"Good grief. Nothing but checks!" wealthy Jed Prouty says and this fifth and second to last episode of the "Scattergood Baines" movie series that takes place at a nearby race track to where Guy Kibbee lives. A good majority of the minor players in the series are gone including Emma Dunn as Scattergood's wife. We must assume that she had no interest in race tracks which as to why she doesn't even make an appearance or even get mentioned.
There's more footage here for Paul White, Scattergood black assistant at the grocery store whose young friend Philip Hurlic works as a stable boy for Walter Baldwin who is killed in a race, causing his estate to be sold to Prouty, which includes Hurlic. Charles Lind is Baldwin's son who wants to purchase a racehorse, causing can be to offer to pay Lind's college tuition if he gives it up. Thanks to Hurlic, land learns that the racehorse is being abused by one of Prouty's men, making him all the more determined to go ahead with his plans, all the while romancing proud he's uppercrust daughter, Dorothy Moore.
It is interesting to note to that young Hurlic was featured in a major part as the young black boy adopted by a white family in the "Penrod" series. It is also made a parent when Lind offers Hurlic to Prouty, he is simply trying to ensure a future for the young boy, obviously too young to be working, but loving what he does none the less. Regina Wallace plays Prouty's snooty wife who has a surprising twist in the plot. Audiences view of this will all depend on their interest in the sport of horse racing, and while I thought it had some interesting aspects, it never completely won me over. It's simply a passable programmer that gives its black characters a bit more dignity than normal, even if they still have stereotypical personalities on screen.
2 out of 3 found this helpful