''Ice Castles'' is a 1978 American romantic drama film directed by

Donald Wrye Donald Wrye (September 24, 1934 – May 15, 2015) was an American director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for directing the 1978 film ''Ice Castles''. He died on May 15, 2015, at his home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Filmography * ...

and starring Lynn-Holly Johnson and

Robby Benson Robby Benson (born Robin David Segal; January 21, 1956) is an American actor and director. He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late 1970s, appearing in the sports films '' One on One'' (1977) and ''Ice Castles'' (1978). He subsequently ...

. It is the story of Lexie Winston, a young figure skater, and her rise and fall from super stardom. Tragedy strikes when, following a freak accident, Lexie loses her sight, leaving her to hide away in the privacy of her own despair. She eventually perseveres and begins competing in figure skating again. The work was filmed on location in

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

and Minnesota. Its theme song "

Through the Eyes of Love "Through the Eyes of Love (Theme from ''Ice Castles'')" (sometimes incorrectly referred to as "Looking Through the Eyes of Love"), is an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-nominated ballad performed by American singer Melissa Manchester, from ...

", performed by

Melissa Manchester Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been carried by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage. Early l ...

, was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Original Song The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is presented to the ''songwriters'' who have composed th ...

at the

52nd Academy Awards The 52nd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1979 and took place on April 14, 1980, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p. ...

. A remake, also directed by Wrye, was released direct to video in 2010.

Plot summary

Alexis "Lexie" Winston is a sixteen-year-old girl from Waverly, Iowa, who dreams of becoming a champion figure skater. Her boyfriend, Nick Peterson, dreams of being a hockey player. Coached by a family friend and former skater, Lexie enters a regional championship over her father's protests. There she is discovered by an elite coach, who sees her potential despite her lack of training and her relatively advanced age. Over her father's objections, Lexie moves from Waverly to

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since 2 ...

to train at the legendary

Broadmoor World Arena The Broadmoor World Arena was a ice skating, skating rink and ice hockey, hockey arena located at The Broadmoor Resort & Spa in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Originally an outdoor equestrian center and riding academy, the building was enclosed and ...

. She becomes unpopular among her fellow trainees because of the attention lavished on her natural talent and the publicity she receives. Lexie qualifies for the senior championship level, her life changing drastically in the process. She becomes a star, alienates her boyfriend, and begins dating a grown man, television broadcaster Brian. Becoming uncomfortable with the direction her life is taking, she leaves a sponsorship party and heads to a nearby outdoor skating rink. Her coach and the partygoers watch through the windows as she skates. She attempts a difficult triple jump but lands off the ice onto a set of tables and chairs chained together near the edge of the rink. Lexie suffers a serious

head injury A head injury is any injury that results in trauma to the skull or brain. The terms ''traumatic brain injury'' and ''head injury'' are often used interchangeably in the medical literature. Because head injuries cover such a broad scope of inju ...

, a blood clot in her brain robbing her of her eyesight and leaving her able to see only light and blurry shapes. The doctor is uncertain if her injury will be permanent. Lexie returns home and becomes a recluse. Nick, who still resents her affair with Brian, demands that she get out of the house and back onto the ice. Despite their mutual resentment and Lexie's depression, they work through their estrangement and rediscover their love for each other. With help from Nick, her father Marcus, and original coach Beulah, Lexie begins to believe she can still fulfill her dreams. Though virtually blind, she can still see the boards at the edge of the rink, and so learns how to compensate for her disability. She enrolls in the sectional championship and presents a flawless program that provokes a standing ovation from the audience. Her disability, however, is revealed when she trips over roses thrown onto the ice by adoring fans. Nick rushes to her side and says, "We forgot about the flowers," as the crowd realizes that Lexie has not recovered from her injuries but rather risen above them.

Cast and characters

* Lynn-Holly Johnson as Alexis "Lexie" Winston *

as Nick Peterson *

Colleen Dewhurst Colleen Rose Dewhurst (3 June 1924 – 22 August 1991) was a Canadian-American actress mostly known for theatre roles. She was a renowned interpreter of the works of Eugene O'Neill on the stage, and her career also encompassed film, early drama ...

as Beulah Smith * Tom Skerritt as Marcus Winston *

Jennifer Warren Jennifer Warren is an American actress, producer and film director. Early life and education She was born in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, the daughter of actress Paula Bauersmith and Dr. Barnet M. Warren, a dentist. Her unc ...

as Deborah Mackland *

David Huffman David Oliver Huffman (May 10, 1945 – February 27, 1985) was an American actor and producer. Personal life Huffman was born on May 10, 1945, in Berwyn, Illinois, to Clarence and Opal Huffman (née Dippel). Huffman married casting director P ...

as Brian Dockett * Sydney Blake as Sandy * Craig T. McMullen as Doctor * Kelsey Ufford as Ceciel Monchet *

Leonard Lilyholm Leonard Paul "Len" Lilyholm (born April 1, 1941) is an American retired professional ice hockey player who played 77 regular season games in the World Hockey Association for the Minnesota Fighting Saints in 1972 and 1973. Early life Lilyholm was ...

as Hockey Coach * Brian Foley as Choreographer * John-Claude Bleuze as French Coach * Theresa Willmus as Annette Brashlout * Diana Holden as X-ray technician * Michelle McLean as Skater * Carol Williams as Television producer * Kevin Heinen as Man in green jacket throwing rose

Critical response

The film holds a 44% "Rotten" rating on aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes, based on 9 reviews, with an average score of 5.3/10. A movie reviewer for '' Variety'' wrote, "''Ice Castles'' combines a touching love story with the excitement and intense pressure of Olympic competition skating" and praised the performances of Dewhurst and Skerrit.

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

disliked the sentimentality of the movie, writing: Reviewer Austin Kennedy also gave a lukewarm review, though praised the acting as "the better part of this movie. Real life skater Lynn-Holly Johnson is charming and does a fine job as the innocent starlet."

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

called the film a "schmaltzy classic skating movie for romantics." Janet Maslin, in '' The New York Times'', complained that she found the movie "amazingly hard to follow", "confusing", and "baffling"; she writes, "Wrye's bungling renders the story sob-proof."

Accolades

The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

in these lists: * 2002: AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Passions – Nominated * 2004: AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Songs: ** "

" – Nominated * 2006: AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Cheers – Nominated

Remake

Director Donald Wrye remade ''Ice Castles'' in 2009. The namesake film, starring Taylor Firth and

Rob Mayes Rob Mayes is an American actor, musician, and model. He is best known for starring as the title character in the 2012 horror comedy film '' John Dies at the End'', as well as portraying Tommy Nutter in the short-lived comedy-drama television seri ...

, was released as a direct-to-DVD title on February 9, 2010, shortly before the

2010 Winter Olympics )'' , nations = 82 , athletes = 2,626 , events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = February 12, 2010 , closing = February 28, 2010 , opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean , cauldron = Catriona Le May Doan Nancy GreeneWayne Gre ...

.IMDB: Release information on ''Ice Castles'' (2010).
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References

External links

* {{Authority control 1978 films 1978 romantic drama films American romantic drama films Columbia Pictures films Figure skating films Films about Olympic figure skating Films about the Winter Olympics Films scored by Marvin Hamlisch Films about blind people Films about women's sports Films directed by Donald Wrye Films set in Colorado Films set in Iowa Films shot in Colorado Films shot in Minnesota Films produced by John Kemeny 1970s English-language films 1970s American films 1978 directorial debut films