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It's a Pleasure (film)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox film
| name = It's a Pleasure!
| image = S NPG 80 61 Henie.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = William A. Seiter
| producer = David Lewis
| writer = Lynn Starling
Elliot Paul
| narrator =
| starring = Sonja Henie
Michael O'Shea
| cinematography = Ray Rennahan
| editing = Ernest J. Nims
| studio = International Pictures
| distributor = RKO Radio Pictures
| released =
| runtime = 90 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
}}
'It's a Pleasure!' is a 1945 American Technicolor Comedy-drama musical film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Sonja Henie, Michael O'Shea and Marie McDonald.It's a Pleasure
Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 12, Iss. 133, (Jan 1, 1945): 74.
Plot
Don Martin's career in ice hockey screeches to a halt when he punches a referee. Banned from the sport for life, he is consoled by Chris Linden, a lovely skater who performs for the crowd during the hockey games' intermissions.
Chris has a crush on Don and introduces him to Buzz Fletcher, who runs an ice-skating revue. Don joins the show as a performer and marries Chris, but has a drinking problem. Buzz's bored wife Gail develops a romantic interest in Don and is furious when he resists. She gets him drunk and ruins his opportunity to perform a solo in the show.
Complications arise and result in Chris leaving her husband and going away for two years on tour with the show. Gail's guilty conscience gets the better of her and she reunites Chris and Don in the end.
Cast
*Sonja Henie as Chris Linden
*Michael O'Shea as Don Martin
*Marie McDonald as Gail Fletcher
*Bill Johnson as Buzz 'Buzzard' Fletcher
*Gus Schilling as Bill Evans
*Iris Adrian as Wilma
*Cheryl Walker as Loni
*Peggy O'Neill as Cricket
*Arthur Loft as Jack Weimar
*David Janssen as Davey / boy referee (uncredited)
Production
Sonja Henie had made nine pictures for 20th Century Fox ending with 'Wintertime'. In December 1943 she signed a contract to make a movie for the newly formed International Pictures which was run by William Goetz who had been head of production at Fox briefly while Henie worked there.SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: Henie Signs With International New York Times ]13 Dec 1943: 19. The film was to be part of International's initial slate of four pictures costing $5 million being distributed by RKO, the others being 'Casanova Brown', 'Belle of the Yukon' and 'Once Off Guard'.INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION TO THE HOLLYWOOD FORE: New Units Manifest a Trend -- George Jessel Poised to Leap -- Other News
By FRED STANLEYHOLLYWOOD. New York Times 20 Feb 1944: X3.
Bill Johnson had been in 'Something for the Boys' and was borrowed from MGM; it was his screen debut.SCREEN NEWS: Joan Fontaine to Be Star of 'Affairs of Susan'
Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. 21 July 1944: 16.
International leased two ice skating rinks, at Westwood Ice Garden and the Polar Palace in Hollywood. Filming started August 1, 1944.WESTERNS RIDE AGAIN: GLEANINGS FROM THE CINEMA CAPITAL New York Times ]23 July 1944: X1.
Michael O'Shea was cast in August 1944, borrowed from Hunt Stromberg.SCREEN NEWS New York Times 4 Aug 1944: 10. In late August Hedda Hopper announced that Henie was refusing to talk to producer David Lewis and was only talking to designed Don Loper.Looking at Hollywood
Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 31 Aug 1944: 19.
In November 1944 International announced they would make a second film with Henie, 'The Countess of Monte Cristo'.SCREEN NEWS: Lynn Bari Gets Role in Rickenbacker Film
Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. 14 Nov 1944: 27. It was not made for several years later, at Universal International.
Reception
The 'New York Times' called it a "flaccid fable."THE SCREEN IN REVIEW New York Times 4 May 1945: 23. '
References
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