henie charms you and Scott with her thick accent and graceful fetes on both the ice and slopes. Although never recognized as an actress by the industry's standards, Henie's comedic timing is so surprising, at times, you may laugh out loud.

John Payne, as Tom Scott, is your typical 40's leading-man-- down-to-earth, charming, handsome, talented and a trust-fund baby. While the band struggles for engagements and its public relations manager needs to re-sole his shoes, the Princeton grad does not seem to have a care in the world, other than which girl to marry. He manages to keep his head just below the radar of the discrete feminine barbs at all times, with a relative air of oblivious confusion.

Milton Berle, as the band's self-deprecating public relations manager (who cooked up the adoption scheme as a publicity stunt to get Walter Wenchell's attention), keeps this comedy light-hearted despite the feeling that there is a `catfight' slowing brewing. Glen Miller's line delivery, as bandleader Phil Corey, is forgivable once the band kicks into high gear with `Chattanooga Choo-Choo', among other dance and romance tunes of the day. And now we know that Jimmy Stewart must have studied this performance prior to doing his bio-pic "The Glenn Miller Story" (1953).

Watch for cameo appearances by the adorable 18-year-old Dorothy Dandridge, the show-stopping Nicholas Brothers, and Joan Davis as Berle's gad-fly.

If you are a fan of romantic-comedies, the big-band era, ice-skating, or just an old film buff there are special moments for all. Beware, however this heart-warming comedy is addictive and you may be humming "It Happened in Sun Valley" in your sleep before you know it.

John Payne plays the pianist/arranger for a big band led by Glenn Miller and managed by Milton Berle. They pick up singer Lynn Bari enabling them to get a big contract in Sun Valley, Idaho, at which point, a past publicity stunt comes back to bite them. They offered to sponsor a war refugee, thinking taking care of a baby would be publicity, and now the refugee arrives... in the form a of fully grown-up Sonja Henie. For Henie, it's love at first sight with Payne, and she vows to break up Payne's relationship with Bari. (And we're supposed to sympathize with her!) There's some good scenery of Sun Valley, at least the best they could do in black-and-white, and some absolutely horrid rear-projection. With Glenn Miller around, you know the music is going to be top-notch; the movie introduced the Oscar-nominated "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". That number also offers a scene for a young Dorothy Dandrige and the Nicholas Brothers.

Like is often true in Fox musicals, this one is a split decision The story I give just a 5/10. However, the music, at 10/10, drags the total rating to 7/10 IMHO.

Milton Berle (Nifty) manages the Glenn Miller (Phil) band that includes piano player John Payne (Ted). They land a long-term gig with famous singer Lynn Bari (Vivian) in Sun Valley. Guess what – there's romance between Payne and Bari. However, before they depart for Sun Valley, Payne has to collect a war refugee child that he has undertaken to look after. Enter Sonja Henie (Karen). And she's not a child. Everyone goes to Sun Valley but Payne can only choose one woman. Or does the woman choose him?

The story is lightweight nonsense but the music is excellent. Every musical number is a highlight with the showstopper being Glenn Miller's "Chatanooga Choo Choo" which also includes a sequence with Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers. Wow! The film also serves up Sonja Henie and her ice skating spins. For me, the skating sequences aren't as powerful as the musical numbers, but they are still being performed by a 3 time Olympic gold medallist!

The film is funny and entertaining and contains some legendary performers. Definitely one to watch.

For the first time the 'Sun Valley Serenade' was shown in the USSR at the time of WW2. It was never forbidden by the Soviet censorship, so it could be watched in the following years as well.

The film made formidable impression on Soviet citizens. It conjured up 'the American dream' in which the USA appeared as a country where everything is excellent, all women are beautiful, life is extremely easy and cheerful, where money lies on the streets - bend down and take!

Opposite to that paradise picture they saw around them a surly Soviet reality, lack of liberty, empty shops, shabby life in overcrowded communal apartments where people had to stand in turns to get to WC, etc.

Surely, Stalin made a great mistake permitting his subjects to see this film.

A friend of mine watched this film 46 times. Glen Miller became the greatest composer to him. I saw it twice, and at the second time left the cinema long before the end.

That dream about America continued to live in hearts and minds of many people in the Soviet Union. It had been one of the factors which gave birth to the dissident movement, and at the end, made a contribution to the fall of Communism in Russia.

I'm sure that there are some people who participated in creation of the movie who are living now: do they know about their part in the History?

From the point of view of pure art, the rating, I think, is 6 out of 10.

A great film from long ago. I have long been a Glenn Miller fan and was pleased to find out the my 8 and 10 year old kids love this film and the music also. Sun Valley was around 3 years old at the time of filming and watching the film really makes you yearn to be a part of the way things used to be. Even immigration is covered as the band goes to Ellis Island to pick up the "little" refugee.

Chattanooga choo choo was featured in the film and many not know that it was the very first gold record, the first million seller. A classic film I would recommend to all, young and old. Kick back and listen to the way music used to be in the golden age.

I am rating 'Sun Valley Serenade' 7 stars because of the fantastic music and the excellent choreography. The Glenn Miller Orchestra playing the 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' is particularly impressive, especially the part with Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers singing and dancing. This is already reason enough to watch the film. Unfortunately the acting and the quality of the plot drag the picture down. The plot is thin and in part plainly weird. It concerns a jazz band adopting a Norwegian refugee as a publicity stunt (adopting a refugee is of course a good thing, but doing so merely to get a better press sounds pretty dubious to me). When the refugee turns out not to be a small child but a young woman (Sonia Henie), the band leader (John Payne) reacts as ungraciously as possible, Still, for reasons that remain a mystery the girl immediately decides she is going to marry him, tells him so, and sets about wrecking his relationship with his girl friend (Lynn Bari) in the most obnoxious, manipulative manner imaginable. Some minor complications ensue. In the end, the character played by Bari ditches the band leader, who decides (for reasons that remain a mystery) that he suddenly loves the Norwegian girl and wants to marry her. Henie was of course far better at winter sports than at acting; here, her smile is so fixed that it looks frozen. I would describe the overall impression she leaves as sickly cute. The others are better, but the only memorable character is Milton Berle, who playes the band manager. In sum: Music and choreography 10 stars, plot 4 and acting 5. This gives you an average of between 6 and 7 stars, so let's settle on 7 (there are some nice shots of wintry landscapes).

I remember seeing this film as a kid and being impressed that it was one of the most fun movies not directed primarily at children. Finally, I got a video copy and play it every Christmas season. If a musical romantic comedy is what you are in the mood for, this is one of the best, from a time when these were churned out in sizable numbers, serving to entertain the GIs far from home, as well as the home crowd. How could you miss with such talents as Sonja Henie, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, John Payne, Lynn Bari, Milton Berle, the Nicholas Brothers, and Dorothy Dandridge. Most of the action and some of the filming takes place at the Sun Valley ski resort in Idaho, developed only a few years before this film was made. I've seen clips of a few other films including Sonja,the reigning ice queen of the times, and this is by far her most entertaining performance. While Berle is trying to romance her, she definitely has her eye on a reluctant John Payne, who becomes engaged to the band's singer, played by perennial loser Lynn Bari. Payne was often paired with Betty Grable or Alice Faye in their 20th Century Fox musical romantic comedies of this era. Fox again paired Payne and Sonja in the film "Iceland". I haven't seen it, but apparently there was too much ice skating and too little development of the romance. It fell flat compared to the present film.

Of course, the Glenn Miller orchestra added much to this film. They performed several of their classic numbers. In addition, several new songs were composed for this film by the prolific tunesmith Harry Warren and his then lyricist Mack Gordon. Their collaboration produced such memorable songs in this film as "It Happened in Sun Valley", "I Know Why", "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "At Last". Unfortunately, the vocal version of the latter was cut, apparently to shorten the film; but Sonja and her retinue skated to the tune near the end of the film. The vocal version was resurrected in the second Fox film featuring the Miller orchestra, "Orchestra Wives", which also introduced the Warren-Gordon song "Serenade in Blue". Chattanooga Choo Choo" would go on to become the first certified Gold Record, with more than 1 million sold in the first year.. Ironically, when the Miller orchestra first practiced this song, they generally were not impressed with its potential. Surprisingly, at the Harry Warren web site, where browsers can choose to hear renditions of many of his songs, spanning from the 1920s to the 1950s, the most requested song is "At Last", which I would rate as #10, at most.

The comedy content of this film was carried by several of the principles. This was supposed to be the forte of Berle; however, his chief talent seemed to be smoking cigars. I would have much preferred Bob Hope or Jack Oakie, for example. That would have made it just about a perfect film. Miller was rather stiff off the bandstand, not surprisingly. Like the Cheshire Cat, Sonja kept popping up unexpectedly, scheming how to land her chosen man before he became unavailable. Her frequent Cheshire Cat-like smile belied her need to act fast. The chemistry between Sonja and Payne appeared to be very good, her impishness serving to loosen up his typical serious demeanor.

3/17 update : Now available at YouTube, along with "Orchestra Wives"

"Sun Valley Serenade" was Sonja Henie's last big box office hit and although I enjoyed the movie and loved its supporting cast, the story itself is pretty nutty. It's a shame, as with a more intelligent plot, it could have been amazing.

Ted (John Payne) is a pianist with an up and coming big band orchestra (led by Glenn Miller). As a publicity stunt, his agent (Milton Berle) has arranged for Ted to take in a war orphan from Europe (after all, in 1941 WWII was in full swing despite the USA not yet fighting). However, through some mixup, they send him an old orphan. I think you are supposed to think she's in her late teens, but Sonja Henie is 39...Payne's age! This really makes no sense. Why would they even place a teenage girl with an adult man with no wife or family?! And, not surprisingly, once she arrives, Karen soon falls in love with Ted. It's a problem as Ted is trying to make a go of it with the band's new singer, Miss Dawn (Lynn Bari). Complications ensue.

If you put the plot aside, there is a lot to like in this film. It's a nice chance to see Glenn Miller and his orchestra playing many of their top hits. Additionally, Joan Davis, the Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge are in the film as well. I also enjoyed seeing the Sun Valley resort (in Idaho), though I am surprised they didn't film it closer to Hollywood. I checked on Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain...both of which are famous California ski resorts...but apparently both opened after WWII. Perhaps there were no other suitable ski resorts closer and easier to access at the time. Or, perhaps Sun Valley was chosen because of its popularity.

As for the story, I already mentioned that it was pretty dopey. To enjoy it, you really need to suspend disbelief...just like you'd have to do if you see the 31 year-old Ginger Rogers playing a high school student in "The Major and the Minor". As for me, I really could never get past either casting decision and think "Sun Valley Serenade" would have benefitted from a re-working of the plot. Of course, it made a ton of money...so what do I know?!

By the way, the IMDB trivia says this American film was one of Hitler's favorites. How did they know this? I am a bit skeptical. I know he did watch and enjoy American films but by 1941, American movies were mostly unavailable in continental Europe due to the war. Plus the plot involves a woman leaving war-torn Norway (which was invaded by Germany in 1940) for America!

This is a great movie if you like the big band sound. The story line is quite simple, 2 girls vying for the attention of 1 boy. Some of it is filmed on location in Sun Valley, Idaho about 1940.

The movie is filled with big band music, featuring Glenn Miller and his band. The big number is Chattanooga Choo-Choo and includes a dance number by the Nicholas Brothers. Seeing Milton Berle and Joan Davis as youngsters is very enjoyable.

I was not born until many years after this movie was made, but I find it nostalgic anyway. It has a lot more music as well and a lot of skating by Sonja Henie.

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the big band sound.

This musical has the Glenn Miller band and some wonderful songs-- Chattanooga Choo Choo (charmingly performed by Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers), I Know Why, At Last. It has John Payne, a real sweetie, and the unusual snow-filled setting. But it also has Sonia Henie, a horrible little pep pill from Norway. The character she plays is utterly obnoxious--manipulative, insensitive, and deceitful in her shameless campaign to get Payne away from Lynn Bari, a mature, glamorous woman who, uniquely for such a plot, is kind and sensible and does nothing wrong. Looking younger than her age (she is short, slender, and flat-chested), and a great deal younger than Bari, she comes across as an oversexed teenager and makes Payne look like something of a pedophile. One can only imagine how much damage this kind of plot did to young, innocent girls, who thought that the way to make a man love you and propose to you is to stick to him every minute and to manipulate him into kissing you and being alone with you. And one can also imagine how women Bari's age felt at seeing her dismissed in favour of a pushy little pest who is always whooshing gaily down mountains and flashing her panties at everybody in her ice routines (her skirt must have had a little tube of compressed air underneath it at the rear--I've never seen a short skirt fly up so many times--and the camera even shoots up between her legs when they're both in the air, as someone is holding her up!). It seems Henie was as repellent in person as in this film--she was a Nazi sympathiser, and, as a biography written by her brother said, extremely nasty and utterly self-centred. Watching her in this movie, it's easy to imagine she's just playing a nicer version of herself.

Vivian Dawn (Lynn Bari) is auditioning, but she gets tripped up by the house band. Phil Corey (Glenn Miller) and his band happens to be there hoping for a chance. Miss Dawn gives them exactly that. Nifty Allen (Milton Berle) is their manager. Ted Scott (John Payne) is the band pianist. Nifty had a publicity stunt forcing a war refugee on Ted. They are surprised to find the expected refugee child turns out to be a full grown Norwegian woman, Karen Benson (Sonja Henie).

The concept is funny, but they do threaten to go overboard with it. The issue is Karen's smiling persistence. Olympic champion Sonja Henie's acting is better than most athletes, but it is a little off-putting. The love triangle would work better if it's the other way around. Flip it so that she has two guys. Her character is a better pivot and more compelling than the bland Ted Scott character. Miss Dawn is more of a blank than anything else. Milton Berle is mugging for comedy for all he's worth. As for the music, it has the toe-tapping "Chattanooga Choo Choo" for one. There is some fun and this is almost great.

And here we have a sunny bright little farcical romance that works on a level that if you are also doing a New York TImes Crossword Puzzle at the same time, this will be delightful background white noise. Glen Miller doesnt even really try to act-he doesnt need to-but he has a whole lot more lines thrown in at current conversations that are ok, you won't get an attitude about the man cause he was such a brilliant bad leader...Tex Beneke is, as always, a joy to watch, great vocalist (choo choo song) great sax and really spiced up the band, who except for the stand up bass guy and the guy beating the drums were so well rehearsed and diciplined the almost became, well not boring but rather bland. Milton Berle is, was, always has been, a pain in the patoot, annoying and overly anxious to walk on other actors lines. Lyn Bari....well her singing was dubbed, and she didnt play a sympathetic character, so, she tends to drag down her scenes. John Payne...Comes on like a poor mans Andy Hardy...I mean, banging on the piano while the Glen Miller Orchestra is Hitting it with 'In the Mood'? Seriously? And his singing reminds one of a goat being castrated. Which brings us to Sonja. 29 years old playing a teenager. Nope...Nope...Nope... Just don't take any of this seriously folks and yu will nevertheless enjoy the high spots-like the Beautiful Dorothy Dandridge dancing with the Nicholas Bros. to the Choo Choo.

Caught this one on AMC before it went commercial. What a warm, family film. While I have never seen another Sonje Henie movie, I found her to be irresistible. It was also great to see John Payne playing the light comedic leading man. Of course, the music of Glenn Miller would be the highlight of any movie. The version of I Know Why (and So Do You) contained in the film is quite different from the versions you hear on Glenn Miller compilations and in my opinion is much better. (This version is also the one used in the 90's film Memphis Belle). Add great skating sequences, musical interludes, and wonderful locations and you have a fun-filled way to spend an afternoon.

What's not to like about the movie? The great soundtrack, featuring then-new now-classic Glen Miller orchestra sounds? The bubbly Sonja Henie in a completely agreeable innocuous script? The same Miss Henie gamely trying to sing a few bars here and there? John Payne (Miracle on 34th Street) crooning in alternation with the song stylings of Lynn Bari? The amazingly young Uncle Miltie Berle playing the second man? Dorothy Dandridge in her prime, singing "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with full orchestral accompaniment, and the Nicholas Brothers doing a dance to boot? The skiing, the skating, the soundstage snow shenanigans?

Answer: nada. One of the lesser known (possibly because of the short running time and limited number of songs, but probably just because it's black and white and incredibly quaint), but absolutely classic movie musicals.

This is a simply great movie. What might appear to be a typical Sonja Henie ice musical is anything but typical. Ms. Henie is charming in her role as Karen, a Scandinavian refugee, who has been "adopted" by Ted (John Payne) and his band, who were expecting a little girl. Karen immediately falls in love with Ted, who already has a steady lady, the tempermental Vivian Dawn, who is the star vocalist for the band. Vivian is played by Lynn Bari, who had a long career playing arch high-society types and blowsy "other women". It's no contest who will end up together at the end, but there are so many things that elevate this movie above your average 40's musical. Perhaps the best thing is the presence of the Glenn Miller Orchestra (not Benny Goodman as another review states). Every song they deliver fits into the flow of the movie, and every song is a knockout. The classic "In the Mood", the gorgeous "I Know Why and So Do You" (THE most romantic song ever) and the stupendous "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (performed by Tex Beneke and the Modernaires, the number also features the supreme dancing and singing talents of the Nicholas Brothers and the lovely Dorothy Dandridge). Throw in the presences of Milton Berle and the wacky Joan Davis, the beautiful snow and ski sequences, and the marvelous "black ice" ballet at the end, and you've got one of the best Hollywood musicals from the 40's, indeed, from any decade!

My husband has gotten into "old 40s music" lately, so this movie was hunted down on Youtube and I was subjected to some old timey film making. Did I like it? Well, in a word, no. Granted, I'm a modern woman and this movie is from a completely different era...but still. I was willing to give it a chance. However, I just couldn't relate in any way, didn't find it amusing in any way...plus, the plot was super thin and there was zero character development.

I feel people are giving this movie such a high score because of the famous actors involved and the Glen Miller big band music, which was so popular at the time. And yes, I can admit the players in that orchestra certainly have a ton of talent! This is the sort of talent popular music doesn't possess any more. And those tap-dancers! Wow! There's a lost art. They were amazing. So, I will give credit where credit's due. However...onto the movie itself.

In a nutshell, here's the plot: This Norwegian refugee (played by Sonja Heanie) is being flown into Ellis Island and (for some reason) the main character (played by John Payne) the piano player in the band, has offered to take the refugee on...thinking it will be a baby or a young child. Turns out, it's a grown woman! Well, sort of. More appropriately, it's a grown woman who looks and acts more like a flighty manipulative teenage girl.

Now, this man already has a very serious girlfriend who he seems very happy with. They banter and tease like an infatuated couple, and he wants to marry her. Well, we certainly can predict that trouble that will ensue, due to this blonde Norwegian flirt who has suddenly appeared on the scene!

The movie takes place mostly in Sun Valley, Idaho, at a ski resort. Turns out, this Norwegian refugee woman loves snow and loves to figure skate and loves to ski, whereas the piano-playing guy's girlfriend does NOT ski and does NOT like the snow. You can see where this is heading. A five year old could see where this is heading.

The Norwegian woman is very sneaky and manipulative, scheming to get the piano player to be alone with her and kiss her and yes, eventually marry her. She'll do anything to accomplish that...even though the two have just met and why she has decided she's madly in love with him even though she doesn't know him, and she must break up a happy relationship just so she can childishly have what she wants, I don't know. But that's exactly what she does, even going so far as to lie to the man, thrilled that his girlfriend will be so angry!

She's actually a very horribly self-centered woman who has zero morals, yet I know we are all supposed to fall madly in love with her "adorableness" and the poor man "can't be blamed" by being hypnotized by her adolescent-like charm and sexuality. I mean, what sane man could resist, right? The man's girlfriend doesn't have a chance...even though she really didn't do anything wrong. I mean, okay... so she doesn't like to ski. Gee, is that a good reason to break up with someone just because this other woman is a pro at whooshing down a mountain? Maybe the woman was better off knowing her boyfriend could be so easily manipulated by a blonde prepubescent-like predator, and yes, I say "predator" since that's exactly what this woman acted like.

A young Milton Berle is in this movie, so that was sort of funny to see. Although I use the word "funny" lightly, since the so-called humor in this film is incredibly dated. There really is no cleverness, wit, or nuance afoot here, so don't expect any. If you just want to watch a movie from another period and you enjoy big band music, help yourself. I just wish the writers could have made the plot a little more intricate...for instance, make the man have a good reason for being so infatuated by this blonde...like maybe his girlfriend does something really awful...or the Sonja Heanie character was simply a nicer, kinder and a better person, overall. For me, that would have made the movie a lot more enjoyable and would have left me with a better taste in my mouth.

As it was, I just walked away from the movie feeling sort of irritated, like...really? Did that just happen? Which is what brings me to these reviews where I see, alas, I am basically all alone in my opinion. Oh well!

John Payne, one of those often underated actors who turn up with regularity in the 1940s, makes a good partner for the sensuous Sonja Henie in this entertaining big band romp in the snow. I've lost count of the number of times I've watched this movie but still delight in the sight and sound of the race down the mountain and of course the brilliant Nicholas Brothers. A good supporting cast and faultless production values makes this movie one to remember.

Designed to provide some enjoyable light entertainment, "Sun Valley Serenade" does just that. There's plenty of variety, with good comedy, good (sometimes excellent) musical numbers, and some winter outdoors scenes. The story is lightweight, but it's supposed to be, and it is sufficient to tie the rest together.

Sonja Henie brings energy and talent to her role as a war refugee who is taken in by a band member. John Payne is good enough, though he mostly allows Henie to take the spotlight, and plays off her and the situation around him. Milton Berle adds some amusing moments as the band's agent. Glenn Miller's band and the performers in the musical sequences get lots of screen time, making good use of most of it. In particular, the 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' number is quite a show-stopper.

The atmosphere is quite pleasant, the story is enough to keep things moving, and the variety of material fits together well. It's more than enough to make for an hour-and-a-half of worthwhile watching.

You have a smile on your face throughout this film. What's not to like? You have Sonja Henie who does some beautiful skating, John Payne, choreography be Hermès Pan and music by Glenn Miller and his orchestra. Throw in Lynn Bari and that voice of hers, Milton Berle playing the bands manager, a cameo by comedienne Joan Davis, and a dance routine by the Fabulous Nicholas Brothers and you have a wonderful film. The plot is simple. In other to drum up publicity for the band, their manager, Berle, has the band adopt a war orphan. When they arrive at the airport expecting a small child, they get a grown woman, Henie. Hyjinxs ensue. It's a great picture just to listen to the music. Miller and his band where the voice of their generation. Moonlight Sernade is still one of the most beautiful songs ever written and to hear their music is wonderful. Just 3 years later Miller would disappear in a plane over the English Channel. Don't miss out on your chance to see this film.

Take a trip back to the early forties, and the big band era. There's Glenn Miller and his Orchestra on the bandstand, playing in its inimitable manner. John Payne's on as the leading man, Lynn Bari's adding spice to the other woman, and the legendary Sonja Henie is an effervescent leading lady.

Henie's veratility is displayed to great advantage here: a bubbling personality, gifted comedienne, and breathtaking figure skater. Milton Berle's along for laughs, and there's a rare specialty number with the Nicholas Brothers and a young Dorothy Dandridge.

A marvelous song, "I Know Why and So Do You," is given the spotlight, and a prototype black and white "B-film" production reveals a "formula 20th Century Fox musical" of the period.

It's all dandy fun, with some nifty situations, and great laughs. Like the specialty-song goes, "Chattanooga Choo-Choo, won't you Choo-Choo Me Home?"