Watch Sun Valley Serenade For Free

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Too much of everything

Don't listen to the negative reviews

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

What's not to like about any film that has a good dose of big band music? "Sun Valley Serenade" has Glenn Miller and his orchestra with a fine cast, wonderful scenery, superb skiing and filming and an unusual, far-fetched but good plot. The film is only one of three in which Glenn Miller's band appears, and the only one of two in which he has much of a role. But the band plays half a dozen tunes, including a smashing rendition with repeats of "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Of course, we see and hear the Glenn Miller signature tunes, "Moonlight Serenade" and "In the Mood."Besides Miller and his orchestra, Tex Beneke and The Modernaires sing, Dorothy Dandridge sings, and the Nicholas Brothers have a fine song and dance routine. The last of the show entertainment comes from Sonja Henie on the ice. She does a skating routine that is spectacular with a perfect reflection off the ice. The ice is covered with a paper- thin sheet of water that doesn't ripple, splash or appear to be water. Only in a couple of instances is it even noticeable. The plot for this musical comedy and romance revolves around Henie, who arrives at Ellis Island as a refugee from Norway. She plays Karen Benson, whom Miller band member and composer Ted Scott is sponsoring as a refugee. John Payne plays Scott, who assumes he will be getting a little girl. He shows up with Glenn Miller and the whole band to meet their immigrant, and are they surprised. The band has been trying to see a music promoter to get a gig somewhere. They continue to be put off by the promoter's secretary. When a singer, Vivian Dawn (played by Lynn Bari) has a dispute with a band that is playing for her recording, Tess Scott comes to her defense. She agrees to let Phil Corey's band play for the recording and that lands them a gig playing in Sun Valley. Vivian has yes for Ted, and he for her. But before heading for the hills, Ted has to deposit his refugee with his aunt in New England. The band takes off on the train for Sun Valley. Only their manager, Nifty Allen (played by Milton Berle) has smuggled Karen on board. He has eyes for her, but she has eyes for her sponsor, Ted. Amidst the snow, scenery, music, and fun at Sun Valley, Karen plies her wiles to win Ted's affection away from Vivian. Vivian cooperates by her moodiness, impatience and nasty behavior with the band and just about everyone. We all know where this is leading and how it will end. But the fun is in enjoying the music and entertainment as it unfolds. Besides all this, we see some spectacular skiing scenes. "Sun Valley Serenade" was one of a dozen movies Sonja Henie made in Hollywood. All were successful at the box office and Henie was much liked by the public. Her films weren't especially great movies, but all were good. This is the best of the lot. When she came to the U.S., Henie had been a three-time gold medal winner in single figure skating at the Winter Olympics of 1928, 1932 and 1936. She was world figure skating champion 10 consecutive years, from 1929 to 1936. And, she was European champion seven straight years. No one has equaled her Olympic, world or combined titles in her sport since. When this film was made, Sun Valley was just five years old and was the premier ski resort in North America. It's attraction for winter sports was similar to the draw of Hawaii for beach and ocean vacations. Union Pacific Railroad chairman W Averell Harriman, was the mover and shaker who built the Sun Valley resort and community adjacent to Ketchum, Idaho. Here's a favorite line from the film. Glenn Miller's Phil Corey is talking with Milton Berle's Nifty Allen. Lynn Bari's Vivian Dawn is obviously perturbed. She has been waiting for the band to begin rehearsals while John Payne's Ted Scott is off skiing with Sonja Henie's Karen Benson. Phil Corey say, "Boy is she burning." Nifty Allen replies, "What do ya mean, burning? You could ski right down the ice on her back."This is a wonderful, entertaining film that the whole family should enjoy. Even if some don't care for swing music or the excellent sound of the big bands.

You can have all the glamour and pastels of the MGM musical - for sheer fun, give me the Fox musicals, especially this one, Sun Valley Serenade, starring John Payne, Sonja Henie, Glenn Miller, Lynn Bari and Milton Berle. For publicity, Nifty Allen (Berle), a band publicist, arranges for the band to adopt a refugee. When the refugee shows, she's a grown woman named Karen Benson (Henie) who immediately falls for her guardian, the bandleader, Ted (Payne). She connives her way into the train that's taking the band to Sun Valley, where she quickly gets in between Ted and the band's singer, Vivian Dawn (Lynn Bari) whose claws come out in full force."Sun Valley Serenade" is filled with skiing, Glenn Miller music, and Henje's fabulous skating. By 1941, Henje was starring in her own ice show, and her skating in this film looks less dated technically than it does in earlier films. And there's no one today who can come close to her spin sequences. I can't remember how it was done, but she skates on mirrored glass, and it looks great. This was an ideal role for Sonja - she gets to smile, skate and does not have to do anything too dramatic. Payne does well and sings pleasantly as her leading man.One outstanding musical feature, "Chattanooga Choo-Choo," a Miller standard, is performed first by Tex Beneke and the Miller singers and then - brilliantly - by Dorothy Dandrige and the Nicholas Brothers. This alone makes the film worth watching.Delightful.

There were nice characters in here, played by pleasant-looking actors and actresses, plus it had a famous band and some famous dancers.....yet the film just didn't work. By the time this was almost over, I was bored to death. The dialog was dumb, the humor (mainly Milton Berle's) was downright stupid and the music was just not up my alley.I've never been a big-band fan, anyway, and if I hear "In The Mood" one more time I'll puke.This was my first look at famous skater-actor Sonja Henie and I have no complaints about her. Almost part of the problem, at least with the humor, is that it's so dated it isn't funny anymore. Berle, Phil Silvers, Bob Hope, Red Skeleton, Abbot & Costello, etc. etc. were hilarious to the crowds in the 40s and 50s but humor changes, and what was funny back then is not today.

Caught this one on AMC before it went commercial. What a warm, family film. While I have never seen another Sonje Henie movie, I found her to be irresistible. It was also great to see John Payne playing the light comedic leading man. Of course, the music of Glenn Miller would be the highlight of any movie. The version of I Know Why (and So Do You) contained in the film is quite different from the versions you hear on Glenn Miller compilations and in my opinion is much better. (This version is also the one used in the 90's film Memphis Belle). Add great skating sequences, musical interludes, and wonderful locations and you have a fun-filled way to spend an afternoon.