IMDb > One in a Million (1936)

One in a Million (1936) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   91 votes
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Director:
Sidney Lanfield
Writers:
Leonard Praskins (story) and
Mark Kelly (story) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for One in a Million on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 January 1937 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Musical | Romance more
Plot:
American theatrical manager (Menjou) discovers Henie preparing for the Olympics in Switzerland and brings her to Madison Square Garden. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. more
User Comments:
one in a million...well, not really more (8 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Sonja Henie ... Greta 'Gretchen' Muller

Adolphe Menjou ... Thaddeus 'Tad' Spencer

Don Ameche ... Robert 'Bob' Harris (reporter for 'Paris Herald')
Ned Sparks ... Daniel 'Danny' Simpson (photographer)
Jean Hersholt ... Herr Heirich Muller (hotel proprietor and Greta's father)
The Ritz Brothers ... The Ritz Brothers
Al Ritz ... Al, one of the Ritz Brothers (as The Ritz Brothers)
Harry Ritz ... Harry, one of the Ritz Brothers (as The Ritz Brothers)
Jimmy Ritz ... Jimmy, one of the Ritz Brothers (as The Ritz Brothers)
Arline Judge ... Billie Spencer
Borrah Minevitch ... Adolphe (as Borrah Minevitch and His Rascals)
Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals ... Harmonica Ensemble (as Borrah Minevitch and His Rascals)
Dixie Dunbar ... Goldie (girl in band)
Leah Ray ... Leah (singer in band)
Shirley Deane ... Girl in band
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
95 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)
Certification:
Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #2850)
Company:
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Film debut of Sonja Henie. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Take It or Leave It (1944) more
Soundtrack:
The Moonlit Waltz more

FAQ

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User Comments

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful.
one in a million...well, not really, 22 April 2006
6/10
Author: blanche-2 from United States

Twentieth Century Fox's "One in a Million" provides some light entertainment as well as the skating of Sonja Henie. The film has historic interest in that part of it takes place at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, though politics are never mentioned. Henie actually won the Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1936. This film was released in December 1936 and apparently was done before the 1936 Winter Olympics took place.

It's a slight story - Menjou and his troupe of performers arrive to work at a Swiss hotel, but find it has been burned down. They seek shelter at a nearby inn, run by Greta (Henie) and her father (Jean Hersholt). Reporter Don Ameche arrives to get the dope on the burnt hotel, apparently destroyed by an anarchist. Instead, he becomes interested in Greta and her Olympic quest and also her father's story. He was stripped of his Olympic medal in 1908 because he supposedly had worked as a professional, though he really hadn't. Menjou winds up endangering Greta's Olympic status in his zeal of signing her for his show.

There is lots of music in "One in a Million" but most of it, including the title song, isn't all that great. "Who's Afraid of Love?" is pretty, particularly when sung by Ameche, who had a lovely, light tenor voice that matched his charming film persona. Though Ameche continued to star in 20th Century Fox films and had a marvelous career, after Tyrone Power arrived, the roles that would have been intended for him went to Power, including Power's breakout role in "Lloyds of London." Menjou is a little over the top, and the Ritz Brothers I'm sure entertained the kiddie crowd with their slapstick. Arline Judge, as Menjou's wife, gives one of the best performances with her dry delivery. She had the best lines, too, so I suppose that helped. Hersholt as usual is sympathetic and wonderful.

Pretty, petite Henie was a natural for film. A vibrant presence on the ice, her skating, of course, was much less athletic than one sees today. As far as speed, spins, and showmanship, she could compete today. Some of her moves are no longer done - the pirouettes, which were really lovely, and that trademark dancing on "point" like a ballerina. The jump landings are interesting - rather than getting out of the jump quickly, the style in those days was to let the front leg continue to turn the skater into several circles, and jumps were landed with the head and body pointed downward. Some turns were done with a bent back leg, which looks really strange when viewed now. But Henie in her day elevated the sport of skating and should be appreciated for what she brought to it.

"One in a Million" is interesting for being Henie's debut. If you fast forward through the Ritz Brothers, you'll find it a lot more palatable.

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