Favorite Hockey Movies

John Wayne & Rita Hayworth do hockey

In 1937 two hockey movies were released, John Wayne’s “Idol of the Crowds” and Rita Hayworth’s “The Game that Kills”, both involve the underworld’s grip on sports gambling with romance, murder, and mayhem both on and off the ice.

Admittedly I was initially shocked and pleased to learn that “The Duke”, Mr. Wayne himself made a hockey movie and that the 1940s leading sex symbol Miss Hayworth had also released a hockey movie in the same year as Mr. Wayne.

Miss Hayworth’s movie is just 55 minutes and featured some NAHL Johnstown Jets players, the plot revolves around a player that is killed during a game accidentally and his brother who does not believe the narrative shows up to investigate.

The team owner is head of a gambling ring, the head coach in debt with bad checks and his daughter is kidnapped after falling in love with the brother who is now a player on her father’s team and has to throw an important game.

In Mr. Wayne’s movie which is also approximately one hour long highlights a farmer who wants to expand his chicken farm and does this through playing hockey, and gangsters endeavor to get him to throw the big game using a dame to steer him into their corner.

Both movies of course can now be streamed at your convenience on any number of services thanks to modern technology for all curious hockey enthusiasts.

Tonight Buffalo hosts Chicago (again) weather permitting.