Winter Wonderland (1946)

• 69%
• 1946
• Drama
• Romance
• Bernard Vorhaus
• Lynne Roberts
• Charles Drake
• Roman Bohnen

While skiing at the Skyline Lodge winter resort, Nancy Wheeler, who lives on a nearby farm with her father Timothy and little sister Betty, meets the new ski instructor, Steve Kirk. Steve asks Nancy to be his partner in a ski ballet, and she accepts the invitation on the condition that he ask her no questions about her life. Because her father despises the resort, Nancy insists on anonymity and hopes that Steve will not try to find out where she lives. Nancy's father often complains bitterly about the resort's destruction of the natural beauty of the mountain and the aggressive expansion plans of its owner, Luddington. When Betty tells Timothy that the new ski instructor has been disregarding the signs warning skiers to stay away from Timothy's property, he grabs his rifle and vows to put Steve in his place. Timothy warns Steve to keep off his property, but Steve laughs at Timothy's clumsy attempt to nail another sign to a tree, and then empties the bullets out of Timothy's rifle. During a rehearsal for the ski ballet, Steve tells Luddington that the best run is located on Timothy's north pasture, and Luddington decides to put new pressure on Timothy to sell his land. Steve and Luddington set out for the Wheeler farm in the hope that Timothy will sell his land just as his millionaire brother Cornelius did, but their attempt to negotiate a sale ends in failure. A secret romance soon develops between Steve and Nancy, and Betty, though sworn to secrecy, tells Cornelius' caretaker Seth about it. One day, after a rehearsal, Nancy dashes home to attend to her chores and becomes trapped in an icy crevasse. As sundown approaches, Timothy becomes concerned about his daughter's absence and goes to Cornelius' house looking for her. Seth feigns ignorance, but as soon as Timothy leaves, he telephones the Skyline Lodge. When a bellboy circulates through the lobby of the hotel paging Nancy, guests hear the surname of the caller and circulate a false rumor that Cornelius' daughter is missing. Steve, meanwhile, organizes a search party, finds Nancy and brings her back to the lodge, where she is treated like royalty and given alcohol for comfort. Steve, Luddington and many of the resort guests believe that Nancy is Cornelius' daughter until Timothy reveals her identity and demands that she return home. Luddington later presents Timothy with an expensive bill for Nancy's stay at the lodge, and as Timothy is unable to pay, Nancy enters a ski race, hoping to win the thousand-dollar prize. During the race, Steve feigns an injury to ensure that Nancy wins, and Nancy is first to cross the finish line. When Timothy witnesses Steve's sacrifice, he changes his opinion of him and gives his blessing to his daughter's romance.