Fox carefully hedged their bets in their first attempt to showcase Sonja Henie by surrounding her with a fine supporting cast (although few - with the notable exception of Jean Hersholt giving a touching performance as her father - are seen to best advantage; and Ned Sparks is particularly underused) and padding out the proceedings with the egregious Ritz Brothers and Borrah Minevitch and His Harmonica Rascals (who make the Ritz Brothers look restrained).Henie, however - although her dialogue is kept to a minimum as Don Ameche conducts a very perfunctory romance of her - remains the film's most memorable component. She beams like a hamster and proves incongruously athletic when let loose on the ice, in the process revealing a shapely chassis when she performs her fast spins.

Twentieth Century Fox's "One in a Million" provides some light entertainment as well as the skating of Sonja Henie. The film has historic interest in that part of it takes place at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, though politics are never mentioned. Henie actually won the Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1936. This film was released in December 1936 and apparently was done before the 1936 Winter Olympics took place.It's a slight story - Menjou and his troupe of performers arrive to work at a Swiss hotel, but find it has been burned down. They seek shelter at a nearby inn, run by Greta (Henie) and her father (Jean Hersholt). Reporter Don Ameche arrives to get the dope on the burnt hotel, apparently destroyed by an anarchist. Instead, he becomes interested in Greta and her Olympic quest and also her father's story. He was stripped of his Olympic medal in 1908 because he supposedly had worked as a professional, though he really hadn't. Menjou winds up endangering Greta's Olympic status in his zeal of signing her for his show.There is lots of music in "One in a Million" but most of it, including the title song, isn't all that great. "Who's Afraid of Love?" is pretty, particularly when sung by Ameche, who had a lovely, light tenor voice that matched his charming film persona. Though Ameche continued to star in 20th Century Fox films and had a marvelous career, after Tyrone Power arrived, the roles that would have been intended for him went to Power, including Power's breakout role in "Lloyds of London." Menjou is a little over the top, and the Ritz Brothers I'm sure entertained the kiddie crowd with their slapstick. Arline Judge, as Menjou's wife, gives one of the best performances with her dry delivery. She had the best lines, too, so I suppose that helped. Hersholt as usual is sympathetic and wonderful.Pretty, petite Henie was a natural for film. A vibrant presence on the ice, her skating, of course, was much less athletic than one sees today. As far as speed, spins, and showmanship, she could compete today. Some of her moves are no longer done - the pirouettes, which were really lovely, and that trademark dancing on "point" like a ballerina. The jump landings are interesting - rather than getting out of the jump quickly, the style in those days was to let the front leg continue to turn the skater into several circles, and jumps were landed with the head and body pointed downward. Some turns were done with a bent back leg, which looks really strange when viewed now. But Henie in her day elevated the sport of skating and should be appreciated for what she brought to it."One in a Million" is interesting for being Henie's debut. If you fast forward through the Ritz Brothers, you'll find it a lot more palatable.

This is a truly unappealing movie. The humor is as broad as a barn. The Ritz Brothers? Well, apparently they have their fans. Count me as not one (on just this one viewing.) I had never seen Sonja Henie before tonight. Her skating is certainly good but kind of dull to watch. I guess this was her debut so no comment on her acting skills. Now, about that Olympic Games she is preparing for .... Didn't someone named Leni do a whole movie about those games? A very good movie but extremely controversial Games? Adolph Menjou could never carry a movie. He was a reliably capable performer. The same goes for Don Ameche, whose best is "Midnight." Arline Judge is amusing here. But is that a reason to sit through an hour and a half of pratfalls, corny jokes, and clichés?

"One in a Million" is a cheery, lighthearted mix of comedy, romance, songs and ice skating dances, directed by Sidney Lanfield ("Sing, Baby, Sing"). It is an admirable vehicle and showcase for the Norwegian Olympic skating champion Sonja Henie in her American debut. The film derives some aspects from Sonja's career. Sonja plays an amateur Swiss skater who is discovered by an American theatrical troupe leader (Adolphe Menjou) and almost spoils her by putting in a professional show until a charismatic reporter (Don Ameche) rescues her and convinces her into making the right decision, leading to her spectacular performance at Madison Square Garden."One in a Million" is not one of the better Fox musicals, but there are enjoyably fine moments, including some very funny comic acts by the Ritz Brothers, especially toward the end, and one memorable musical number "Who's Afraid Of Love", sung by Ameche. Good stuff.