Sporting Blood (1931)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Charles Brabin

Writers:

Frederick Hazlitt Brennan (story)
Charles Brabin (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 August 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Plot:

Gambler Rid Riddell wins a racehorse, Tommy Boy, on a bet. Rid consistently wins with the horse in both honestly and dishonestly run races...

Plot Keywords:

Male Female Relationship | Accident | African American | Blackjack Game | Casino

Cast

Clark Gable	...	Warren 'Rid' Riddell
Ernest Torrence	...	Mr. Jim Rellence
Madge Evans	...	Miss 'Missy' Ruby
Lew Cody	...	Tip Scanlon
Marie Prevost	...	Angela 'Angie' Ludeking
Hallam Cooley	...	Bill Ludeking
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	MacGuire (as J. Farrell McDonald)
John Larkin	...	Uncle Ben
Eugene Jackson	...	Sam 'Sammy'
Tommy Boy	...	Himself, a Horse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Curtis	...	Himself, Vice-President of the United States, at Kentucky Derby (archive footage)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Hopkinsville, Kentucky, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Sporting Blood (1931) was inspired by a true-life story wherein Arnold Rothstein, the gambler racketeer infamous for the 1919 Black Sox Scandal (see Eight Men Out (1988)), entered his horse Sporting Blood in the 1921 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Sporting Blood was initially the second favorite at 5-2 behind the filly Prudery, the 1-4 favorite. Then legendary trainer Sam Hildreth entered his best runner Grey Lag, who became the immediate favorite with Prudery the second favorite and Sporting Blood the third favorite at 3-1. Thirty minutes before the race Hildreth scratched Grey Lag with no explanation. The favorite money then switched to Prudery while Sporting Blood remained at 3-1. Sure enough, Sporting Blood won and Rothstein collected $500,000 in both prize money and, mostly, from the $150,000 he'd bet here and there. It seems that Rothstein had heard just before the race that Prudery was having "female problems." Both Rothstein and Hildreth were accused of colluding but nothing could be proved. In any event, Rothstein soon sold his horses and never owned another horse again. He was later shot dead in 1928 over a crooked poker game in which he'd lost $320,000 but refused to pay.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Clark Gable: Tall, Dark and Handsome (1996)

Soundtrack:

The Stars and Stripes Forever

A pleasant surprise

I recently caught this film on TCM during their celebration of Clark Gable as "Star of the Month" and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Good behind the scenes racing story, with the added attraction of a very young Clark Gable in his first top-billed role. Yes, the story is sentimental, but exceedingly well done, with excellent performances by all. But the best surprise of all is the treatment of the African American characters in the film. Considering the time period, all of the African Americans are treated as intelligent, thinking HUMAN beings, not as shuffling minstrel show caricatures. Why isn't this film better known? Catch it when you have the chance. Highly recommended!