PICTURES OF SONJA HENIE

In her next to last film for 20th Century-Fox - ICELAND 1942 - her best skating can be found in this film and IT`S A PLEASURE 1944(RKO/International)

Jack Warner, Joan Crawford, Cesar Romero & Sonja

most pictures are from the ace website http://www.sonjahenie.net/ - do visit it

Tyrone Power, Sonja Henie and their director Sidney Lanfield during the shooting of THIN ICE 1937

Trudi Hovland(Sonja) is discovered as THE GIRL ON THE NORTH in SECOND FIDDLE 1939

Tyrone Power, Sonja, Mary Healy and Rudy Vallee in SECOND FIDDLE 1939

Sidney Lanfield directs Tyrone Power and Sonja in THIN ICE 1937

With Basil Rathbone.... his wife in the back hehe

Sonja and the ill-fated Carole Landis in WINTERTIME. In 1948 Landis killed herself by sleeping pills when her torrid romance with Rex Harrison proved fruitless....

With Cesar Romeo; they co-starred in HAPPY LANDING, MY LUCKY STAR(both 1938) and WINTERTIME 1943 - her last at 20thCentury-Fox

her last Hollywood film, released by Universal-International in 1948

Thin Ice 1937

With Joan Crawford and George Reeves

Thin Ice 1937 - with Tyrone Power - they developed a sexual relationship during that film...

On the riviera with Darryl F Zanuck



Ann Blyth, Joan Crawford and Sonja in the 50s

På Landøya

Judy Garland og Sonja Henie ca 1951

SONJA

Vera Zorina, Erich Von Stroheim, Peter Lorre in I WAS AN ADVENTURESS 1940

I WAS AN ADVENTURESS 1940. March 25 2008. By Henning Sebastian Jahre.
In this - her third film - Vera is billed simply as "Zorina" ---- she was hyped to be as great as Garbo or Karloff because she was a noted ballerina on her way to be a respected filmactress...
As Tanya she holds her own against such legends as Erich Von Stroheim and Peter Lorre - two men in a partnership - that was sadly never to be repeated. Because their interplay and humour are prizeless.
Unlike Olga in THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES(as a Russian with a temperament) and Marina(the sweet sultress with brains) in LOUISIANA PURCHASE, Tanya is a jewelthief longing for security, love and artistic outlet. She meets Paul(Richard Greene who was fresh from starring with another Norwegian, Sonja Henie, in MY LUCKY STAR 1938) and does everything to flee from her other party. With the other roles mentioned above, this is Vera a her best and as with a great actress; these three roles are all played differently by Vera; but as Tanya she shows us humour, authoroty and sensitivity which results in in what we call STAR quality. It is a film and performance never to be missed. The only letdown is the ballet choreographed by her husband Balanchine.... it`s controversial in a trite way..... It`s a pity... because it is The Swan Lake....

Vera og Richard Greene has "bedhopping" 1940 i I WAS AN ADVENTURESS .... that`s the Hays office for u hehe

Balanchine trener sin kone Vera Zorina til filmen I WAS AN ADVENTURESS

Vera Zorina in her first film, THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES 1938...

Here are scenes from what many thinks is her best; I WAS AN ADVENTURESS 1940

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYFBXlEuPKY


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtYl2Smp2CU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EeIUKkNXEQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOUArXlJKSo


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVrnq-8IiN8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7oOpVLwn8k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI-HiElw_0M



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1KAseVw3zA




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CQKuhs7HDk






not written by me:


Practically born with ballet slippers on, the dark, lithe and exotic Vera Zorina had memorable careers with the Ballet Russe and, to a lesser degree, Hollywood. Born in Berlin, her father Fritz was German and mother Billie Hartwig Norwegian. She took to ballet at age 2 (she used to take them to bed with her) and by age 4 was performing. She received her education at the Lyceum for Girls in Berlin but was trained in dance by Olga Preobrajenska and Nicholas Legat, the latter teaching Anna Pavlova and Nijinsky at one time. The dancing prodigy was presented to Max Reinhardt at age 12 and he in turn cast her in his "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1929) and "Tales of Hoffman" (1931). A performance at London's Gaiety Theatre led to her entrance into the company of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1933. She was encouraged to change her stage name to something Russian and exotic in style and she chose "Vera Zorina" for its authenticity and simplicity from a long list of names. She also learned Russian in the process to feel closer to her dancing compatriots. She stayed with the renowned ballet company for three years appearing everywhere from Covent Garden in London to the Metropolitan Opersa House in New York. Again, timing proved to be on Vera's side when she won a lead role in the London company of "On Your Toes" in 1937 and was spotted by movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, who signed her to a movie contract. The build-up was considerable and she made her official debut with the musical Goldwyn Follies, The (1938). That same year she increased her visibility ten-fold by marrying noted choreographer/director George Balanchine. She followed her film debut successfully recreating her role in the movie version of On Your Toes (1939) and then played the role of a faux countess in the comedy crime caper I Was an Adventuress (1940). She impressed on Broadway with "I Married an Angel" and even more so in the 1940 musical "Louisiana Purchase" before returning to Hollywood once again to perform in the movie version of Louisiana Purchase (1941) opposite Bob Hope. She was cast as Maria in what could have been the beginning of a dramatic career in the Oscar-winning For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), but was abruptly replaced after only two weeks of shooting by Ingrid Bergman, an action that proved detrimental to her movie career. When the sudden surge of film offers began to wane after the releases of Follow the Boys (1944) with George Raft and Lover Come Back (1946) co-starring Lucille Ball and George Brent, she bade Hollywood a prompt goodbye. Following her divorce from Ballanchine in 1946, she married Goddard Lieberson, president of Columiba Records and a social whirlwind ensued. The prominent couple went on to have two sons, Peter and Jonathan. In later years her lilting accent was used for narrations (in several different languages, including English, German and French) on several records and in tandem with numerous classical symphony orchestras and opera houses. She also directed a production of "Herod" for Norwegian TV. Vera was active with the Lincoln Center as an adviser and director and for several seasons directed operas at the Santa Fe Opera Company in New Mexico. She died in Santa Fe of a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003, predeceased by her second husband and son Jonathan.

SONJA HENIE 1912-1969 - Henning Sebastian Jahre`s thoughts of reviews of her

most photos are from the http://www.sonjahenie.net/ - do make a visit:-)

One in a Million
by me

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
SONJA HENIE`S FILMDEBUT, June 27, 2000

One in a Million borrowed a lot from Sonja`s own life. For starters, Sonja`s father Wilhelm was Norway`s first World Champion ever - winning a bicycle race in the late 1890s. He didn`t have to give back his medal like Jean Hersholt`s character in the film though. The dilemma concerning professionalism in the film is also from Sonja`s life. Swedish ice-skater Vivi-Ann Hulten`s mother tried several times to diminish Sonja`s reputation and Papa Henie`s "unethical" methods. Anyway. ONE IN A MILLION is a showcase for Sonja and indeed Darryl F. Zanuck injected a lot of talent including the Ritz Brothers in order to secure the movie at the box-office. He needn`t worry. Sonja became a star of the first magnitude and was Queen at the box-office until 1939 when the skating craze had ended... It is a showfilm really, made like a music video 2 showcase its talents in the film. Not unlike THE GOLDWYN FOLLIES really...


Queen of Ice, Queen of Shadows: The Unsuspected Life of Sonja Henie

by me

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
A STUNNING BOOK, July 3, 2000

As one of the critics says; this i s indeed a pageturner... However, there are numerous faults facts in this book. Among them includes that the film IT`S A PLEASURE was a Fox film. Wrong, it was produced by International and released by RKO. Several critical comments on her films are stolen from among others Leslie Halliwell, a notable filmcritic and the ONLY bible for moviebuffs until internet movie database came along. Stories of Sonja and Tyrone are also way over the top; the talk they had in the dressingroom - how did Leif Henie and Raymond Strait get hold of t h a t? Leif was still in Norway at the time. However. There are several items that distinguish this biography; the stories by Sonja`s secretary Dorothy Stevens in particular... It is true that in creating the ice-skating star Sonja Henie, her father created a monster. But in the long run Sonja suffered from it. She was never taught to be a normal person. And indeed: She gave Norway a place in the sun and donated with her third husband Niels Onstad the Henie-Onstad ArtGallery near Oslo. U should visit it if u came to Norway. All of Sonja`s medals and trophies are in a well-guarded room and photos etc from her films are displayed in a huge basement. It must never be forgotten that she gave our nation a great deal - indeed giving the community of Bærum a home for retired people. U WILL see this reading this book that she was a trouper - a woman who was taught to fight and be competetive. And everything she tried her hands on - became lucrative.

Happy Landing 1938

reviews by me

Happy Landing (1938)
by me


0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4-star-musical, December 21, 2004

This is Sonja Henie`s most extravagant musical; she`s backed by Ethel Merman, Don Ameche and Cesar Romero. Merman steals the scenes she`s in as does "The Wooden Indians!"... The film is nothing more than a series of musical numbers and little mix-ups between the protagonists.... But IT IS done in great style and if u wanna have a musical from the 30s - do SETTLE for this... However... if u want a story in addition to musical numbers - skip it - and settle for Sonja`s other films:-)

Second Fiddle
by me


4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
DELIGHTFUL SPOOF OF GONE WITH THE WIND, July 13, 2004

This is fun indeed. Sonja is surrounded by toptalent such as Irving Berlin(but not his best score), Tyrone Power, Rudy Vallee and Edna May Oliver. Unfortunately she is not given much to do outside her numbers, but it is apparent that she was on her way to become warm in front of the cameras as an actress. Edna May Oliver stands out as a warm and cynic aunt Phoebe. Sonja`s solo on ice is terrific; u can see she is in great pain because of her heart-aches and how she`s feeling better and throws off her sorrows through her work-out on ice. That`s an actress on ice. They say that no one has ever controlled an audience on ice the way Sonja Henie did it.
Her tango was initially edited, but Sonja demanded it back as a whole and she was the only star to contradict Darryl F. Zanuck. Her temperament and clashes with Zanuck are part of Hollywood-legend. Milton Berle once declared: "I wouldn`t say she controlled - but she had the wip!" hehehe...


My Lucky Star
by me


1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1 OF HER VERY BEST, July 13, 2004

This is a real holiday confection, with an all-star cast - Sonja Henie, Richard Greene, Cesar Romero, Joan Davis and Buddy Ebsen. Roy del Ruth is at the helm and naturally delivers plenty. The musicalnumbers are out of this world and the comedy of Joan Davis hilarious and not A BIT DATED. The jet-set aura is perfect and it`s Hollywood at its most Hollywood. No wonder Sonja was Fox`s box-office queen with the young Shirley Temple.
It`s one of the very best musicals of the 30s.

Thin Ice
by me

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
SONJA EMERGES AS HOLLYWOOD STAR, July 13, 2004

After One in a Million 1936, Sonja Henie was fast becoming a Hollywood star in the front rank. In THIN ICE she is teamed with her then-boyfriend Tyrone Power and the chemistry is explosive... It`s a Cinderella-story, but given the full treatment by 20th Century-Fox - it`s almost like an MGM extravaganza :-)
The skating is good and Joan Davis as a comedy relief is a winner. As a matter of fact I can`t understand the fuzz they make about the Astaire&Rogers musicals over at RKO... I much more prefer the Sonja Henie`s at 20th Century-Fox... They are never OVERLONG and never outstays their welcome:-)
The affair with Power never ended in marriage; he was bisexual and Sonja found out... When he married French Annabella she was reportedly deeply hurt though they remained friends up until Power died of a heart-attack while filming in 1958.

SONJA HENIE in SUN VALLEY SERENADE 1941 by Henning Sebastian Jahre

THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS & DOROTHY DANDRIDGE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00giGIsauiQ

Sonja....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgmWWFUGYTQ



Sun Valley Serenade
by me


8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
SONJA`S BEST, July 13, 2004

This is remembered primarely because of the excellent music of Glenn Miller. He was to do only another film, Orchestra Wife, before being killed in a planecrash. However; by the early 40s, Sonja Henie had developed into a good comedienne and this is her best - as a dumb, simpleminded blonde. Her timing is impeccable as is her delivery of dialogue... As if that isn`t enough; the supporting cast includes great efforts by The Nicholas Brothers, Dorothy Dandrige(then married to 1 of the N. Brothers and with whom she gave birth 2 a multihandicapped daughter), Milton Berle, Lynn Bari(singing voice dubbed) and John Payne as Sonja`s loveinterest.
It`s 1 of the best musicals ever made, though Sonja`s skating in this 1 is not her best.

SONJA HENIE in ICELAND 1942 by Henning Sebastian Jahre

publicity stills


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yipEPsYc2RU




Iceland
by me


3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Sonja`s best skating, July 13, 2004

In the wake of the brilliant Sun Valley Serenade, Fox again cast Sonja with John Payne under the helm of H. Bruce Humberstone. Iceland is not as good as Sun Valley, but her skating is her best. The music is first rate, though the words hilarious(promoting the girls to let soldiers have fun with them, they might not come back hehehe). Sonja proves once again that she was a comic talent, but the stagefarce-plot is much too much at times... However; the musicalnumbers are a treat and u should always watch it for that reason alone.

SONJA HENIE i IT`S A PLEASURE 1944 - by Henning Sebastian Jahre

most photos are from the http://www.sonjahenie.net/ - do make a visit:-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6OETJBZzjs

It's a Pleasure

by me

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Sonja`s only Hollywood-film in color, July 13, 2004

This is a novelty: A musical film from 1945 that contains alcoholism, poverty and adultery. Of course it`s Sonja`s show and she carries it of beautifully, though her dramatic depth as an actress might be questioned hehehe. The photography by the great Ray Rennahan is spectacular, as are the scenic design and costumes. Marie "The Body"(as she was called) McDonald is a breathtaking witch. McDonald suffered from too many ex-husbands and eventually committed suicide by the early 60s... Sonja`s solos are the best she did on celluloid(with Iceland 1942) and her dance-scene without skates proved that she was an excellent dancer. What a pity she never was teamed with Fred Astaire; it could have been an interesting musical....