I See Ice is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Betty Stockfeld.[1] The film depicts the adventures of a photographer working for a London newspaper. It features the songs "In My Little Snapshot Album", "Noughts And Crosses" and "Mother What'll I Do Now".[2]
| I See Ice | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Anthony Kimmins |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Basil Dean |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | |
| Edited by | Ernest Aldridge |
| Music by | Ernest Irving |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Associated British |
Release date |
|
Running time | 84 mins |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThe farcical adventures of a prop man (George Formby) with a touring ice ballet. Inventing a new sort of candid camera in his spare time, and concealing it in a bow-tie, our hero gets into a mess of trouble when he takes an incriminating photo of an important man; pulls a communication cord; winds up in jail; referees a hockey match; finds himself in a stage show dressed as a cossack; woos an attractive young ice skater (Kay Walsh); and eventually wins a job on a newspaper.[2][3][4]
Cast
edit- George Formby as George Bright
- Kay Walsh as Judy Gaye
- Cyril Ritchard as Paul Martine
- Betty Stockfeld as Mrs. Hunter
- Garry Marsh as Galloway
- Frederick Burtwell as Detective
- Ernest Sefton as Outhwaite
- Gavin Gordon as Night Club Singer
- Ernest Jay as Theater Manager
- Andreas Malandrinos as Lotus Club Manager
- Gordon McLeod as Lord FeiMead
- Archibald Batty as Colonel Hunter
- Elliott Mason as Mother on Train
- Roddy McDowall (age 9) uncredited - Child on train
Critical reception
edit- Hal Erickson wrote in Allmovie that although the film is "well directed and exceptionally well cast (Kay Walsh and Cyril Ritchard appear in support), I See Ice wouldn't amount to a hill of beans without the presence of the ebullient Formby, who halts the action every once in a while for one of his unsubtly risque comic songs. Not surprisingly, the film was infinitely more popular as a "regional" than as a big-city attraction"/[5]
- Halliwell's Film Guide wrote, "fair star comedy with good production".[2]
- TV Guide wrote, " wild little comedy with Formby performing uproariously as usual."[4]
References
edit- ^ "BFI | Film & TV Database | I SEE ICE! (1938)". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "I See Ice". Georgeformby.co.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ "I See Ice! | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ a b "I See Ice Trailer". TV Guide. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ Erickson, Hal. "I See Ice (1938) –". AllMovie. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
Bibliography
edit- Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
- Perry, George. Forever Ealing. Pavilion Books, 1994.
- Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927–1939. British Film Institute, 1986.