mark.waltz Review of Wine, Women and Horses

Wine, Women and Horses (1937)

Pointless racing drama with uninteresting leads.

[1/10 · 28 September 2010]

A big time gambler (Barton MacLane) attempts to go straight, but the addiction to horse racing is too strong. He marries a nice girl (Peggy Bates), fathers a child, but is then drawn back into old temptations by an old flame (Ann Sheridan). MacLane is a fine character actor, but he cannot draw enough sympathy in his tough characterization the way Cagney, EGR, or later Bogart would in similarly tough guy roles. Ann Sheridan is wasted as the ex-flame, while Peggy Bates had a here today, gone tomorrow career on screen. Set up to be understanding, Bates changes the character to be very judgemental. At this time, there wasn't as much understanding as today on addictions of this nature, so perhaps it's not all that unrealistic. But then there is the fact that neither MacLane or Bates show any sadness in a revelation about their baby. That is the final nail in the coffin of this dull and uninteresting drama. There is one positive aspect, however, which is important to point out. The bit part of "Snow Ball", played by Eugene Jackson, is one of the few non-stereotypical portrayals of blacks in films of this time. It's nice to see him being treated, if not as an equal, but as someone of character without the slow drawl or eye popping look of many post-adult black men of the era. That is ruined, though, by MacLane suddenly rubs "Snow Ball's" head for luck. The ending left me gasping in amazement, making everything which happened before seem pointless.