Sun Valley Serenade

Sun Valley Serenade


20th Century-Fox, 1941, B/W, 86 minutes, ****

Released August, 1941


John Payne volunteers to sponsor a Norwegian war refugee as a publicity stunt for his band. Envisioning a toddler, he's quite taken aback when the refugee turns out to be beautiful Karen Benson (Sonja Henie). Karen immediately sets her sites on making Payne her husband, but he's busy chasing Lynn Bari. Probably Henie's best film (though maybe not her best role), featuring Milton Berle, Joan Davis and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.



Musical highlights include "It Happened in Sun Valley" (sung by Pat Friday dubbing for Lynn Bari), "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with vocals by Tex Beneke and Paula Kelly and The Modernaires, including a great tag-on finale (so it could be chopped for Southern tastes) charmingly performed by Dorothy Dandridge with the Nicholas Brothers. Additional highlights include a fantastic arrangement of "In the Mood" and a cute rendition of "The Kiss Polka," danced in part by Henie and Payne.



Definitely the best film Sonja Henie was in, but more because of the music than anything else -- it's definitely not one of her better skating vehicles. This was one of only two films featuring Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (the other being Orchestra Wives). "Chattanooga Choo Choo" was written for this film and is now one of the best-remembered songs from the Big Band era. The song really gets a wonderful treatment in this film with almost the entire cast contributing. Sonja gets only two skating numbers - a very short solo number early on, and a strangely tacked-on production number at the end of the film.



The story is nothing special - the old love-triangle bit, but it's fun here because John Payne and Sonja Henie make it fun. Milton Berle holds up his end with plenty of wisecracks and one-liners. The threesome basically carry the story alone. Lynn Bari plays her usual "other woman" character and Joan Davis makes a very short appearance (must have been a walk-on). But overall it's a must-see, mostly for the fantastic musical numbers. One of the musical greats from the Golden Years!



Produced by: Milton Sperling

Directed by: H. Bruce Humberstone

Screen Play by: Robert Ellis and Helen Logan

Story by: Art Arthur and Robert Harari

Lyrics and Music: Mack Gordon and Harry Warren

Musical Direction: Emil Newman

Dances Staged by: Hermes Pan

Technical Director of Skiing Sequences: Otto Lang

Art Direction: Richard Day, Lewis Creber

Set Decorations: Thomas Little

Costumes: Travis Banton

Ski Clothes: F. A. Picard

Sound: Alfred Bruzlin, Roger Heman

Director of Photography: Edward Cronjager

Film Editor: James B. Clark



Awards: Academy Award nominations for Best Black-and-White Cinematography (Edward Cronjager), Best Score - Musical (Emil Newman) and Best Song ("Chattanooga Choo Choo")



Cast: Sonja Henie [Karen Benson], John Payne [Ted Scott], Glenn Miller [Phil Corey], Milton Berle [Nifty Allen], Lynn Bari [Vivian Dawn], Joan Davis [Miss Carstairs], Nicholas Brothers [Specialty], William Davidson [Murray], Dorothy Dandridge [Specialty], Almira Sessions [Nurse], Mel Ruick [Band Leader], Ralph Dunn [Customs Officer], Chester Clute [Process Serve], Additional Cast: Forbes Murray [Headwaiter], Edward Earle [Man], Eddie Kane [Man], Lynne Roberts [Receptionist], Ann Doran [Waitress], Spec O'Donnell [Western Union Boy], Bruce Edwards [Ski Instructor], John "Skins" Miller [Sleigh Driver], Fred "Snowflake" Toones [Porter], Ernie Alexander [Boy], Sheila Ryan [Telephone Operator], William Forrest [Husband], Dora Clement [Wife], Herbert Gunn [Ski Patrol Man], Kenneth Alexander [Ski Patrol Man], Harrison Thompson [Sonja's Skating Partner], The Modernaires [Themselves], Paula Kelly [Vocalist], Ray Eberle [Vocalist], Tex Beneke [Vocalist], The Glenn Miller Orchestra [Themselves], Pat Friday [Vivian Dawn's Vocals] (some sources indicate Lorraine Elliott)



Musical Program: [0:00] Overture: The Kiss Polka / Chattanooga Choo Choo (played by Orchestra behind titles); [0:02] It Happened in Sun Valley (sung by Pat Friday dubbing for Lynn Bari); [0:04] Moonlight Serenade (instrumental arrangement played by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra); [0:05] I Know Why (And So Do You) (sung by Pat Friday dubbing for Lynn Bari, John Payne and Paula Kelly & The Modernaires with the Glenn Miller Orchestra); [0:15] The Farmer in the Dell (played by Glenn Miller on toy instruments when meeting Sonja Henie at the train station); [0:20] In the Mood (instrumental arrangement played by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Tex Beneke and Al Klink on tenor sax and trumpet solo by Billy May); [0:32] It Happened in Sun Valley (sung by Glenn Miller, Milton Berle, Sonja Henie, The Modernaires and Chorus); [0:48] Chattanooga Choo Choo (played by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with vocals by Tex Beneke, Paula Kelly and The Modernaires; sung and danced by Dorothy Dandridge and the Nicholas Brothers -- one of the greatest numbers ever filmed!); [1:00] The Kiss Polka (sung by Chorus, danced by John Payne and Sonja Henie -- cute number!); [1:14] I Know Why (And So Do You) (sung and danced by Sonja Henie and John Payne); [1:18] I Know Why (And So Do You) / The Kiss Polka (instrumental arrangement played by Orchestra with Choral vocal, skated by Sonja Henie with Harrison Thompson and Chorus); [1:25] It Happened in Sun Valley (short reprisal by Chorus at end of film)