Lake Placid Serenade (1944)

Director:

Steve Sekely

Writers:

Frederick Kohner (story)
Dick Irving Hyland (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 December 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Romance

Tagline:

Glittering with gay musical scenes! Glistening with brilliant spectacles! Gleaming with romantic gaiety! (original poster)

Plot:

On a peaceful, pre-war winter in Czechoslovakia, the genial godfather, Jaroslav Haschek, of Vera Hascheck...

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Ballet | Contract | Czechoslovakia | Prince Charming

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Vera Ralston	...	Vera Haschek (as Vera Hruba Ralston)
Eugene Pallette	...	Carl Cermak
Barbara Jo Allen	...	Countess (as Vera Vague)
Robert Livingston	...	Paul Jordan
Stephanie Bachelor	...	Irene Cermak
Walter Catlett	...	Carlton Webb
Lloyd Corrigan	...	Jaroslaw 'Papa' Haschek
Ruth Terry	...	Susan Cermak
William Frawley	...	Jiggers
John Litel	...	Walter Benda
Ludwig Stössel	...	Mayor of Lany
Andrew Tombes	...	Skating Club Head
Ray Noble	...	Himself (as Ray Noble and His Orchestra)
Harry Owens	...	Harry Owens (as Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians)
Twinkle Watts	...	Twinkle Watts

Also Known As:

Winter Serenade (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

85 min | USA:60 min (1953 re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #10420) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Company:

Republic Pictures

Soundtrack:

Unknown Song

Country girl makes good in new country

...or Cinderella goes abroad to meet Prince Charming. But, first, on a peaceful winter in Czechoslonakia, the genial godfather, Jaroslav Haschek (Lloyd Corrigan), of Vera Hascheck (Vera Hruba Ralston), presents the young girl with her first pair of ice skates. Soon, she astonished the warm-hearted people of her village with her skill, and she is acclaimed a marvel-on-ice.

She wins the ice-skating championship of her country and is invited to skate at the fabulous Lake Placid Carnival in the United States. Vera receives an offer of a contract from eager showman, Carlton Webb (Walter Catlett), and his press agent Jiggers (William Fraley) - but she turns them down. The financial back for the two men is a wealthy, gabby, man-chasing woman called "Countess" (Barbara Joe Allen as Vera Vague.) Vera is a sensation at Lake Placid when she learns of Nazi Germany's move on Czechoslovakia, and she immediately attempts to abandon her career and rejoin her people. The trip can not be arranged and, alone in a strange country, she seeks an uncle, Carl Cermack (Eugene Palette), who has become a prosperous American citizen.

The uncle welcomes her to his sumptuous Lond Island home, where he lives with his spoiled débutante daughters Irene (Stephanie Bachelor) and Susan (Ruth Terry.) Vera learns that the two sisters are fighting it out over the same man, Paul Jordan (Robert Livingston), Cermack's junior partner, who isn't overwhelmed by either sister.

Vera invites her uncle and cousins to join her at Lake Placid, where she is to appear in the dazzling New Year's Eve ballet. She is named "Queen" of the ballet, and Roy Rogers (Roy Rogers), a visiting cowboy star is named "King." (This was the period where Republic was pushing Rogers as The King of the Cowboys, and was missing no bets to increase his audience. Trigger was there, also, but didn't get crowned anything) Paul begins to pick up interest in Vera, and she agrees to sign a contract with Webb, provided she can use an assumed name in his shows. Jiggers suggests they call her "Cinderella," because shoe has lost one of her famous skates. When Vera opens at Madison Square Garden, Jiggers plants the story that she refuses to appear until her skate is returned. Aware that Paul has kept her skate as a souvenir, Cermack telephones his partner in Texas. On the night of the opening, Webb and Jiggers are driven to desperation, since Vera has taken their publicity gag in earnest and refuses to go on unless her skate is returned. None of the phony "Prince Charmings" Jiggers has hired has the right skate, of course. The weary Vera doesn't even look at the last applicant - but the skate is hers. She stares down and recognizes her godfather, Jaroslav, who has been brought to American by her uncle. He explains that her skate was given to him by a young man. He beckons into the crowd and Paul emerges. Vera finds herself in the arms of her own Prince Charming.

(Shortly after this film, Vera Hruba Ralston, became what Time Magazine liked to call...a great and good friend and companion...of Republic Pictures Corporation president Herbert J. Yates---you had to know how to read between the lines in those days.) A few years later, after Yates divorced his wife, Vera Hbura Ralston became Mrs. Herbert J. Yates.)