Sporting Blood

SPORTING BLOOD (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1931) directed by Charles Brabin, is a horseracing story, one of many produced at that time since and beyond. Taken from the story "Horseflesh" by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, rather than concentrating on a story about a jockey and his horse, for example, the opening credits claims this to be a biography about a horse. Of the twelve film releases featuring Clark Gable, SPORTING BLOOD is relatively known for being his first starring role. Even though he comes 42 minutes into the story, it's the second billed Ernest Torrence who's very much the leading human character and thoroughbred Tommy Boy both its subject matter and main focus.

The story begins with Jim Rellence (Ernest Torrence), a horse breeder in Lexington, Kentucky, showing off his many horses to his friend, Maguire (J. Farrell MacDonald). During a heavy rainstorm, Southern Queen is reported missing only to be found injured with a broken leg resting in a puddle of mud where she has given birth. Unable to save the horse, with the help of Uncle Ben (John Larkin) and Sammy (Eugene Jackson), Jim and Maguire return the colt they name Tommy Boy to the farm where he's milk fed and later placed under the care of a new mother horse. From pony to full-grown horse, Rellence, very much attached to Tommy Boy, finds himself having to sell the thoroughbred to Jerry Hartwick (Harry Holman) in order to keep his horse-trading business. Hartwick enters Tommy Boy to the races at Latonia where the horse wins the race, attracting the attention of Angela (Marie Prevost), who insists her husband, Bill Lideking (Hallam Cooley) buy him for her. He offers Hartwick $40,000 for Tommy Boy, only to have the thoroughbred purchased by gambler "Tip" Scanlon (Lew Cody) only after Mrs. Lideking loses interest in him. Hoping to earn some big wages from his gambling friends, Scanlon drugs Tommy Boy to win. Losing the race and unable to pay off his debts, Scanlon attempts to leave town and fails in the process. With Tommy Boy now under the ownership of Ruby (Madge Evans), Scanlon's mistress of three years, she and her new love interest, "Rid" Riddell (Clark Gable), former gambling table dealer under Scanlon, must decide what's to happen to this poor animal used only as a "reward for past favors.

Although the story is well-paced through much of its 82 minutes, its presentation with "My Old Kentucky Home" theme song has more to its Fox Films/20th Century-Fox (where many horse racing themed stories were produced) feel to it. There are some cute elements involving animals. One that stands in memory is of a little dog imitating the horse's gallop. While Madge Evans has more to do than Gable, Gable one scene of merit is grabbing on to Evans and saying, "Come here, woman!" Evans' introduction to the story as a tough-looking cigarette smoking mistress may be placed against type but is well-played. Ernest Torrence, a fine actor with a rough exterior, is quite believable as a man showing his love and affection for his many horses, especially Tommy Boy.

With this being Clark Gable (sans mustache) on his way up to super star status, the supporting players benefit well in their assigned roles that keep this from being just another horseracing story. Though MGM produced another SPORTING BLOOD (1940) with Robert Young and Maureen O'Sullivan, that latter edition is not a remake.

Other than some limited broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies cable channel, SPORTING BLOOD is available for viewing on DVD. (***)

The first part of this movie, about the birth and rearing of "Tommy Boy", is pretty good, if a tad sentimental. Ernest Torrence does his usual excellent job. In the second half, Tommy Boy leaves the farm and falls in with bad companions, and the whole thing degenerates into into bad soap opera. The camerawork is erratic: the shots in the field were apparently shot MOS and look pretty good, but the second half becomes stage bound.

Sporting Blood was Clark Gable's first top-billed role, playing a gangster with a softer side, willing to take the shots but not at the expense at the life of a dumb animal. Just one problem though; he doesn't show up until halfway through! I've seen some movies in which it takes a long time for the top-billed star to show up but this is the most extreme example I've seen of this; so don't go in expecting Gable from scene 1. Sporting Blood has an odd narrative structure with characters introduced late in the game and a second half which largely contrasts the first half but it works. The first half takes place in a peaceful farm paradise, the latter in a world of gangsters in which Tommy Boy becomes a commodity merely being passed around.

Sporting Blood is a romantic tribute to the world of equestrianism, set in the horse racing heartland of Kentucky; and when I say romantic, I mean romantic. This is a movie which would have you believe an entire group of horses would come running to a horse being taken away in a truck as a sign of farewell. But the anamorphisation of animals doesn't end there; when Madge Evans proclaims, "What do I want to run him in the Derby for? For himself, for running for himself. Don't you think a horse has some rights, the same as you and me to run straight and honest and to give his best in order to win what he can." We're all guilty of it though, aren't we?

"Since the beginning of time the Horse has been Man's loyal friend...BUT Man has not always been the friend the Horse has to Man....", this section of the opening prologue confuses me; didn't early man hunt horses for food? But I digress. I found myself getting engaged in the story with the death of Tommy Boy's mother Southern Queen (was a real horse injured here?) and I believe must of this can be credited to the very naturalistic acting present in Sporting Blood. Unlike other films of the classic Hollywood era, Sporting Blood features African American actors in prominent roles. While they are still presented in a stereotypical manner and seem dim-witted at times, they are treated with more dignity and illicit genuine emotion, especially the black children near the beginning of the film feel just like real kids.

Sporting Blood gets a major benefit from its handsome production values, location filming and impressive race footage which gets right up close to the action. The film is full of in-depth compositions and extensive camera pans; just look at the gorgeous use of lighting and shadows when Tommy Boy is introduced to his new mother. It also wouldn't be pre-code without some drug use thrown in there, ok its horse narcotics but still ("We've hopped him up so much in the last few months that it ain't working like it used to"). Sporting Blood isn't the most intense film ever but is one with a relaxing charm to it.

I recently caught this film on TCM during their celebration of Clark Gable as "Star of the Month" and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Good behind the scenes racing story, with the added attraction of a very young Clark Gable in his first top-billed role. Yes, the story is sentimental, but exceedingly well done, with excellent performances by all. But the best surprise of all is the treatment of the African American characters in the film. Considering the time period, all of the African Americans are treated as intelligent, thinking HUMAN beings, not as shuffling minstrel show caricatures. Why isn't this film better known? Catch it when you have the chance. Highly recommended!

A very realistic film about Kentucky thoroughbred raising and racing that includes a large number of black characters including featured players. John Larkin is great as is the direction in general. Madge Evans is truly beautiful. The plot ending is ingenious. It's a keeper if you've taped it off of TCM. A piece of cinema history, I think.