imported>GreenC bot: Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#tcm.com

2025-04-12T02:58:44Z

Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#tcm.com

New page

{{Short description|1960 film by Vincent Sherman}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ice Palace
| image = Ice Palace 1960.jpg
| caption =
| director = [[Vincent Sherman]]
| writer = [[Harry Kleiner]]
| based_on = {{Based on|''Ice Palace''|[[Edna Ferber]]}}
| producer = [[Henry Blanke]] and Harry Kleiner
| starring = [[Richard Burton]]<br />[[Robert Ryan]]<br />[[Carolyn Jones]]<br />[[Martha Hyer]] <br /> [[Jim Backus]]
| narrator =
| cinematography = [[Joseph F. Biroc]]
| editing = [[William H. Ziegler]]
| music = [[Max Steiner]]
| studio = [[Warner Bros.]]
| distributor = Warner Bros.
| released = {{Film date|1960|1|2|United States}}
| runtime = 143 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $3.5 million<ref name="new">FOCUS ON THE FORTY-NINTH STATE By BILL BECKERJUNEAU New York Times 27 Sep 1959: X7.</ref>
| gross = $1,650,000 (US/ Canada)<ref>"Rental Potentials of 1960", ''Variety'', 4 January 1961 p 47. Please note figures are rentals as opposed to total gross.</ref>
}}

'''''Ice Palace''''' is a 1960 [[Technicolor]] [[historical fiction|historical]] [[drama (genre)|drama]] [[adventure film]] directed by [[Vincent Sherman]] and adapted from a novel of 1958 written by [[Edna Ferber]]. The film stars [[Richard Burton]], [[Robert Ryan]], [[Carolyn Jones]] and [[Martha Hyer]]. It dramatizes the debate over [[Alaska statehood]]. [[Alaska]] had become a state in 1959.

==Plot==

The film tells the story of Zeb Kennedy and Thor Storm, Alaska settlers in the period following World War I. Kennedy works his way up through the Alaskan fish cannery business, befriending Wang, a Chinese worker, and Storm, an idealistic fishing boat captain. Kennedy and Storm begin to plan a cannery together in the Alaskan town of Baranof, when Kennedy falls for Bridie Ballantyne, Storm's fiancée. The feeling is reciprocated, but Kennedy chooses money over love, marrying Seattle heiress Dorothy Wendt. When Storm discovers his disappointed fiancée's infidelity, he punches out Kennedy and flees into the wilderness on a dog sled.

Kennedy launches a packing company in Baranof, hiring Wang as well as his old friend, Dave Husack. His feelings for Ballantyne, now abandoned by her fiancé, are no secret to his wife. The Kennedys give birth to a daughter, Grace. Storm returns to Baranof with an infant son, Christopher, born to an Eskimo wife who died after labor. Over the following years, Storm comes to resent Kennedy for his cannery's use of salmon traps, which are depleting the salmon population and putting fishermen out of business. Meanwhile, their children, Christopher and Grace, begin a romance. Kennedy tells Storm to keep his "half-breed kid" away from his daughter. Storm, drawing on the support of fishermen and Alaska natives, becomes a candidate for the [[Alaska Territory|Alaska Territorial Legislature]] on a platform advocating statehood and opposing the excesses of business mogul "Czar" Kennedy. Christopher and Grace elope to live among Christopher's maternal relations in the village of Anavak. Grace's mother, Dorothy Kennedy dies.

Grace becomes pregnant and the young couple decides to make a journey to Baranof so that the child is born there. They set off by dog sled, but Grace begins labor en route and Christopher is waylaid by a bear and killed. Grace's father, Zeb, along with Thor and "Aunt" Bridie, intercept and shoot the bear. Grace gives birth to a baby girl, Christine, before she dies. Christine grows up between the houses of Ballantyne and her feuding grandfathers, Kennedy and Storm. Kennedy grooms Dave Husack's son, Bay, to be his champion in the territorial legislature. He encourages the young lawyer to marry Christine for political advantage. Ballantyne discovers and exposes the plot, and the engagement is broken.

Storm flies to Juneau, but is forced by a snowstorm to make a crash landing on a glacier. Ballantyne prevails on Kennedy to make a risky flight to save Storm and his pilot, an Eskimo named Ross Guildenstern. Storm survives, and his speeches before Congress are decisive in winning approval for Alaska's statehood. Victorious, Storm gives a conciliatory radio address, thanking erstwhile statehood opponent Kennedy.

==Cast==
* [[Richard Burton]] as Zeb Kennedy
* [[Robert Ryan]] as Thor Storm
* [[Carolyn Jones]] as Bridie Ballantyne
* [[Martha Hyer]] as Dorothy Wendt Kennedy
* [[Jim Backus]] as Dave Husack
* [[Ray Danton]] as Bay Husack
* [[Diane McBain]] as Christine Storm
* [[Karl Swenson]] as Scotty Ballantyne
* [[Shirley Knight]] as Grace Kennedy
* [[Barry Kelley]] as Einer Wendt
* [[Sheridan Comerate]] as Ross Guildenstern
* [[George Takei]] as Wang
* Steve Harris as Christopher Storm

==Production==
===Original Novel===
''Ice Palace'' was Edna Ferber's first novel in five years. Ferber spent four years researching and writing it, beginning the project in 1954. She visited Alaska several times over the following years, often with the assistance of [[Ernest Gruening]]. The character of Kennedy was based on [[Austin Lathrop]]; the Bridie Ballantyne was based on [[Eva McGown]]. The Ice Palace itself was a composite of actual buildings in Alaska. Baranof, the novel’s main fictional setting, was based on the Alaskan town of [[Fairbanks, Alaska|Fairbanks]].<ref name="edna">{{citation|url=http://www.newsminer.com/edna-ferber-s-ice-palace-played-a-role-in-alaska/article_b8d24ff8-7a72-58a7-a5f6-365b91249bff.html|title= Edna Ferber's 'Ice Palace' played a role in Alaska statehood|first=Ross|last=Coen|website=Fairbanks Daily News-Miner|date= June 4, 2011}}</ref>

Ferber later said she felt as though she finished the novel "a month too early" because of her ill health. She had suffered a car accident and a recurrence of neuralgia and decided to send it for publication instead of doing another draft.<ref name="edna"/> "I felt if I didn't finish the book I would never be able to write again," she later said.<ref>As I Was Saying--: Edna Ferber Keeps on Writing Despite Painful Illness at 70
Chase, Ilka. Chicago Daily Tribune 10 Aug 1958: e1.</ref>

The novel was published in March 1958.<ref>Books and Authors New York Times 3 Jan 1958: 21.</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' said it was "not one of her better works".<ref>Latest Ferber Tale Not One of Best Warren, Geoffrey M. Los Angeles Times 6 Apr 1958: E6.</ref> However it became a best seller, and is thought to have contributed to Alaska [[Alaska Statehood Act|becoming a state in 1959]].<ref>BEST SELLERS Los Angeles Times 4 May 1958: E7.</ref><ref name="edna"/>

===Development===
In December 1957, Warner Bros bought the film rights to the novel for $350,000 plus 15% of the profits.<ref name="gilbert 137">
Edna Ferber and Her Circle, a Biography
Julie Goldsmith Gilbert
Hal Leonard Corporation, 1999
{{ISBN|1-55783-332-X}}
pp 137
</ref> Warners had already had a success with [[Giant (1956 film)|a 1956 adaptation]] of another Edna Ferber novel, ''[[Giant (novel)|Giant]]''.<ref>Looking at Hollywood: Van Johnson Sets Musical for Broadway Next Fall
Hopper, Hedda. Chicago Daily Tribune 13 Dec 1957: b16.</ref> One person associated with the film later called ''Ice Palace'' "''Giant''-on-the-rocks".<ref name="new"/>

Warners obtained rights under a twelve year lease, with rights to revert to Ferber after that.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/12/12/archives/warners-acquire-500000-stories-studio-purchases-ice-palace-and-a.html|title=WARNERS ACQUIRE $500,000 STORIES: Studio Purchases 'Ice Palace' and 'A Summer Place'-- Barbizon Buys Novel Hunter Novel Sold|newspaper=New York Times|date= 12 December 1957|page= 35}}</ref> (A later source said the cost was $225,000 plus 15% of the profits.<ref name="new"/>

Jo and Arthur Napoleon were originally assigned the job of writing the script.<ref>PARAMOUNT PLANS INCREASE IN FILMS: Studio to Expand Production of Quality Movies -- Irish Revolt Novel Acquired
By THOMAS M. PRYOR New York Times 1 Apr 1958: 35.</ref>

In July 1959 it was announced Richard Burton and Robert Ryan would star, and Vincent Sherman would direct.<ref>2 FILM FIRMS WIN CHAPLIN CASE: Roy Export and Lopert Get U. S. Injunction Barring 'Pirated' Showings
By RICHARD NASON. New York Times 24 July 1959: 14.</ref>

''Ice Palace'' was the motion picture debut of [[George Takei]] and [[Diane McBain]]. McBain had recently been put under contract to Warners and appeared in some of their TV shows.<ref name="new"/>

===Shooting===
Filming started in August 1959. There was background filming at [[Mendenhall Glacier]], ten days filming at Petersberg on [[Mitkof Island]] and Juneau, and three days of filming at Fairbanks.<ref>FILM TROUPE MAKES JOURNEY TO ALASKA
Special to The New York Times.. New York Times 8 Aug 1959: 25.</ref> There was so little snow the unit was forced to return to Alaska.<ref>New Ferber Epic Shaping in 'Snow': 'Ice Palace' Second 'Giant' About Struggle for Statehood
Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times27 Nov 1959: C11.</ref>

==Reception==
''Ice Palace'' was a commercial and critical failure. A Ferber biography described it as "glacial at the box office."<ref name="gilbert 135">
Edna Ferber and Her Circle, a Biography
Julie Goldsmith Gilbert
Hal Leonard Corporation, 1999
{{ISBN|1-55783-332-X}}
pp 135
</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reviewer called it "as false and synthetic a screen saga as has rolled out of a color camera" and "no more authentic than cornstarch snow on a studio set."<ref name="nyt review">
Ice Palace: Adaptation of Ferber Book Bows at Palace
''The New York Times''
June 30, 1960
Bosley Crowther
</ref>

Sheila Toomey of the ''[[Anchorage Daily News]]'', writing in 1996 about the Northward Building in downtown Fairbanks and its lore relative to the film, wrote "But in 1958 the Northward, a hulking steel-sided apartment complex, was immortalized in a bad novel, followed by an even worse movie, both called ''The Ice Palace''".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Toomey |first1=Sheila |title=New buyer has tall plans for Fairbanks tower |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=August 20, 1996 |page=B1}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of American films of 1960]]

==References==
{{refbegin}}
;General
* [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/78917/ice-palace Turner Classic Movies: Ice Palace]
;Specific
{{reflist}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|53936|Ice Palace}}
*{{Rotten Tomatoes|ice_palace}}

{{Vincent Sherman}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ice Palace}}
[[Category:1960 films]]
[[Category:1960s historical drama films]]
[[Category:American historical drama films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Max Steiner]]
[[Category:Films based on American novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by Vincent Sherman]]
[[Category:Films set in Alaska]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1940s]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]
[[Category:Political history of Alaska]]
[[Category:Territory of Alaska]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Edna Ferber]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Harry Kleiner]]
[[Category:1960s American films]]
[[Category:English-language historical drama films]]

Ice Palace (film) - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Move 1 url. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#tcm.com