Iceland

Director: H. Bruce Humberstone H. Bruce Humberstone

Overview

When the US marines land in Iceland during WW2, camp lothario John Payne wastes no time scoping out the local female population. He makes a casual pass at skating champ Sonja Henie, only to discover that she has taken his attentions as a marriage proposal! Unable to weasel out of his situation thanks to the rigidity of Icelandic customs, Payne conspires with his buddy Jack Oakie to discourage Henie from making any further wedding plans. By the film's 70-minute mark, of course, our hero is madly in love with our heroine and wants to skate down the aisle with her. Curiously, given the fact that there is plenty of natural ice in Iceland, most of Sonja Henie's musical numbers take place in a lavish Reykjavik nightclub. The tuneful Harry Warren-Mack Gordon musical score includes the popular "There Will Never Be Another You."

Product Details

Release Date:	12/17/2013
UPC:	0024543921776
Original Release:	1942
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Sales rank:	27,680

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Sonja Henie	Katina Jonsdottir
John Payne	Capt. James Murfin
Felix Bressart	Papa Jonsdottir
Jack Oakie	Slip
Osa Massen	Helga
Fritz Feld	Tegnar
Sterling Holloway	Svensson
Joan Merrill	Adele
Adeline De Walt Reynolds	Grandma
Ludwig Stossel	Valtyr's Father
Louis Adlon	Valtyr
Ilka Gruning	Aunt Sophie
Eugene Turner	Skating Partner
James Flavin	Sergeant
William Haade	Sentry
James Bush	Master Sergeant
Carol Curtis Brown	Canteen Girl
Sammy Kaye & Orchestra	Themselves
Duke Adlon	Valtyr
Sammy Kaye	With His Orchestra
Harry Warren	Composer
Mack Gordon	Composer

Technical Credits

Helen Logan

Robert Ellis

H. Bruce Humberstone	Director
Helen Logan	Screenwriter
William Le Baron	Producer
Robert Ellis	Screenwriter
Roger Heman	Sound/Sound Designer
Eugene Grossman	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

A typically thin Sonja Henie outing, Iceland is not the best of the skating star's vehicles, but it will serve her fans very well. Clearly, in a Henie movie, the skating is the main attraction, and here Iceland is tops. While modern skaters perform feats that are more dazzling, Heni's skill as a skater is every bit as impressive as today's best. What makes Henie a pleasure to watch, however, isn't just her skill; it's her charm and personality when she's on the ice. Curiously, that same charm and personality don't translate as easily to her dramatic and comedic scenes; she's fine, but when she speaks, she simply loses some of her unique, winning quality. Iceland therefore keeps the skating front and center at every opportunity, and supplements that with the 'swinging, swaying" music of then-popular band leader Sammy Kaye. The tunes are good, the playing is diverting; but when the script takes over, the film falls into dullness. John Payne is on hand for romantic complications, fine but not as engaging as one might wish. Jack Oakie provides comic relief, and Felix Bressart and Sterling Holloway turn in fine character bits. Throw in some beautiful costumes and the result is an uneven but ultimately pleasant film.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler