Second Fiddle (1939)

Second Fiddle Poster

Studio publicist discovers Minnesota skating teacher and takes her to Hollywood. She goes back to Minnesota but he follows her.

Intro to "Second Fiddle"
"Second Fiddle" is a 1939 American romantic comedy movie directed by Sidney Lanfield and starring Sonja Henie and Tyrone Power. With a script inspired by a story entitled "They Met in Hollywood" by George Bradshaw, the film skillfully integrates elements of romance, funny, and the behind-the-scenes functions of Hollywood moviemaking into a wonderful plan that showcases Henie's significant ice-skating skill along with Power's charming screen presence.

Plot Overview
The movie's narrative focuses on Trudi Hovland (played by Sonja Henie), a Minnesota teacher and amateur ice skater who becomes an overnight celeb. She is found by Hollywood skill scout and publicist, Bob Reynolds (played by Tyrone Power), when her image glancing admiringly at a cutout of a well-known film star goes viral. Bob sees possible in Trudi not just for publicity however likewise as a new movie sensation.

Bob convinces her to come to Hollywood, where he shapes her into a film star, with the concept to cast her alongside the exact same celebrity she appreciated in poster type, Roger Maxwell (Rudy Vallee). The studio plans to orchestrate a fake love in between Trudi and Roger for promotion. However, as Bob coaches Trudi for fame and the staged relationship, he finds himself really succumbing to her, making complex the studio's marketing plot.

On the other hand, Roger, who is initially unaware of the plan, is actually set on weding his true sweetheart, starlet Jenny Stewart (Loretta Young). When he discovers the studio's prepare for the promotion stunt, he accompanies it to benefit his profession, triggering a love triangle (or quadrangle if one includes Jenny) laden with comic misconceptions and envious shenanigans.

The Romance and Comedy
Comedic conflicts take place as Trudi and Bob browse their shared professional goals and blossoming individual feelings. Bob's professional behavior is tested as jealousy and love cloud his judgment. Regardless of the made circumstance, Trudi's natural charm and innocence endear her to everybody, making it hard for Bob to maintain a strictly company relationship.

The motion picture likewise pokes fun at Hollywood's star-making machinery and its fondness for synthetic love, spoofing the movie market's manipulation of both its stars and the general public. With a light-hearted and playful technique, "Second Fiddle" offers an entertaining take a look at the sometimes absurd nature of fame.

Ice Skating Spectacles
True to Sonja Henie's heritage as an Olympic figure skater, "Second Fiddle" features excellent ice-skating series that act as both a display for Henie's abilities and pivotal moments in the movie's narrative. The skating sequences are grandly staged and include a distinct measurement to the film, blending Henie's athletic prowess with the glamour of Hollywood production to develop genuinely attractive set pieces.

Conclusion
"Second Fiddle" culminates in a resolution as timeless as any of its age, with the characters eventually discovering their way through the maze of produced drama to find real love and happiness. The film served as another car to promote Sonja Henie as a Hollywood screen icon and Tyrone Power as a leading male of his generation.

With its blend of humor, love, and on-ice theatrics, "Second Fiddle" remains an intriguing example of late 1930s movie theater, capturing the general public's fascination with both the magic of motion pictures and the appeal of ice skating. In spite of its duration trappings, the film's commentary on celebrity culture and its wry look behind the cam's lens offer it a timeless appeal, allowing viewers to both laugh and swoon over the on-screen shenanigans of its protagonist.

Top Cast

  • Sonja Henie (small)
    Sonja Henie
    Trudi Hovland
  • Tyrone Power (small)
    Tyrone Power
    Jimmy Sutton
  • Rudy Vallee (small)
    Rudy Vallee
    Roger Maxwell
  • Edna May Oliver (small)
    Edna May Oliver
    Aunt Phoebe
  • Mary Healy (small)
    Mary Healy
    Jean Varick
  • Lyle Talbot (small)
    Lyle Talbot
    Willie Hogger
  • Alan Dinehart (small)
    Alan Dinehart
    George Whitney
  • Minna Gombell (small)
    Minna Gombell
    Jenny
  • Stewart Reburn
    Trudi's Skating Partner
  • Spencer Charters (small)
    Spencer Charters
    Joe Clayton
  • Charles Brokaw (small)
    Charles Brokaw
    Assistant Director