(Some Spoilers) Predictable horse opera of a movie with the fit and handsome and wearing costume tailor made clothes, by the MGM studio, Howard Keel in a non singing role as racetrack con artist Rick Grayton. Rick is planning to make it big in the big race, the 34th running of the Santa Lisa Handicap, coming up with his winless nag Gay Fleet. Gay Fleet not only never won a race but finished last in the last half dozen or so races he was entered in! Under handicap conditions he's expected to be given a from 50 to 75 pounds less weight advantage, or bug, over his competition! Which was obviously Rick's plan in having him being pulled in all his previous races!
What spoils Rick's future plans on the race track in the sudden appearance of Gay Fleet's owner pretty and a bit naive of the horse racing business Carol Maldon, Polly Bergen. Carol wants to take control of Gay Fleet which would leave out Rick in any future wins, and paydays, that the horse would have! Trying to juggle romance with horse racing has Rick getting himself all confused in exactly what he's supposed to be in the film. Either a Cary Grant like leading man or as the gambler Nathan Detroit, in "Guys & Dolls", Sam Levine.
***SPOILERS*** Like in most horse racing flicks the best part is saved for last. That's when Gay Fleet's jockey Manny Morales, Jaquin Garay, who despite having Broadway singers Keel & Bergen in the cast has the only singing part in the movie. It's Manny's awful singing voice that spurs Gay Fleet to run like the wind in order to break the sound barrier so that Manny's voice can't catch up with him. That despite being given orders by his boss Rick Grayton to pull the horse and lose the race. It's a a good thing that Manny didn't because in the end in winning with her horse it brought both Rick and Carol, who were on the out at the time, together which gave the film a happy and predictable ending.
P.S Check out the very New York City sounding Horace McMahon who became famous playing tough NYPD Let. Detective Mike Parker in the TV "Naked City" police drama trying to talk with a Texas drawl. McMahon's corny Texas like delivery almost brings the roof down on him, as crooked con man and bottom of the deck dealing poker player "Two Pair" Buford, every time he opens his mouth.
What spoils Rick's future plans on the race track in the sudden appearance of Gay Fleet's owner pretty and a bit naive of the horse racing business Carol Maldon, Polly Bergen. Carol wants to take control of Gay Fleet which would leave out Rick in any future wins, and paydays, that the horse would have! Trying to juggle romance with horse racing has Rick getting himself all confused in exactly what he's supposed to be in the film. Either a Cary Grant like leading man or as the gambler Nathan Detroit, in "Guys & Dolls", Sam Levine.
***SPOILERS*** Like in most horse racing flicks the best part is saved for last. That's when Gay Fleet's jockey Manny Morales, Jaquin Garay, who despite having Broadway singers Keel & Bergen in the cast has the only singing part in the movie. It's Manny's awful singing voice that spurs Gay Fleet to run like the wind in order to break the sound barrier so that Manny's voice can't catch up with him. That despite being given orders by his boss Rick Grayton to pull the horse and lose the race. It's a a good thing that Manny didn't because in the end in winning with her horse it brought both Rick and Carol, who were on the out at the time, together which gave the film a happy and predictable ending.
P.S Check out the very New York City sounding Horace McMahon who became famous playing tough NYPD Let. Detective Mike Parker in the TV "Naked City" police drama trying to talk with a Texas drawl. McMahon's corny Texas like delivery almost brings the roof down on him, as crooked con man and bottom of the deck dealing poker player "Two Pair" Buford, every time he opens his mouth.