BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

blanche-2 Frank Capra, who gave us so many well known films, such as "It Happened One Night," "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," and "It's a Wonderful Life," also gave us the lesser known "Broadway Bill" in 1934. The movie was remade later as "Riding High" with Bing Crosby, though it is not a favorite of Frank Capra.The story concerns Dan Brooks (Warner Baxter), married to a wealthy woman and working for her father (Walter Connelly). Dan is miserable. He walks away from the job and his wife, who refuses to accompany him, to pursue his dream of working in the racing industry. He gets behind a horse named "Broadway Bill." Bill is super-fast, but even with everything stacked against the horse, Dan knows he can win.Myrna Loy costars as Dan's sister-in-law, who believes in what he's doing and is secretly in love with him."Broadway Bill" is a sentimental film, with some satisfying moments. However, I have to admit I'm not crazy about the racing footage - I believe wire was used to trip the horses, which is disturbing.Not Capra's best, but not bad either if you can stomach accidents with horses.

xerses13 Frank Capra spotted Broadway BILL (1934) between IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) and MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936). The Director did not think much of the film at the time nor in his memoirs. Critics remarks mainly praised the cast and little else. They were right, there are better Race-Track films out there, from CHARLIE CHAN AT THE RACE TRACK (1936) too SEABISCUIT (2003). This film has a first rate cast starting with Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy, the leads. The rest, competent character actors from Capra's stock company at COLUMBIA the producing studio. So what went wrong?The screenplay has 'whiskers' on it even for a mid 1930s' programmer. There is every corny and trite cliché that can be imagined in the script. They even have Franky Darro as BILL's Jockey, TED WILLIAMS! Darro made a Hollywood career out of playing Jockey's. The worse portrayal is Baxter's DAN BROOKS. Maybe in the 1930's being a irresponsible and obnoxious jerk was somewhat enduring, it certainly is not in the 21st Century. This film should be viewed solely as a curiosity piece or for the real Frank Capra fanatics.For some reason Capra felt the need to remake this film with Bing Crosby as DAN BROOKS. RIDING HIGH (1950) though longer is no better and we also rate it IMDb Four****Stars. Capra, post WWII seemed to have lost his 'touch'. He would also remake LADY FOR A DAY (1933) as POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES (1961) his last film. His time had run out.

Keith Orr With the buzz out on "Seabiscuit " being an Oscar shoe-in for best picture of 2003 and the Sport of Kings once again grabbing the spotlight and the invaluable boost the film is giving the sport of horse-racing, most of us may have forgotten what makes this particular formula the odds on favorite at the boxoffice. That a horse, blinded in one eye and too small to compete with other thoroughbreds, is not enough to sustain any film on the subject alone but rather the grit and determination of those who believe enough, have faith enough, to turn a 'dark horse' into a champion. For if you take on consensus that the horse, with the possible exception of man's best friend-(and there have been enough films on that subject as well), is one of the noblest creatures God ever placed on this green earth than the formula worked equally as well for the 'Pi' in "National Velvet" (1945) and a dozen more films on that order such as "Saratoga" (1937), e.g., to name only a few. "Broadway Bill" is a classic of this tried oft-tested formula with a decidedly down beat ending. It was meant to be for after all it is a tear-jerker. But "Bill" like "Seabiscuit" have much in common. Both horses are regarded as past their prime and ready for stud. Both films have a people who believe enough in the 'underdog' (Bill or Seabiscuit in this case) to commit one final act of atonement on the animals behalf, "one for the Gipper" so to speak. Where the two films diverge is in the finale. Bill gives his all on the racetrack to prove his mettle where his heart bursts literally a winner in a dead heat to the finish. We're touched by Bill's determination in justifying his trainer's faith in him that it's almost impossible not to grab a handy box of Kleenex to daub away all those unbridled tears. "Broadway Bill" was actually made a total of three times, the formula was that successful. Once with Bing Crosby in the Warner Baxter role and, naturally, it is der Bingle after all, with a few musical numbers added. 'Bill" has been inducted into the classics. "Seabiscuit" as yet to stand the test of time but somehow I've an instinct that it will, for, you see, both films and their striking similarities have become a wake-up call to Hollywood. In an age of CGI generated Neo's and the dark demented young minds who try to emulate his violently aggressive behavior, "Broadway Bill' and this new film on the life and times of "Seabiscuit" is like a day at the races where you can be sure both will emerge a champion because, as you may have already guessed, it's the kind of movie they just don't make anymore.

boblipton This movie is a pleasure, from start to finish. The supporting cast is a pleasure, Warner Baxter gives a fine performance and Myrna Loy made this movie just before she played Nora Charles in THE THIN MAN -- Capra figured out how to direct her and MGM reaped the benefit.