Enjoyed this great Classic Film starring Sonja Henie, (Nora) who was a very famous Norwegian Ice-Skating Champion and gave an outstanding performance in this film with dancing and very exciting tricks on the ice which was her world. Jack Oakie,(Skip Hutton) gave a great supporting role and put plenty of humor to this film. Carole Landis, (Flossie Fouchere), "I Wake Up Screaming" was very attractive and had the hots for Cesar Romero, (Brad Barton) who in real life had a very torrid affair with Cesar before she met Rex Harrison. S. Z. Sakall, ( Hjalmar Ostgaard) was a veteran actor who was a great character actor who entertained many people in the 1930's and 1940's. Cornel Wilde, (Freddy Austin) was in love with Nora and they had problems but love is very strong and controls all relationships. Enjoyed the great music of Woody Herman, a great clarinet player and his orchestra which performed great sing and dance numbers. Please, don't miss viewing this film, it is wonderful.
12 Reviews
Many components dazzle, a few flounder
TheLittleSongbird30 November 2016
Not one of the best films starring the always watchable Sonja Henie, but also not among the worst either. If anything somewhere in the middle, being a decent film but lacking in a few areas that stop it from being even better.
Henie truly dazzles in her ice skating routines, with the energetic and graceful choreography it is an absolute pleasure watching her. She charms as an actress too. SZ Sakall is amusing, while Carole Landis is hilarious and Cesar Romero bags the best lines and overall material. 'Wintertime' boasts a light-hearted and often very funny script, if sometimes a little heavy on the clichés.
It's beautifully filmed in black and white and the sets and costumes are suitably lavish. The music is very pleasant, with inspired use of Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" and "Later Tonight" coming off best of the songs, and works well within the film and on its own very well.
On the other hand, the story is silly, as thin as ice and sometimes lacks momentum and charm. Two performances also don't come off. Jack Oakie (who has been much better and funnier before) overdoes it, with his blustering coming across as obnoxious, while Cornel Wilde has nothing to do and it shows in his bland and charmless performance and nondescript chemistry with the rest of the cast.
To conclude, dazzles in many components while also floundering in a few. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Henie truly dazzles in her ice skating routines, with the energetic and graceful choreography it is an absolute pleasure watching her. She charms as an actress too. SZ Sakall is amusing, while Carole Landis is hilarious and Cesar Romero bags the best lines and overall material. 'Wintertime' boasts a light-hearted and often very funny script, if sometimes a little heavy on the clichés.
It's beautifully filmed in black and white and the sets and costumes are suitably lavish. The music is very pleasant, with inspired use of Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" and "Later Tonight" coming off best of the songs, and works well within the film and on its own very well.
On the other hand, the story is silly, as thin as ice and sometimes lacks momentum and charm. Two performances also don't come off. Jack Oakie (who has been much better and funnier before) overdoes it, with his blustering coming across as obnoxious, while Cornel Wilde has nothing to do and it shows in his bland and charmless performance and nondescript chemistry with the rest of the cast.
To conclude, dazzles in many components while also floundering in a few. 6/10 Bethany Cox
Château Promenade
AAdaSC17 May 2016
Norwegian ice skater Sonia Henie (Nora) arrives in Canada with her wealthy uncle S.Z. Sakall expecting to stay in a luxury hotel. However, promoter Jack Oakie (Skip) has booked them into a failing hotel run by Cornel Wilde (Freddy). Resident entertainers Cesar Romero (Brad) and Carole Landis (Flossie) are there in the mix as well along with Woody Herman's band. Cue singing and skating
We have the bad – Jack Oakie and S.Z. Sakall – set against the good – the songs and Romero, Landis and Henie. Romero wins the comedy prize – he is very funny and quite athletic with a talent for singing and dancing. The film started poorly with overbearing Jack Oakie blustering away in his unfunny manner to insipid Cornel Wilde. Then the film gets a massive boost with a great song by Romero and Landis before we slip into some nonsense with unfunny S.Z. Sakall. As the film progresses and Romero takes centre stage, things get enjoyable. Henie also gets some funny moments as well as her skating segments.
We have the bad – Jack Oakie and S.Z. Sakall – set against the good – the songs and Romero, Landis and Henie. Romero wins the comedy prize – he is very funny and quite athletic with a talent for singing and dancing. The film started poorly with overbearing Jack Oakie blustering away in his unfunny manner to insipid Cornel Wilde. Then the film gets a massive boost with a great song by Romero and Landis before we slip into some nonsense with unfunny S.Z. Sakall. As the film progresses and Romero takes centre stage, things get enjoyable. Henie also gets some funny moments as well as her skating segments.
almost unbearable
blanche-25 January 2017
"Wintertime" from 1943 was, I believe, the last film Sonja Henie made for Darryl F. Zanuck. To me, it was pretty poor with the exception of Sonja's fabulous skating. It's loud, a little slap-sticky, and the funny parts aren't all that funny.
The film also stars Jack Oakie, S.Z. Sakall, Cornell Wilde, Carole Landis, and Cesar Romero.
The story is sketchy and really just an excuse for the musical numbers, of which there are many. Nora (Henie) and her uncle (S.Z. Sakall) are in Canada to be part of a quota so they can immigrate to the U.S. They spend the night in a hotel in Canada which has seen better days.
Nora develops a crush on the owner (Wilde) and talks her uncle into investing into the hotel. However, with his funds being frozen in Norway due to the war, the investment has put Nora's uncle in financial trouble now. Also, Nora starts to think her romance is one-sided when reporter Landis appears.
Sonja was a first in many aspects of figure skating, and even today with more athletic moves, her talent can be appreciated. She was fast and had beautiful spins, as well a big personality. She was the first figure skater to wear the short skirt costume, the first to wear white boots, the first to make use of dance choreography, and she invented many skating techniques -- all things that remain in place today in the sport. She also made ice shows and figure skating popular.
For the above reasons, seeing a Sonja Henie movie is always a treat. In this case, do yourself a favor and fast forward through the rest of it.
The film also stars Jack Oakie, S.Z. Sakall, Cornell Wilde, Carole Landis, and Cesar Romero.
The story is sketchy and really just an excuse for the musical numbers, of which there are many. Nora (Henie) and her uncle (S.Z. Sakall) are in Canada to be part of a quota so they can immigrate to the U.S. They spend the night in a hotel in Canada which has seen better days.
Nora develops a crush on the owner (Wilde) and talks her uncle into investing into the hotel. However, with his funds being frozen in Norway due to the war, the investment has put Nora's uncle in financial trouble now. Also, Nora starts to think her romance is one-sided when reporter Landis appears.
Sonja was a first in many aspects of figure skating, and even today with more athletic moves, her talent can be appreciated. She was fast and had beautiful spins, as well a big personality. She was the first figure skater to wear the short skirt costume, the first to wear white boots, the first to make use of dance choreography, and she invented many skating techniques -- all things that remain in place today in the sport. She also made ice shows and figure skating popular.
For the above reasons, seeing a Sonja Henie movie is always a treat. In this case, do yourself a favor and fast forward through the rest of it.
Woody Herman
davjazzer12 December 2016
This film features a generous sampling of Woody Herman's 1943 Band. This was just before the famous Herd with Red Norvo,Sonny Berman,Chubby Jackson,Margie Hyams,Dave Tough et.al. Prominent in this Band are trumpeter-vocalist Billie Rogers,who would soon start her own Band,the great tenor man Vido Musso,trumpeter Chuck Petersen and drummer Frankie Carlsen. Woody gets to sing some songs including the title tune and we see a glimpse of his girl singer,Carolyn Grey in the "Dancing in the Dawn" number.The film itself is pretty weak and with Sonja in the lead,comparisons to "Sun Valley Serenade" are inevitable. All in all,a nice showcase for a Herman band in transition.
Once More On The Ice For Sonja
Ron Oliver5 August 2002
An eccentric Norwegian millionaire & his ice skating niece attempt to make a WINTERTIME success of Quebec's Chateau Promenade.
Sonja Henie was Norway's ice queen when she won Olympic gold medals for skating in 1928, 1932 & 1936. After going professional, she began a celebrated movie career at 20th Century Fox in 1936 with her American film debut, ONE IN A MILLION. Beautiful & talented, as well as being a natural in front of the cameras, she carved out her own special niche during Hollywood's Golden Age. Although Miss Henie's ice routines may look antiquated by comparison to modern champions, there was nothing antique about her dazzling smile or sparkling personality. In this regard, some of today's snowflake princesses could still learn a great deal from her.
As her career progressed, it became increasingly difficult for 20th Century Fox to find decent stories for Miss Henie and the excuses for the lavish ice dancing numbers were often implausible. No matter. Audiences did not flock to her films to watch Sonja recite Shakespeare. The movies were meant to be pure escapist fantasy, plain & simple.
WINTERTIME is no exception and its story is often quite ludicrous. However, the skating episodes are pleasing and there is a generous amount of band music supplied by the Woody Herman Orchestra.
Cornel Wilde, far down the cast list & still two years away from major stardom, plays Sonja's love interest, but he's not given much to do. As the Chateau's promoter, Jack Oakie comes across as loud & rather annoying; however cuddly S. Z. Sakall is very amusing as Sonja's harried uncle. Cesar Romero, doing quite well as a big band singer, once again gets to showoff his considerable flair for comedy. (Mr. Romero & Miss Henie make a dynamite dancing duo.)
Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Dick Elliott as an enraged husband chasing Romero.
Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides effortlessly into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of silver, suspended over frozen water.
Sonja Henie was Norway's ice queen when she won Olympic gold medals for skating in 1928, 1932 & 1936. After going professional, she began a celebrated movie career at 20th Century Fox in 1936 with her American film debut, ONE IN A MILLION. Beautiful & talented, as well as being a natural in front of the cameras, she carved out her own special niche during Hollywood's Golden Age. Although Miss Henie's ice routines may look antiquated by comparison to modern champions, there was nothing antique about her dazzling smile or sparkling personality. In this regard, some of today's snowflake princesses could still learn a great deal from her.
As her career progressed, it became increasingly difficult for 20th Century Fox to find decent stories for Miss Henie and the excuses for the lavish ice dancing numbers were often implausible. No matter. Audiences did not flock to her films to watch Sonja recite Shakespeare. The movies were meant to be pure escapist fantasy, plain & simple.
WINTERTIME is no exception and its story is often quite ludicrous. However, the skating episodes are pleasing and there is a generous amount of band music supplied by the Woody Herman Orchestra.
Cornel Wilde, far down the cast list & still two years away from major stardom, plays Sonja's love interest, but he's not given much to do. As the Chateau's promoter, Jack Oakie comes across as loud & rather annoying; however cuddly S. Z. Sakall is very amusing as Sonja's harried uncle. Cesar Romero, doing quite well as a big band singer, once again gets to showoff his considerable flair for comedy. (Mr. Romero & Miss Henie make a dynamite dancing duo.)
Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Dick Elliott as an enraged husband chasing Romero.
Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides effortlessly into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of silver, suspended over frozen water.
Fantasy meeting somber reality in a strange way
richard-178711 December 2016
Musical movies in the 1930s and 40s were generally a string of musical numbers linked together by enough dialogue to fill out 90 minutes. The major studios usually made at least an effort to provide a plot that was not embarrassing and that more or less made the musical numbers fit.
Twentieth Century Fox didn't bother here. Henie gets some nice skating numbers, but the plot, such as it is, is pretty lame.
It hits a surprising low when it tries to motivate Henie's efforts to enter the U.S. by using the German invasion of Norway. That was very serious business, of course, and a real tragedy. It seems very strange to see it used here, almost completely unmourned, as an excuse for a plot twist.
The secondary roles here are well played, especially by Cesar Romero, who was very talented. But the only real interest here is Henie's skating. The rest is pretty much a waste of time.
Twentieth Century Fox didn't bother here. Henie gets some nice skating numbers, but the plot, such as it is, is pretty lame.
It hits a surprising low when it tries to motivate Henie's efforts to enter the U.S. by using the German invasion of Norway. That was very serious business, of course, and a real tragedy. It seems very strange to see it used here, almost completely unmourned, as an excuse for a plot twist.
The secondary roles here are well played, especially by Cesar Romero, who was very talented. But the only real interest here is Henie's skating. The rest is pretty much a waste of time.
Insignificant plot, some great skating, and even more zany comedy!
mark.waltz21 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
There isn't so much a storyline as there is a situation. Romantic issues occur at a winter resort in Canada with the arrival of its new prominent guests, portly S.Z. Sakall and his sweet niece, skater Sonia Henie. There's tons of deception but little in the way of plot development, filled with some brittle acid comedy and a long-lasting farcial sequence involving Cesar Romero stuck out in the snow in his long johns and his attempts to find clothes when he gets back into the inn. The laughs are plentiful as long as this sequence goes on, but other than a scene with one of the women involved in the minimal plot goes ballistic, telling off Romero while traipsing through the lobby of the crowded inn. Pretty inconsequential, "Wintertime" is pretty to look at but shabby otherwise, with the Canadian setting being spoofed with an ice skating version of "Indian Love Call" ("Rose Marie" on ice I refer to it...) and a lavish finale where Henie (a star only when skating) gets to show off her stuff. Jack Oakie is the top billed male star, but it's really Cesar Romero who gets the best material. A young Cornel Wilde is also amongst the cast. Henie's earlier films at least had more than a shell of a plot, so this one seems very rushed together in order to wrap up her seven year 20th Century Fox contract.
Fun Movie With A Great Cast
HarleanHayworth3 December 2013
This is such a fun little movie - I'm thrilled Fox is finally putting it on DVD! Sonja Henie is the star so of course there's plenty of amazing ice-skating numbers but the real treat here is the supporting cast. Cesar Romero and Carole Landis are hilarious as a bickering couple and their musical duet of "I Like It Here" is one of the highlights. I'm a huge Carole Landis fan and it's always a treat to see her doing comedy and she has great chemistry with Cesar Romero. The costumes are beautiful too especially the gowns Carole wears and the Sonja's skating costumes. Cornel Wilde and Jack Oakie also give great supporting performances. Although it was made as a b-movie Wintertime is a really good romantic comedy with some fun musical numbers and a wonderful cast!
Entertaining mix of Sonja's skating, band music and especially comedy.
weezeralfalfa25 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Soon after publishing this review, Fox finally came out with a DVD release of this superior Sonja Henie-starring film, which they show periodically on their movie channel. I wasn't expecting too much, but rate it up there close to "Sun Valley Serenade", which combined Sonja with the Glenn Miller band and is one of my favorite musicals from the '40s. The two films have different strengths, In SVS, Sonja engineered most of the comedy and romance. Skiing, as well as ice skating, was a prominent part of the story. Singing and orchestration were more prominent, although the present film does feature Woody Herman's band at times. Her romantic relationship with John Payne's character is much more fun than the rather unconvincing and uninteresting relationship with Cornel Wilde's character in the present film. On the other hand, comedy engineered by the male supporting players in the present film is far superior to that offered by Milton Berle and is the chief reason you might want to watch this film. Cesar Romero does his best to imitate Charlie Chaplin's style of comedy, while veteran Jack Oakie gives one of his best non-musical performances, with his mostly verbally oriented comedy. (Yes, I know some viewers consider him more irritating than funny). With his plump stocky build, he will probably remind you of a blend of Oliver Hardy and Jackie Gleason, contrasting with Cesar's suave tall trim physique and ideal Latin matinée idol looks. We have yet a third charismatic comedian in S.Z. 'Cuddles' Sakal: that portly irascible white-haired elderly gentleman of many a musical and other films of the '40s and '50s, with the thick European accent and fractured English. Actually, Cornel Wilde; the pretty boy hunk leading man Sonja falls for, also began life in Hungary, but emigrated to the US as a boy, thus leaving no discernible trace of his native speech.
As I said, Cornel, as Freddie, part owner of a decrepit , once glorious, isolated hotel in Quebec, comes across as a colorless pretty boy for Sonja, thus garners an incredibly low 6th spot in the credits pecking order. Cesar(as Brad) would seem a much more exciting prospect for Sonja. In fact, she agrees to marry this US citizen so that she can legally enter the US and make a fortune in ice skating shows. However, in the Fox formula for its musicals, Cesar never ends up with the leading lady. Hence, Jack Oakie, as Skip, Freddie's hotel partner, learns of this secret scheme and foils their escape from the hotel by stealing all of Cesar's clothes and personal effects while he's in the shower, resulting in a series of hilarious episodes by Cesar. Cesar's antics surpass those in the previous "Weekend in Havana", in which he is caught between Carmen Miranda and Alice Faye.
You see, Sonja and uncle Hjalmar(Sakal) came to Quebec so she could participate in the winter sports games. Hjalmar is a rich Norwegian and is railroaded into investing money in this hotel to hopefully restore it to its heyday condition. Now, he has lots of bills , but learns that the Nazis have recently taken over Norway and frozen his bank accounts. Hence, the need for a speedy way for Sonja to get into the US to make money to save the hotel from bankruptcy. Sonja has competition in the romance department from Helene Reynolds, as sports magazine reporter Marion Daly. Carole Landis, as Flossie, is also mixed in the romance merry go round as someone Cesar is hiding from("Where is tall, dark, and elusive?"). Of course, the finale suggests that she ends up with Cesar and Sonja with Cornel, by stealth.
Most of Sonja's ice skating performances are bunched in the middle of the film, with interludes mostly involving Herman's band, sited next to the skating pond. The first is done to "Indian Love Call" music, another to Tchaikovsky's familiar "Waltz of the Flowers". Her final performance is at the end of the film, done to the theme song "Wintertime". The new songs were composed by the veteran Nacio Herb Brown, and lyrics by the veteran Leo Robin. Brown did his best work in the late '20s and '30s for MGM. Much of the best was later collected in the mega-hit "Singing in the Rain"
Sonja doesn't come across as cuddly as in SVS. She seems more like a wide-eyed schemer in this one. Reportedly, she privately was not that nice a person. ..This was not the first Sonja film for Cesar nor Jack, though they had not been cast together. Poor Carol Landis, who spent so much time entertaining the GIs in person during WWII, would decide in a few years that her frustrating romantic relationships, inability to bare a child, downward-turning film career, and various chronic health problems warranted her exiting from her life at age 29.
Would be nice if Fox collected all, or most, of Sonja's films they did, and release them as a DVD collection.
As I said, Cornel, as Freddie, part owner of a decrepit , once glorious, isolated hotel in Quebec, comes across as a colorless pretty boy for Sonja, thus garners an incredibly low 6th spot in the credits pecking order. Cesar(as Brad) would seem a much more exciting prospect for Sonja. In fact, she agrees to marry this US citizen so that she can legally enter the US and make a fortune in ice skating shows. However, in the Fox formula for its musicals, Cesar never ends up with the leading lady. Hence, Jack Oakie, as Skip, Freddie's hotel partner, learns of this secret scheme and foils their escape from the hotel by stealing all of Cesar's clothes and personal effects while he's in the shower, resulting in a series of hilarious episodes by Cesar. Cesar's antics surpass those in the previous "Weekend in Havana", in which he is caught between Carmen Miranda and Alice Faye.
You see, Sonja and uncle Hjalmar(Sakal) came to Quebec so she could participate in the winter sports games. Hjalmar is a rich Norwegian and is railroaded into investing money in this hotel to hopefully restore it to its heyday condition. Now, he has lots of bills , but learns that the Nazis have recently taken over Norway and frozen his bank accounts. Hence, the need for a speedy way for Sonja to get into the US to make money to save the hotel from bankruptcy. Sonja has competition in the romance department from Helene Reynolds, as sports magazine reporter Marion Daly. Carole Landis, as Flossie, is also mixed in the romance merry go round as someone Cesar is hiding from("Where is tall, dark, and elusive?"). Of course, the finale suggests that she ends up with Cesar and Sonja with Cornel, by stealth.
Most of Sonja's ice skating performances are bunched in the middle of the film, with interludes mostly involving Herman's band, sited next to the skating pond. The first is done to "Indian Love Call" music, another to Tchaikovsky's familiar "Waltz of the Flowers". Her final performance is at the end of the film, done to the theme song "Wintertime". The new songs were composed by the veteran Nacio Herb Brown, and lyrics by the veteran Leo Robin. Brown did his best work in the late '20s and '30s for MGM. Much of the best was later collected in the mega-hit "Singing in the Rain"
Sonja doesn't come across as cuddly as in SVS. She seems more like a wide-eyed schemer in this one. Reportedly, she privately was not that nice a person. ..This was not the first Sonja film for Cesar nor Jack, though they had not been cast together. Poor Carol Landis, who spent so much time entertaining the GIs in person during WWII, would decide in a few years that her frustrating romantic relationships, inability to bare a child, downward-turning film career, and various chronic health problems warranted her exiting from her life at age 29.
Would be nice if Fox collected all, or most, of Sonja's films they did, and release them as a DVD collection.
10/10
debutoftheseason13 November 2021
Nora and her uncle spend the night in a run-down Canadian hotel. After Nora falls in love with the handsome owner, she persuades her uncle to invest in the inn and modernize it. After the hotel opens, Nora's uncle faces financial bankruptcy and her romance stumbles in the form of a pretty reporter.
Wintertime marked Sonja Henie's final film for 20th Century-Fox
tavm22 September 2018
As the last of Sonja Henie's movies for 20th Century-Fox, Wintertime was a very entertaining way to go out for her, that's for sure! As always, her skating talents are front and center but there's also a nonsense slapstick plot that hits on all corners especially with a supporting cast that includes S. Z. (Cuddles) Sakall, Carole Landis, and welcome returning players Jack Oakie and Cesar Romero. The leading man is Cornel Wilde who wasn't established at this point in his career and doesn't get to make too much of an impression compared to previous men cast opposite Ms. Henie. Much of the musical entertainment is provided by Woody Herman and His Orchestra with fine vocals from both Ms. Landis and Romero in a few of their numbers. So on that note, Wintertime is highly recommended for any Sonja Henie fans out there.
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