HARRIGAN’S KID
US, 1943, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Frank Craven, Bobby Readick, William Gargan, J Carroll Naish.
Directed by Charles Reiser.
Harrigan’s Kid is a small budget 1943 film more like that of a Warner Brothers second feature rather than a film from MGM, which it is. But it is a star vehicle for veteran actor, Frank Craven. The central character is a tough jockey, something of Dead End Kid, played by Bobby Readick who made only one other film, The Canterville Ghost. William Gargan plays a former jockey who has fallen on hard times but has rescued the young jockey from the streets and helped train him. J.Carroll Naish has a role as a wheeler dealer in the racing industry.
Bobby Readick is both irritating and credible enough as the young angry jockey. However, he has a good heart because he loves horses over people but, with the help of Harrigan who trained him and told him how to be a tricky jockey which gets him into trouble, he becomes the protégé of the trainer, Garnett, played by Frank Craven. There are many ups and downs in the young man’s career, his clashes with fellow jockeys, the temptation to fix races – but all is well at the end, except for a death scene with William Gargan which, unfortunately, is played ludicrously.(not intentionally).
The film was directed by Charles Reiser, who directed Charlie Chaplin, Abbott and Costello and the Marx Bros in The Big Store.
1. An enjoyable racing film of the 1940s? Pre-budget, the-cast? Yet a feel for the racing industry of the time?
2. The black and white photography, the race sequences? Musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Harrigan? Harrigan and his growing older, his past success as champion jockey, his knowing the ropes, his finding Benny, helping him, training him, Benny using the tricks and being called to order by the authorities? His selling Benny’s contract to Garnett, his hopes for him? The dealings with Jed? His advice to Benny, to go back to Garnett, to do everything he was told, yet take instructions from Harrigan in the Derby? His admiration for Benny, the financial entanglements with Jed, Benny going to see him before the race, his wanting Benny to lose, listening to Benny, Benny’s change of heart, supporting him, the end of the race, Jed pushing him over the balcony, the death scene – and filled with bathos rather than pathos?
4. Benny, his age, tough, from the streets, slinging off at everyone, his admiration for Harrigan and obeying him? His love for the horse? The sale of the horse? His career as a jockey, using tricks, called before the authorities? Warned? His contract sold to Garnett? His arrival, the reaction of the other jockeys, his arrogance? They’re sending him to Garnet room? His fight with Mackie? His friendship with Skip? Teaching him how to count the seconds, to start a race, Skip’s accident, hospital? The reaction of the other jockeys? His decision to leave? Passing the stable, his horse giving birth and his persisting? Time away from the stables? Talking with Harrigan, the decision to return, keeping everything in order, in order to take Harrigan’s orders in the races? But Garnett and his support of Benny, acting as a father-figure, taking him to see Skip in hospital, the jobs, the foal being called after him? His writing? Reconciling with the other jockeys?
5. The Derby, his visiting Harrigan, his determination to win, the race itself, the interfering jockey, the victory? But the sadness of Harrigan’s death?
6. Boys Town kind of film, and Benny and his transition from tough guy to responsible jockey?
