Cracked Ice Ending Explained: What Happened and Why?

What Happens at the End of Cracked Ice?

It's ice skating time. After a few generic ice-skating gags, we get to the main story. An animal falls through the ice, and a pig doing W.C. Fields (W.C. Squeals, apparently) calls for help from a Saint Bernard dog. The dog dispenses a drink, and Squeals begins scheming to get some himself. First he tries faking his own fall through the ice, but the dog sees through it and downs the drink himself. Then Squeals tries using a dish of bones and a magnet, but the magnet falls through the ice and gets stuck around a fish. The fish then swims through a liquor spill from the dog's casket; the drunken fish grabs an ax and, swimming in a circle, dunks another skater. He then latches onto Squeals' skates, and hauls him into an ice-skating contest, where the fish-induced antics win him first prize. Squeals fills the loving cup from the dog's cask, and the fish swims off with it.

Frank Tashlin's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Mel Blanc (Russian Dogs / Drowning Bird / Drunk Fish / Skating Judge)'s journey. After a few generic ice-skating gags, we get to the main story.

How Does Mel Blanc (Russian Dogs / Drowning Bird / Drunk Fish / Skating Judge)'s Story End?

• Mel Blanc: Mel Blanc's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• Tedd Pierce (W.C. Fields pig): Tedd Pierce's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.

What Does the Ending of Cracked Ice Mean?

Cracked Ice's ending attempts to resolve the major plot threads, though some narrative elements involving Mel Blanc may feel rushed. Frank Tashlin's final act has been both praised for its ambition and criticized for its execution.