I saw this in the theater when it came out. Then I saw it this afternoon on streaming. I remember kind of liking this one as a teen, but still there was something about it that nagged at me through the years and convinced me not to go to any great trouble to see it again. Today I was reminded what that was: the characters are such unpleasant people. Yeesh. I'm glad I don't have friends or family like this.The dad has his head in the sand and will do just about anything to prevent his only child from taking a brave risk to better herself. The boyfriend is a self-centered jerk and a quitter who drops out of medical school and semi-pro hockey in the first 30 minutes of the film, and who also seems to resent Lexie's potential to succeed in life, the same potential he himself has squandered twice already. And the ice rink owner is a shrieking harpy. I don't think too many ice rink owners are Care Bear types, really, but Beulah did altogether too much screaming and cussing. (Funny thing: from seeing the film in the theater, I remembered Colleen Dewhurst as "the fat lady"... guess what? 35 years later I see she wasn't at all fat. She was a middle-aged woman. She looked... ahem... rather like I do now. "Stupid" clothes and all.) The one exception to the unpleasantness is Lexie herself; I thought Lynn-Holly Johnson played her very believably, with great exuberance while skating and credible depression after the accident. She was a joy to watch on the ice... I'm not a sports or skating fan at all, but I streamed it twice just to watch her skate. Wow. The film would have been a total zero without her.There are confusing plot issues: what about that boyfriend of Lexie's new trainer, who not only gravitates from the trainer to Lexie herself, but the trainer doesn't seem to care or even notice? And continuity issues: towards the end, see Tom Skerritt on the pond wearing boots, then skates, then boots again, while helping Lexie regain her skating ability. And as I said, just too much nastiness between the characters: okay, I get that Robbie Benson (who is in serious need of an eyebrow waxing) wants Lexie not to feel sorry for herself, but the way he screams "Shut up!" at her when she asks for help getting up is really not going to help matters any.I wouldn't have bothered with this one again if not for Lynn-Holly Johnson; she made the whole film and she was a joy to watch. If I had a flower, I'd throw it.

(Some possible spoilers ahead)My very first recollection of this movie was as a young teenager back in 1982 and although many of the comments made by others vary here, there is a moral to this movie which sends an inspiring message to anyone that has been disadvantaged by a misfortune or disability towards fulfilling an event or an achievement. It brings back many memories especially in high school where we also felt vulnerable as to how our future was going to unfold. Movies and reality rarely coincide, which is why movies will be movies and documentaries will be documentaries. I will not comment on how good or bad the acting was, or whether there were any goofs in the settings or if the sun was shining while raining etc., as I have yet to see a perfect movie in that respect. What I will say is that without giving too much away here, Lynn Holly Johnson plays the part of Lexie, a hopeful professional figure skater who becomes permanently blind in an accident during skating practice, therefore almost having her whole future destroyed in every respect and with the many hurdles that lie ahead. Her difficult childhood with lack of family support and a deceased mother give her very little hope for a better future. However, her dedication, determination and the power of the human spirit enables her to become an even better skater than she could ever dream to be. Is this possible? Well, whenever I see this movie, it reminds me of many true life examples such as Wilma Rudolph, for instance, who was crippled by Polio at an early age to eventually win 3 titles in the Rome Olympics of 1960. The skating in this movie only serves as a slogan for any other passion or profession where the theme can be equally generalized to any other vocation. Others will also see this as a love story, which is also valid as in reality the relationships of others also plays a key role towards anyone in a real life situation. Their support or lack of also adds to how one progresses in achieving towards their goal. In some ways it can also be similar to the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman" starring Richard Gere where his determination to persevere is not damaged by his superior. The soundtrack "through the eyes of love" performed by Melissa Manchester is well blended in this movie doing it much justice and makes it a very lovely piece of cinema to watch. Whenever I hear this soundtrack in my car radio it definitely reminds me of this movie and of it's inspirations. A disaster turns into a triumph, reminds us to never undermine the human spirit. (in loving memory of my late mother, Agnesina D'Alessio who was my best inspiration)

This is far from a believable story: a top ice skater losing her sight and then becoming even a better skater after becoming blind! I don't think so.However, the girl - "Alexis Winston," played by Lynn-Holly Johnson - is such a beautiful and sweet person that she alone makes the movie worth watching. Johnson was an accomplished skater in her own right, so she makes the skating scenes look realistic.The bad news was the character, "Beulah Smith," portrayed by Colleen Dewhurst, an annoying butch-like foul-mouthed woman, the opposite of Johnson. Her bad mouth prevents this from being a good family film, which it could have been. She isn't the only offender, but is, by far, the worst....and all of it was unneeded, but that's Hollywood in the 1970s for you. Familiar '70s actor Robby Benson plays Johnson's boyfriend, but he's not all that likable, either.This is mainly Johnson's film. She never really was that much of an actress, but her other qualities and talents overcame that shortcoming.

Director: Donald Wrye, Script: Donald Wrye, and Gary Baim, Cast: Robby Benson, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt, Lynn Holly-JohnsonThis is the movie every girl who was in Junior high in the late seventies will vividly remember! The story about a young skater from a small Iowa town trying to make the Olympics against all odds and the tragedy that befalls her. Although a little sappy and often clichéd, this move is still enjoyable to watch. I know it is one of my wife's favorites and she wasn't even born yet when this film came out! Colleen Dewhurst owns a small bowling alley with a skating rink in it and she coached young Lexie. Tom Skerritt played Lexie's father. They wore both excellent in their respective parts. In my opinion, they are both very underrated actors. Robby Benson did fine as Lexie's boyfriend. He has been in many movies but I am not familiar with much of his work. As for Lynn Holly-Johnson, well she certainly has talent. She is a real skater and her looks and skating ability worked for this movie. She does get a little whiny though. In the film she did the following year, The Watcher in the Woods, one can see her limitations as an actress. I see her more as a skater than an actress. However, I have not seen her in any of her later movies.I have been to the Waverly, Cedar Falls area in Iowa where this movie was filmed and it is a beautiful area. It made a great setting for this film. I especially liked the winter scenes. This movie also had a very good musical score by Marvin Hamlisch. Of course, we all remember the theme song written by Hamlish and Carol Bayer-Sager and sung by Melissa Manchester. Donald Wrye has done many made for T.V. movies. I remember a movie done by him called Born Innocent which starred Linda Blair. Her follow up film to The Exorcist. This was a very depressing and downbeat movie. One last comment I would like to make about Ice Castles is the film's content. It would have made a great family movie but their was too much swearing and the content of the relationships would not make this film appropriate for small children. I thought I might add this because this is a film young girls would like. Evidently, Lynn Holly-Johnson was asked to do a nude scene but she refused. To bad---She was kind of cute!