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Everything's on Ice
Frolics on Ice
USA 1939
produced by Sol Lesser for Principal Pictures/RKO
directed by Erle C. Kenton
starring Irene Dare, Edgar Kennedy, Roscoe Karns, Lynne Roberts (as Mary Hart), Eric Linden, George Meeker, Bobby Watson, Mary Currier, Maxine Stewart, Wade Boteler, Pierre Watkin, Larry Jackson, Kenny Williams, Paul Winchell (voice)
written by Adrian Landis, Sherman L.Lowe, music by Amedeo De Filippi, Max Terr, musical director: Lud Gluskin, ice numbers choreographed by Dave Gould
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Joe Barton (Edgar Kennedy) is a hardworking man who dreams of one day
owning his own barbershop. His unemployed brother-in-law Felix (Roscoe
Karnes) on the other hand tries to make it through life as a conman, until
he finds out that Joe's 8 year old daughter Irene (Irene Dare) is a
fantastic ice skater, and before you know it, he has her booked on an ice
skating revue in Florida, where Felix and Irene travel together with
Irene's mother and her sister Jane (Lynne Roberts).
However, before long Felix realizes that Irene's wages at the revue
don't suffice to pay for his big lifestyle and so he cables Joe for more
and more money and tries to hook up Jane, who has meanwhile fallen for the
loser Leopold (Eric Linden) with a millionaire, Gregg (George Meeker).
Eventually though, Joe travels to Florida himself to set everything
right again, and in the end, loser Leopold turns out to actually be a
millionaire while Gregg turns out to be a conman - and eventually Gregg
and Felix find each other washing dishes at the hotel they were staying at
while Jane marries Leopold, and Leopold makes sure that Joe gets the
barbershop he's always been dreaming of ...
Above all, this film is a tailormade showcase for juvenile skating
sensation Irene Dare, and taking into account that she is only 8 years
old, she's truly amazing, and her performances are nicely choreographed.
That said, if you are not into ice skating, the scenes won't do much for
you, especially since the framing romantic comedy plot of the film is
rather weak and totally predictable, with the comedy never really getting
off the ground.
Only watch it if you're into ice skating.
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