Ice Castles (1978)

A young girl is on top of the world until a tragic accident dashes her hopes and dreams of becoming a world-class figure skater. Only with the help of those who love her can she prove to ... See full summary »

Director:

Donald Wrye

Writers:

Donald Wrye (screenplay by), Gary L. Baim (screenplay by)

Stars:

Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Benson, Colleen Dewhurst

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robby Benson	...	Nick Peterson
Lynn-Holly Johnson	...	Alexis Winston
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Beulah Smith
Tom Skerritt	...	Marcus Winston
Jennifer Warren	...	Deborah Mackland
David Huffman	...	Brian Dockett
Diane Reilly	...	Sandy
Craig T. McCullen	...	Doctor
Kelsey Ufford	...	Ceciel Monchet
Leonard Lilyholm	...	Hockey Coach
Brian Foley	...	Choreographer
Jean-Claude Bleuze	...	French Coach (as Jean Claude Bleuze)
Teresa Willmus	...	Annette Brashlout
Diana Holden	...	X-Ray Technician
Michelle McLean	...	Skater

Storyline

A young girl is on top of the world until a tragic accident dashes her hopes and dreams of becoming a world-class figure skater. Only with the help of those who love her can she prove to the world -- and herself -- that she still has the potential to realize her dreams.

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Plot Keywords:

white briefs | briefs | tights | ice castles | never give up | 

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Taglines:

When Tragedy Struck, Love Came to the Rescue.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Thirty-two years after this movie was released, a remake Ice Castles (2010) was made. It had the same director Donald Wrye.

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Goofs

Lexie competes in the sectionals, not wanting the judges or audience to know that she has lost most of her sight. However, there is no way she could credibly compete in the compulsory figures section of the competition, that portion which is a highly visual exercise of needing to be able to see the carvings in the ice.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[Nick pulls his truck up to Beulah's Star Ice Castle Lanes, or, depending on how you read the marquee sign, Beulah's Ice Castle Star Lanes]
Nick Peterson: Hey, Charlie.
Charlie: Hi, Nick.
Nick Peterson: How ya doin'?
Charlie: Beats the hell out of me. Hey, what are *you* doin' home?
Nick Peterson: Beats the hell out of me.
Charlie: Hey, Beulah, rack 'em up! Come on!
Nick Peterson: Howdy, Les.
Les: Hey! Nick, what the hell are *you* doin' here?
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits appear to be in black-and-white, but if you look carefully, you can see the pink face and yellow hair of Lynn-Holly Johnson as she is skating.

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Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode #8.71 (2009)

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Soundtracks

A Fifth of Beethoven
Composed and Performed by Walter Murphy
Based on Ludwig van Beethoven's (as Beethoven's) Fifth Symphony
Courtesy of RFT Music Publishing Corp. and Private Stock Records, Ltd.

User Reviews

Depressing Yet Good

I am not going to lie, this film is utterly depressing. The dreary atmosphere and the sad love story come together and make our tears flow. Simple story concerning a young girl who vows to become a professional ice skater, the boy she loves, and the tragedy that follows. Good performances from Skerritt and Dewhurst as usual, average from Benson and the rest of the cast. The finale is a real tearjerker, featuring the wonderful Melissa Manchester song. Though the film is somewhat predictable and extremely corny, it is still a good little film made with good intentions. 7/10

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ice Castles

Filming Locations:

White Bear Lake in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$20,710,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

International Cinemedia Center

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1