A pretty ice skating Swiss Miss has a ONE IN A MILLION chance to become a road show star, but she will jeopardize her chances for competing in the 1936 Winter Olympics. Will a young American reporter help woo her into making the right decision?
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. ONE IN A MILLION was her American film debut. 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 Studio surrounded 24-year old Miss Henie with an experienced supporting cast: Jean Hersholt as her gentle father; Adolphe Menjou as a penniless, brash road show impresario & Arline Judge as his plain spoken wife; Don Ameche as the American reporter who falls for Henie; acerbic Ned Sparks as a cantankerous photographer; and Montague Love as a mysterious stranger. Fans of the Ritz Brothers will appreciate their routines; Russian Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Gang are zany enough to almost make you forget how talented they were.
Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of steel over frozen water.
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. ONE IN A MILLION was her American film debut. 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 Studio surrounded 24-year old Miss Henie with an experienced supporting cast: Jean Hersholt as her gentle father; Adolphe Menjou as a penniless, brash road show impresario & Arline Judge as his plain spoken wife; Don Ameche as the American reporter who falls for Henie; acerbic Ned Sparks as a cantankerous photographer; and Montague Love as a mysterious stranger. Fans of the Ritz Brothers will appreciate their routines; Russian Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Gang are zany enough to almost make you forget how talented they were.
Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of steel over frozen water.