​​​​​​​Susan Evans Grove

Elva La Tregue and Georgette Deville star in this drama about a young woman who competes against her step sister for the Olympic gold medal. Penned by Robert Appling and directed by Val Visitor Mitsumoutn Studios capitalized on the missed 1940 and 1944 Olympics by having their own ice skating competition.

The film chronicles American Estelle Peppe (La Treque) and Jacqueline Lacarriere (DeVille) as they  intensely train and compete for the figure skating gold.. Halfway through the film it is revealed that the two actually have the same father and are in fact step sisters who share a bond of childhood summers spent together. Applingis surely referencing the relationship between the two countries during the current global stage as well as the role the French played in American independence. In the end Jacqueline helps Estelle perfect her triple axel which leads her to the Gold medal. While she only went home with the silver Jacqueline has earned her father’s respect.

While the feel good chemistry between the sisters is in the script it is not on the screen. The animosity and competition between the two young actresses cannot be contained with clever dialogue. The rivalry between La Treque and DeVille lasted a lifetime and informed the decisions each made in their careers.

Despite the obvious tension (or perhaps because of it) the film was Mitsumounts highest grossing film of the year and convinced the studio to move La Treque’s career to a more adult track handing her melodramatic roles that launched her to be the go to femme fatale for many many film noirs. De Ville’s success in the role led her to have RKO buy out her contract where she had an equally successful but less sinister career and eventually become a camp legend.