A show promoter (Adolphe Menjou) is stuck at a Swiss inn with his group of traveling musicians and his sarcastic wife (Arline Judge, who has some great zingers) when he makes a fortuitous discovery. The discovery is the daughter (Sonja Henie) of the innkeeper (Jean Hersholt), who is a natural ice skater- what else- and someone that Menjou realizes could be a star with his guidance.
Of course Menjou sees dollar signs more than he sees a chance of nurturing talent, but he does have the connections to turn Henie into a bonafide professional, which is something she might like. In the meantime, her father's been training her for the Winter Olympics, which in 1936 were held in Germany. Footage from the '36 Winter Olympics is edited in to the movie. Miss Henie had just competed at those games earlier in the year and won her third gold medal for her home country (Norway not Switzerland), before retiring from amateur competition to become a real-life professional skater.
The events of this film in some respects seem to mirror Henie's own life up to this point. For instance, there is considerable dialogue about amateur sports and professional sports. Also, her character performs at Madison Square Garden at the end of the movie, and by the time Henie had signed with 20th Century Fox, she had also developed a deal to play top venues as a touring ice show performer.
Henie would remain under contract at Fox for the next seven years, appearing in ten films for the studio- nine as the star and one in which she just made a cameo appearance. ONE IN A MILLION was her first hit for Fox; a Hollywood star was born. Her leading man Don Ameche would also team up with her for HAPPY LANDING a year later, which became her most financially successful picture. There are plenty of nice moments between Henie and Ameche, who is cast as a smooth talking newspaperman. But the best parts, obviously, are when Henie's on ice.
As for the supporting cast, Menjou and Hersholt deliver excellent performances, though Menjou's style is more comedic and exaggerated. The plot's most dramatic moment is handed over to Hersholt. This occurs later in the story when there is a mix-up, where Henie is believed to have skated professionally for Menjou, before winning an Olympic medal as an amateur. Hersholt takes the medal back to the committee to disqualify her, and he appeals to the Olympic Secretary (Montagu Love) to be compassionate and spare his daughter from any public embarrassment.
Of course, because it's a mix-up, Henie is not in the wrong. She gets to hold on to the gold medal, retire from amateur competition and work as a professional without any scandal. She also gets to have her happily ever after with Ameche.
The most romantic scene with Henie and Ameche takes place inside a German Hofbräuhaus, with Ameche singing to her. In addition to this musical number, there is a number with an ensemble known as Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals; they're certainly energetic and fun to watch even if harmonica music is not your thing. Oh, and the Ritz Brothers, in their second film for 20th Century Fox, pop in and out with their comic shtick. One bit has them doing a horror boys routine.
One final note: Sonja Henie was not married when she made ONE IN A MILLION. Ironically, her first marriage in 1940 would be to future New York Yankees owner Dan Topping, who at this point, in 1937, was married to Henie's costar Arline Judge. Topping had enjoyed the limelight playing on the amateur golf circuit; but I guess he wasn't ambitious enough to forge a side career as an actor in a series of golf musicals!
Of course Menjou sees dollar signs more than he sees a chance of nurturing talent, but he does have the connections to turn Henie into a bonafide professional, which is something she might like. In the meantime, her father's been training her for the Winter Olympics, which in 1936 were held in Germany. Footage from the '36 Winter Olympics is edited in to the movie. Miss Henie had just competed at those games earlier in the year and won her third gold medal for her home country (Norway not Switzerland), before retiring from amateur competition to become a real-life professional skater.
The events of this film in some respects seem to mirror Henie's own life up to this point. For instance, there is considerable dialogue about amateur sports and professional sports. Also, her character performs at Madison Square Garden at the end of the movie, and by the time Henie had signed with 20th Century Fox, she had also developed a deal to play top venues as a touring ice show performer.
Henie would remain under contract at Fox for the next seven years, appearing in ten films for the studio- nine as the star and one in which she just made a cameo appearance. ONE IN A MILLION was her first hit for Fox; a Hollywood star was born. Her leading man Don Ameche would also team up with her for HAPPY LANDING a year later, which became her most financially successful picture. There are plenty of nice moments between Henie and Ameche, who is cast as a smooth talking newspaperman. But the best parts, obviously, are when Henie's on ice.
As for the supporting cast, Menjou and Hersholt deliver excellent performances, though Menjou's style is more comedic and exaggerated. The plot's most dramatic moment is handed over to Hersholt. This occurs later in the story when there is a mix-up, where Henie is believed to have skated professionally for Menjou, before winning an Olympic medal as an amateur. Hersholt takes the medal back to the committee to disqualify her, and he appeals to the Olympic Secretary (Montagu Love) to be compassionate and spare his daughter from any public embarrassment.
Of course, because it's a mix-up, Henie is not in the wrong. She gets to hold on to the gold medal, retire from amateur competition and work as a professional without any scandal. She also gets to have her happily ever after with Ameche.
The most romantic scene with Henie and Ameche takes place inside a German Hofbräuhaus, with Ameche singing to her. In addition to this musical number, there is a number with an ensemble known as Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals; they're certainly energetic and fun to watch even if harmonica music is not your thing. Oh, and the Ritz Brothers, in their second film for 20th Century Fox, pop in and out with their comic shtick. One bit has them doing a horror boys routine.
One final note: Sonja Henie was not married when she made ONE IN A MILLION. Ironically, her first marriage in 1940 would be to future New York Yankees owner Dan Topping, who at this point, in 1937, was married to Henie's costar Arline Judge. Topping had enjoyed the limelight playing on the amateur golf circuit; but I guess he wasn't ambitious enough to forge a side career as an actor in a series of golf musicals!