"ABC Afterschool Specials" The Skating Rink (1975)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Larry Elikann

Writers:

Mildred Lee (novel)
Bob Rodgers (writer)

TV Series:

"ABC Afterschool Specials" (1972)

Original Air Date:

5 February 1975 (Season 3, Episode 5)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

Plot:

Teenager with a stuttering problem overcomes his shyness to become a championship figure skater. |

Plot Keywords:

Stuttering | Ice Skating | After School Special | Based On Novel | Acronym In Title

Cast

Stewart Petersen	...	Tucker 'Tuck' Holland Faraday
Devon Ericson	...	Lilly Degley
Betty Beaird	...	Ida Faraday
Rance Howard	...	Myron Faraday
Jerry Dexter	...	Pete Degley
Cindy Eilbacher	...	Elva Grimes (as Cynthia Eilbacher)
Billy Bowles	...	Tom
Robert Clotworthy	...	Clete
Tara Talboy	...	Karen Faraday
Molly Dodd	...	Mrs. Bayliss
Patricia Stevens	...	Tuck's Mother
Sparky Marcus	...	Young Tuck

Runtime:

45 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Martin Tahse Productions

What! An ice rink with no hockey?

This is a cute little film about a stuttering farm boy with few friends who becomes a figure skater. Very moralistic but nice wholesome entertainment.

I have to admit I am biased in this case because I am a figure skater (not too good) and I also play hockey (not too good either).

The acting was mediocre, but not bad. Jerry Dexter who plays Pete Degley was rather good...and he skates fairly well also. The stuttering boy, Tucker (played by Stewart Peterson) could have used some improvement...and he obviously couldn't skate very well! Lilly Degley (Devon Ericson) was attractive skated decently and she's appeared quite a few times since, mostly in TV shows. Even with the somewhat lukewarm acting, the story moved well and is totally suitable for all ages. For a low-budget TV production it's a very good family film.

The setting is obviously in the southern U.S. because of the accents and the tone of the musical score. You also get a sense that maybe the story took place in the 40's or so although this is not at all firmly established.

In 1975 when this film was made, hockey had not really become the main attraction of ice rinks yet (hockey skates didn't yet have any ankle support either). Nowadays, very few boys are interested in figure skating so this film will probably not appeal to males. (From a selfish standpoint I am ecstatic over this situation as male figure skaters have an unlimited supply of girls to skate with.)

This film is in my 16mm collection and has begun to fade to red slightly making a decent cinematographic analysis invalid. Sound is mono only.

I've never seen this film on video or DVD, but if you get a chance to watch or record it, it would make a nice addition to a family film collection. I rated this 7 out of 10. It was good, but could have been a lot better with a little extra work.