THOROUGHBREDS DON'T CRY

US, 1937, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Sophie Tucker, C. Aubrey Smith, Ronald Sinclair.
Directed by Alfred E. Green.

Thoroughbreds Don't Cry is a standard racehorse story of the 1930s. It was the first starring of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney together – nine more films, mainly musicals, to follow.

Judy is an aspiring singer, named of all names, Cricket West. She lives in a boarding house for jockeys with her aunt, played by the singer Sophie Tucker who does not sing in the film. (Though she has a wisecrack about an usher, telling him to go and ush.) C. Aubrey Smith appears as a very British grandfather. Ronald Sinclair is his grandson, very much looking like and sounding like Freddie Bartholomew.

The English part of the film has the grandfather and his grandson with a horse which they take to America to race. The American part is the house with Mickey Rooney as an arrogant young jockey. After a clash, the two young men become friends and Mickey Rooney helps train the horse. However, his no-good father is in on a scam to pretend that he is dying and wants his son to forfeit the race. This puts pressure on the young jockey, but eventually he does and is disqualified, the scam being exposed for what it is.

The old grandfather dies, leaving the horse to his grandson who is now impoverished. Mickey Rooney gets the money, enters the horse, urges the young Englishman to ride it, National Velvet style, to victory. Happy ending.

Judy Garland gets to sing a song, Got a Pair of New Shoes. She was about to star in The Wizard of Oz.

1. An entertaining racing story? Familiar material? The 1930s?

2. The British background, English aristocracy, horse owners and breeders, racers? The American contrast, the boarding house, the young jockeys, Mother Ralph in charge?

3. The basic premise, the grandfather and grandson, the decision to come to the United States, to race the horse and be successful? The quality of the horse, the focus on the horse? And the care of the horse?

4. Timmie, his success, vanity, relationship with Cricket? His skill in riding, his helping Roger? Riding the horse? His father, his scam, pretending to be dying, wanting the money for an iron lung? Timmie and the dilemma? His final decision? Pulling the horse? His being exposed? His going to live on the streets? Cricket finding him? His getting the money, entering the horse, getting into the tree, advising Roger on how to ride? Ultimate success?

5. Cricket, her singing, in the boarding house, friendship with Roger, with Timmie? Going to find Timmie in the streets? Her song?

6. The character of the old grandfather, typically British? Coming to America? Roger, his age, experience, the death of his grandfather, the disappointment as regards the race, his having no money, Timmie’s support, riding the horse to victory?

7. The characters around the stables, Timmie’s father, the other jockeys? The officials?

8. Timmie and his failure, ashamed, forgiven?

9. Everything being righted at the end?