Ice-Capades (1941)

“Is that a moustache or are you wearing a squirrel?” … and that’s one of the better quips from this rather mixed up musical comedy. It centres around the cynical “Bob” (James Ellison) who was supposed to film some ice skaters, but missed the plane! Reckoning that one of those critters looks just like another, he heads to the local rink in Central Park where he encounters the versatile young “Marie” (Dorothy Lewis) whom he thinks will make perfect fodder for his film. Job done, he hopes to forget all about it but promoter “Larry” (Phil Silvers) sees the thing and reckons she has what it takes to star in his “Ice-capades” feature. A deal is duly done, but when he comes face to face with his signing, he discovers that she isn’t what he was expecting and the woman he was is on the wrong end of an issue with the US immigration authorities. With the big boss irked somewhat, he and sidekick “Pete” (Alan Mowbray) have to find a way to keep the real star in the country - and that can only be done with a few vows and a band of gold. That’s assuming she ever stays put long enough for anyone, who now also includes “Bob” as well, to actually woo her. Those are the bare bones of the plot, but they don’t really make so much impact on a film that is essentially just a vehicle for us to enjoy some amiably scored routines on the ice that marry some considerable skill, a little predicable slapstick and an impressive performance four foot off the ground on stilts! It’s probably half an hour too long and it does labour the joke a little, but there are enough redeeming scenes to make it worth watching, you'll just probably never recall it afterwards.