A washed up, alcoholic Vet and a dreamer stable boy help nurse a sick race horse back to health.A washed up, alcoholic Vet and a dreamer stable boy help nurse a sick race horse back to health.A washed up, alcoholic Vet and a dreamer stable boy help nurse a sick race horse back to health.
Pat West
- First Railbird
- (scenes deleted)
Stanley Andrews
- Track Steward
- (uncredited)
King Baggot
- Bettor
- (uncredited)
John Bose
- Stable Hand
- (uncredited)
Spencer Charters
- Choirmaster
- (uncredited)
Jules Cowles
- Singer at Beulah's
- (uncredited)
Charles Dunbar
- Stable Hand with Broom
- (uncredited)
Billy Engle
- Congregation Member
- (uncredited)
Flora Finch
- Singer at Beulah's
- (uncredited)
Frank Hagney
- Poolroom Owner
- (uncredited)
Al Herman
- Mr. Merlin
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe big race was actually the entire 1938 $50,000 Hollywood Gold Cup race won by Seabiscuit.
- GoofsWhen Michael and Doc are by the beach, Doc puts on his left shoe, then puts it on again in the next scene.
- Quotes
Doc Thomas 'Tom' Terry: Shut up! Shut up!
- Crazy creditsOpening credits are shown over drawings of horses on a racetrack.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990)
- SoundtracksWhen You Wore a Tulip
Music by Percy Wenrich (1924)
Lyrics by Jack Mahoney
Sung by Wallace Beery and others at the songfest
Featured review
Highly effective schmaltz and one of Beery's best.
"Stablemates" is a very schmaltzy and formulaic film--there's really no getting around that. Like nearly all of Wallace Beery films, he plays a lovable rogue who eventually redeems himself. You also KNOW how the film is going to end shortly after the film begins. And, there is sentiment galore! Yet, despite all this, it's a dandy film--one of the best horse films you can find.
While I mentioned Beery, the star of the film is Mickey Rooney who plays, not surprisingly, Mickey! Mickey has no family and his greatest live is to hang around the horse track. And, of all the horses, he adores 'Lady Q'--a horse who he believes in, though hardly anyone else does. In fact, the horse's owner is planning on having him put down and Mickey begs the guy to give him the horse in lieu of what he owes Mickey in salary. The short-sighted owner agrees. However, with absolutely no money and an injured horse, what is he to do? Well, he soon meets up with a slippery character, Tom (Beery) and it seems obvious to everyone that Tom is no good. But, Mickey soon comes to believe in him--especially after Tom operates on the horse and saves her. But Tom acts VERY cagey about all this. It's obvious he's a vet but strongly denies it. What gives?! In the meantime, Tom and Mickey become like father and son. Can Mickey stand to learn the truth about Tom? And, can Lady Q win the big race? As I said, this is a formulaic and predictable picture. Yet, because the script is lovely and the acting so nice (particularly Rooney's) you cannot help but believe in them and root for the characters. It's a film that I liked despite all its flaws. A wonderful family picture.
While I mentioned Beery, the star of the film is Mickey Rooney who plays, not surprisingly, Mickey! Mickey has no family and his greatest live is to hang around the horse track. And, of all the horses, he adores 'Lady Q'--a horse who he believes in, though hardly anyone else does. In fact, the horse's owner is planning on having him put down and Mickey begs the guy to give him the horse in lieu of what he owes Mickey in salary. The short-sighted owner agrees. However, with absolutely no money and an injured horse, what is he to do? Well, he soon meets up with a slippery character, Tom (Beery) and it seems obvious to everyone that Tom is no good. But, Mickey soon comes to believe in him--especially after Tom operates on the horse and saves her. But Tom acts VERY cagey about all this. It's obvious he's a vet but strongly denies it. What gives?! In the meantime, Tom and Mickey become like father and son. Can Mickey stand to learn the truth about Tom? And, can Lady Q win the big race? As I said, this is a formulaic and predictable picture. Yet, because the script is lovely and the acting so nice (particularly Rooney's) you cannot help but believe in them and root for the characters. It's a film that I liked despite all its flaws. A wonderful family picture.
helpful•60
- planktonrules
- Dec 10, 2013
Details
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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