RIDING HIGH
US, 1950, 112 minutes, Black and white.
Bing Crosby, Colleen Gray, Charles Bickford, Raymond Walburn, James Gleason, Oliver Hardy, Frances Gifford, William Demarest, Ward Bond, Clarence Muse, Percy Kilbride, Harry Davenport, Margaret Hamilton, Douglass Dumbrille, Gene Lockhart.
Directed by Frank Capra.
Riding High is a pleasant Frank Capra film from the post-war period (when he made It's a Wonderful Life, State of the Union, Here Comes the Groom). The script by Robert Riskin (who wrote so many of his social-minded films in the '30s including Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington). He wrote the original screenplay for Broadway Bill in 1933. Comic writers Melville Shavelson and Jack Rose adapted it for the 1950s and to make it a vehicle for Bing Crosby. There are Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen songs.
The film is pleasant, focuses on the wealthy and criticises them (as in so many Capra films). It also has the tyrant changing heart. It focuses on racing. It also focuses on true love. The film gains a lot of its strength from the supporting cast.
1. An entertaining romantic comedy drama? Of the 1950s? Now?
2. Frank Capra and his film-making, warmth and optimism, criticism of the wealthy, having them converted to ordinary life and values? A remake of his original film?
3. Paramount production values: black and white photography, the stars, music? Action sequences, especially the race?
4. The focus on Dan Brooks: his being engaged to Margaret Higgins? Her high society ambitions? The clashes with J.L. Higgins? Alice's infatuation with him? His being a wanderer? His devotion to Broadway Bill? Training him? Support from Whitey? The various friends including Happy, Pop Jones? The racing atmosphere, training, double deals, betting? Alice supporting him? The humorous sequences where he clashed with the Higgins family? The build-up to the race? Pressures? Broadway Bill's success? His death? The young colt? Romance and the happy ending? Bing Crosby's pleasant style? Songs?
5. Margaret and her wealthy background, pretensions in society, demands on Dan, relationship with her father? The contrast with Alice and her devotion to Dan, leaving and helping him, their work together?
6. J. L. Higgins and his work, relentless, ambitions, never having a holiday? Ruling the meals? Control over his daughters? The rest of the family? The would-be sons-in-law? The clashes with Dan? The credibility of his final relenting and relaxing?
7. Whitey and the portrayal of black friend? Background? Helping with training?
8. The range of character actors and their contribution? A happy gallery? A rogues' gallery: Happy, Professor Pettigrew, the racing secretary, Lee, Pop Jones, Johnson, Eddie Howard, J.P. Chase? The world of finance, of racing, betting?
9. The film as a piece of Americana? Humour? A gallery of characters? Good and bad? The American dream and its drive? Relentlessness? Honesty, warmth? Capra's optimism?
