Five Reasons to See... Wintertime (1943)

When Norwegian millionaire Hjalmar Ostgaard (S.Z. Sakall) and his niece Nora (Sonja Henie), an amateur skating champion, arrive in Canada to wait for their quota numbers in order to emigrate to the United States*, they are tricked into staying at the shabby Chateau Promenade by its desperate owner, Skip Hutton (Jack Oakie). Skip and his partner, Freddy Austin (Cornel Wilde), have just one more day to convince their creditors to keep the hotel open and Skip believes that Ostgaard is just the man to help them.

Freddy quickly admits to Nora what Skip's idea is, but rather than be upset, she is charmed by the hotel (and Freddy) and the three of them scheme to convince her uncle to invest in the Chateau Promenade. It works, but trouble immediately appears when Nora and Freddy are kept apart by Marian Daly (Helene Reynolds), a flirty photographer for an influential winter sports magazine whose publicity would help the hotel. On top of that, the Ostgaards' millions are cut off when Germany invades Norway, setting in motion further financial and romantic complications.

To me, there is nothing cozier than a good Sonja Henie film. Sun Valley Serenade, which I wrote about here, is my absolute favorite of her movies -- and really one of my favorite movies ever -- but another gem is 1943's Wintertime. I can't deny that it has its issues, such as the thin plot and the boring coupling of Nora and Freddy. However! There are so many things about this film that make it as charming as it is. Below are my five reasons why you should grab a mug of hot chocolate, cuddle up with a fluffy blanket, and check out Wintertime:

The supporting cast

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Wintertime is that it really lets its supporting cast shine. Without a doubt, Henie is the star, but her leading man, Cornel Wilde, is oddly pushed to the side -- as evidenced by his name being billed sixth -- which ultimately hurts his and Henie's romantic storyline. What little time they do spend together doesn't have enough spark to prove their characters' love for one another, which weakens the tension and jealousy that are supposed to motivate their actions for the majority of the film.

To me, the actual leading man of Wintertime is Cesar Romero. As Brad Barton, the conceited singer who works at the Chateau Promenade, Romero is a joy to behold. If it weren't for Henie's ice-skating spectacles, he would easily steal the whole show. Every scene with him is a comedic delight, and it all culminates in a nearly ten-minute-long setpiece where Brad is forced to hide around the hotel in his long underwear after his clothes are stolen. It is so ridiculous and so fun.

A smooth-talking, hilariously egocentric man, Brad decides to chase after wealthy Nora, despite his equally ambitious and clever girlfriend, Flossie, played by a sublime Carole Landis. Honestly, after watching the way Landis and Romero played off of one another, I think we deserved a sequel that focused on the antics of Flossie and Brad.

Rounding out the supporting players are S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, one of my favorites, and Jack Oakie. I probably groan at Oakie's cheesy joke-a-minute persona more than I laugh at it, but I think Wintertime knows how to use him and he doesn't end up overstaying his welcome.

The music

Although there weren't any big standards that came out of this film, it still has plenty of bouncy, pleasant numbers, thanks to the lyrics and music of Leo Robin and Nacio Herb Brown and the fantastic big band stylings of Woody Herman (pictured above) and his orchestra. A great, albeit short, example of the music is "I Like It Here," a tune that is performed by the shivering, miserable duo of Flossie and Brad as they take in the Chateau Promenade's dismal state and ironically sing about the warmth and sunniness of their surroundings.

The aesthetics

While there are brief moments where director John Brahm is trying a bit too hard to be artistic, Glen MacWilliams and Joseph MacDonald's cinematography is both subtle and dramatic. There are few things in life as gorgeous as an exceptionally lit black-and-white film, and it can be so unexpected when that film is just a simple musical comedy like Wintertime. (Sadly, my DVD stopped cooperating before I could get all of the screenshots I wanted. So now you definitely have to watch the film to see what I'm talking about!)

Aside from a quick scene at a train station platform and a finale that happens in New York, the entire film stays at the Chateau Promenade. While the action is set in the snowy countryside of Canada, the hotel's architecture feels more European, specifically Scandinavian, which is fitting considering that the Ostgaards and Henie are Norwegian. This also infuses the sets with a fairy tale quality; I often find myself thinking of the dwarves' cottage in Disney's Snow White while watching this film, actually. The set is a sprawling one, complete with a dining room, a cavernous lobby, and, of course, an outdoor ice-skating rink. (Again, my DVD prevented me from getting all the images I wanted of the hotel set.)

The fashion

Speaking of aesthetics, the women's clothes here are divine. Landis wears some wonderful pieces, but it is Henie's wardrobe that I enjoy the most. Comprised of an elegantly shimmering gown, adorable ski jumpsuits, a lovely feathered dress that Ginger Rogers would be proud of, terrific skating costumes, and more, Henie is the film's true clotheshorse.

Sonja Henie!

Ice-skating queen Sonja Henie is like a ball of sunshine when she is on the screen. A record-setting Olympian and world champion, Henie etched out a special place for herself in cinematic history that I can't help but admire. Although she wasn't an actress with a capital A, the camera loved her and it is impossible not to feel bewitched when the blades of her skates glide her through wintery dreamscapes like these:

Wintertime is a great showcase for Henie in that it allows her to illustrate a lot of what she could do in a short amount of time. (The film is only 82 minutes!) In addition to the skating, she has a brief dramatic moment when she somberly learns about the German invasion of Norway, and she absolutely cracks me up when Nora is talking to Flossie about a hypothetical fight with Freddy. She works herself into such a frenzy that she actually slaps him, much to his confusion.

Another Henie highlight is her dance routine with Romero. To be honest, I'm not sure how proficient the actress was as a dancer, but for me, this scene with Romero is enchanting. The lifts! The jumps! The feathered dress! I love it all.

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This is my meager contribution to the O Canada Blogathon, hosted by Speakeasy and Silver Screenings. For the other entries celebrating Canadian talent, Canada-set films like Wintertime, and actual Canadian productions, go here.

*Originally determined by legislation in 1921, the quota system limited, by nationality, the number of immigrants who may enter the U.S. each year.